Background:
What
started as a simple video card upgrade ( a component I needed to trail
a new video program) quickly turned into a total system replacement
and I found myself with two working computers. At the same time, I
also upgraded my Internet connection to ADSL -- the modem for which
requires a LAN connection to my PC -- giving me spare Internet
performance that I can now use for a second PC.
It
seemed like the ideal time to set up a second PC in Marion's office
that she can use with all the functionality of a complete system, but
using the network to share printer, Internet connection, and some disk
resources. www.tartoos.com
Basic Design:
It is
possible to connect two computers together using a single cable
(called a "cross over" cable), and it is even possible to configure
both PC's to share a single Internet connection. I tried that
configuration first and failed, and as a result switched to a "hub"
based design whereby each component (the two PC's and the modem) are
connected to the hub which joins them all together.
In
hindsight, I like the hub (although my first purchase turned up DOA)
if for no other reason than it provides indicator lights to confirm
the active connections. I think it also gives you a little more
flexibility with the cables, and if you get more ports than you need
(I've got a 5 port Hub) you can add more devices later. www.tartoos.com
The
goal of this exercise was to have two computers on a LAN that would
allow them to share both an Internet connection, and a printer.
Figure
1 below (taken from the Sygate documentation which I'll discuss later)
shows the basic idea with three computers. It also doesn't show the
printer which hangs off the printer port on PC-1. Don't be put off
by the numbers -- hopefully you won't need them.
-computer network with modem and Hub-
What you need:
I'll
include a parts list at the end, but in summary, you'll need:
|
2 PC's
|
|
a Hub (get a fast one -- 100 Mbps, and a few more ports than
you need today
|
|
1 modem (you may be able to share a dial-up connection, but I
didn't investigate it
|
|
1 printer
|
|
and 1 Lan cable for each device
|
|
Windows (I'm using Windows 98 still)
|
|
Sygate or some other "proxy" software.
|
Get
it right the first time:www.tartoos.com
It's
taken me several weeks to make this all work the way I wanted it to.
Part of the effort was understanding the new technology (I had a new
PC, modem, ADSL, and LAN stuff to learn) but also I think part of the
problem is that it's hard to put everything back the way it was when
you started.
At one
point I tried to assign IP addresses to my components from within the
Windows Network management window, and when that didn't work tried to
set it back the way it was, but couldn't seem to recover the previous
state.
It
wasn't until later that I discovered that IP numbers can be persistent
little devils and may not go away simply because you "un-check" a box
in the management screen -- more on this later.
The
point to be made here is that if you do it all right the first time,
you'll have better luck than if you have to un-do and re-do
operations. Take your time and plan the project before you begin.
Step 1. Get one
computer working the way you want.
If
you've got one PC with a modem and a printer -- fine.
Step 2.
Get the two PC's talking to each other.www.tartoos.com
Install
the LAN cards in both machines, making sure to use the latest
drivers. Make sure they are 10/100 Mbps.
Install
the Hub, making sure to note if there is a special "Link" or "UpLink"
port, and NOT using that port. Connect all three together with 2
"straight through" high speed LAN cables.
You
should be able to confirm that you have a connection by lights
appearing on both of the LAN cards, and on the HUB.
Step 3.
Add the modem
Connect
the modem to the Hub as well.
On the
assumption that your PC was talking to your modem over a LAN
connection prior to installing the HUB, it should work also after
installing a HUB. The Hub is just a big connector box and has no
smarts apart from the lights and requires no programming.
The
modem hooks up a little differently. You can use a "straight through"
cable to plug the modem into the "Uplink" port or you can use a
"cross-over" cable to plug the modem into a standard port -- ask to
see the manual that comes with the Hub before you buy it -- if you
can't make any sense out of the manual, you might want to look at
another.
Just my
luck to get one that didn't work (my own fault really for trying to do
it on the cheap) -- I spent a week trying to reconfigure everything.
In the end, when I replaced it, everything came up first time. I
might have saved myself the time by getting a good quality Hub, and
then confirming that it worked to the right specifications.
Here
again, the lights will confirm that you've got a working connection. www.tartoos.com
Step 4. Start with Sharing
There
can be several steps required to get everything talking to each other,
and in my case, I think the order of steps is important. A good place
to start (one that worked for me) is to configure the Microsoft
networking software that comes with Windows 98 to allow both computers
to share their resources -- typically hard drives, printers, and even
the CD ROM if you want.
This
takes several steps, and I started with the network.
From
the Start menu, Settings, Control Panel, Network you will get a box
that looks like this:
- the Network Dialog Box -- showing Configuration -
You
should see the green network card icon for a "Dial-Up Adapter" (which
I think is standard).
You
should also see your LAN card. On my PC it's the "PCI Fast Ethernet
DEC 21143 Based Adapter"
And
because I'm using the 3Com HomeConnect ADSL modem, you see the "3Com
Dual Link Mgmt Adapter" which I believe is a virtual card provided by
the modem software and used to manage the modem.
If the
protocols "NetBEUI" and or "TCP/IP" are already installed it shouldn't
be a problem, but if there are other protocols showing, and you are
pretty sure you are not using them, it may be a good idea to clear
them out.
Set you
Primary Network Logon to "Client for Microsoft Networks" -- I don't
know if this is essential, but I know that it works for me, so I'll
keep it. If that option doesn't appear in the drop down menu, you'll
have to add it by clicking "Add" and then selecting "Client"
-Select Network Component Type-
Then
select "Microsoft", and then "Client for Microsoft Windows"
-Select Network Client-
|
مدرسة
الكمبيوتر 
