home network

[discoade]

i know this has probably been asked before but i cant seem to find what i need by searching.

What do i need to set up a wired connection to a second pc for bb access etc.

I don't want to use windows internet connection sharing as i cant garantee the host pc will be running 24/7

I assume i need a router of some description (wired) do i need a switched one? or a hub? or a teabag?... Danish pastry?.....

Please help me out as its all alien to me! I mean what the heck is a subnet mask!? i think i saw one of them in use in Amsterdam once!

Also can a dumb ass like me set one up?

Cheers guys

[danielf]

Yes, a router is what you want. You don't want a hub or a switch, you want a router. You could get a wired or a wireless router. Wireless routers also have wired ports, so these give you the option to have a wired connection for now and go wireless later if you desire.

[discoade]

Any Suggestions? as to model and makes?

[danielf]

Assuming you're on VM cable (if you are on ADSL these won't work):

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/54774 (wired)

and

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/63763 (wireless)

are popular choices. Note that at £35 the wireless router is only £10 more expensive than the wired one. Personally, I think the wireless router is the better buy as it gives you the choice between wired and wireless.

[discoade]

Yes sorry i didn't mention i was on vm did i!

The wireless one sounds a good idea cos i suppose the ol psp will connect through that wont it?

Thanks for that! how easy is it to setup the network are "all the instructions in the box" as they say?

[danielf]

I don't know about the psp. I don't have one.

To be honest, you will probably hit a couple of brick walls setting it up. But if you do, just post back here, and people will sort you out.

[discoade]

Thanks for your help! much appreciated time for bed i think

[popper]

if your setting up your first LAN network today, its always a good thing to think about the longer term and buy the faster kit from day one, that way you can maximise your copying from machine to machine speed/time.

with that in mind, a router that can do 1gigabit is a good investment today, as is the new pre-11N wireless routers.

although even the old 10/100 cheapo kit the local salesmen/woman are desperate to push off the shelves to make room for the better/faster kit will work to some degree, not that good for maxing out the 20Mbit web though or maxing machine to machine filecopy for that matter.

its should be relativly simple to get going if you can get the basics in your head, they are connected something like this.
VM-cableModem<===>(wireless)router-wan-port
router LAN port1 (through whatever it has)<===>PC1
router LAN port2 <===>PC2, etc or
Wireless connection<--->PC1-wireless card etc.

treat the router as the first and only machine connected directly to the WAN port, and if its any reasonble kit it will auto set for DHCP and get its Webside IP of the VM cable modem if you powerup as usual, CM, then the router.

then you should be getting your LAN side IP No.s off the LAN side of the router in auto mode and you can connect as usual to a webpage.

to change the defaults in the (wireless)router you would connect to its internal mini webserver on its default IP (something like 192.168.1.1) see the routers PDF file to tell you its default IP etc.

if all goes well you shuldnt have to many problems if the VM IP servers are happy to give the new router its IP after seeing the MAC on the line.

<===> =straight through rj45 cable
<=X=> =crossover/X=over rj45 cable
<---> = wireless connection to the PCs/devices wireless card

[discoade]

Woh! thanks for that! now im starting to panik!

[xpod]

i think i saw one of them in use in Amsterdam once!

You seen it in use ???
I can only assume you were`nt just window shopping over in the Dam

Ahh, them were the days