Setting up a Network....

[Pete]

I am studying for the Network+ exam and want to get some networking experience. I have a Pentium 233mhz system and a Gateway 486-66mhz system at home. I was hoping to network these together. Can anyone advise me on how to do this? I have an idea but would appreciate your comments.

[dale]

Setting up a network is usually non-trivial for novices since you have to learn so many new things at once. It also depends on what type of networking. You can take two approaches in my opinion:

1. Go to your nearest computer store and buy one of the "Lan Kits" as I call them, that gives you all the hardware, software and instructions for creating a home LAN. I have never tried one since I roll my own all the time, but I have to believe that they must be ok if they want to stay in business.

2. Roll you own. The website http://www.azinet.com/azinet/netinfo.htm appeared to be pretty good as a starting point, you might find other similar websites with the same information.

If you are setting up a NetBui/Windows-only network, it will be fairly easy. If setting up a TCP/IP network, you will have a much harder time unless you already have a handle on TCP/IP. If you want to just share files and printers, stick with NetBUI, TCP/IP offers no real advantages in this scenario.

regards,
dale

[ReddDogg]

Basically you need a hub, network cards in both computers, and your winders 95/98 cd, and cables, dont' forget cables. You install network cards. When they do that, it puts a network card adapter in your network applet in the control panel. Make sure you have NetBeui installed on both computers. Also make sure you enable file and printer sharing in the network applet. MAke sure identification tab is filled out, and then hook up cables and hub, and reboot computers. go into network neighboorhood (requires Client for microsoft networking in network applet) and see if you see the other computer. If it doesn't, then go to view and refresh. If I have missed anything or if you run into a problem then ask that question, else that should work for you.

Note, if you want to network computers together for games, you need to be running ipx/spx or tcp/ip in most cases, but netbeui is great for file sharing and printer sharing. As for brand names, I like linksys for my networking needs, very economical, never had their stuff go bad on me. Learning to make own cables i great, but I recommend buying your first two cables... I had heck of a time learning how to make cables that worked... but I didn't realize cables were bad because I was also just learning to network... ;o)

------------------
Joe Redd
MCP