no clue how to network

soon i will be getting a second computer. the one i have has Win ME and i think the new one has Win XP we have 1 cable modem hooked to a ethernet card on my PC. can any one tell me how to hook them together so i can swap files and be on the internet at the same time.

 

The easiest and most efficient way is to get an ethernet cable/DSL router with a four port switch. Have a NIC in each PC and with a little configuration you are good to go.

 

this might sound stupid but what is a NIC?

 

I'm going to suggest that you either get local help, or spend some time searching the net and getting familiar with networking before you start. This could be a painful process from how it's starting.

 

NIC = network interface card, ie network card


Right easiest way has been suggested, lob a NIC in each PC and connect to the router.
Another less glamourous:

Stick 2 NICs in one machine and one in the other.
On the machine with 2, hook up the modem to it.
Get a cross over network cable (any computer shop will do them) and connect the second NIC on the first machine to the other machine.


That should give you a good start - do that, then shout back and onto phase 2 of DHCP goodness next

Fatboy

 

thanks fatboy. when they put the cable modem in they also put in a network card they said it would be faster. does anybody know where i can get some info on the configuration i need.

 

http://www.wown.info/j_helmig/Contact.htm

 

once you have both pcs hooked up to the hub (as well as the cable modem)...
go to control panel and then network
make sure both pcs have the same workgroup
you need to make file and print sharing active on whichever system you want to file/resource access to.
right click on whichever directory you want to share and you should have "sharing" as an option...the rest is intuitive.
there's more to do, but i'm not sure what other configuration you have.

 

the easiest ad cheapest way to do this would probably be:

2 network cards in server pc
1 in other

in server pc:
1 network card connects to cable modem
this cards properties are set to gain a ip automatically

2nd card connects to other pc
properties set to use static ip and name a subnet
for example
ip: 192.168.255.1
subnet: 255.255.255.0

on this pc you need to install a software router
i quite like sygate home manager
it auto sets everything up.. and is really simple
if you use sygate.. install server mode


on 2nd pc:
network card connects to server pc
ip static set to: 192.168.255.2
subnet: 255.255.255.0

install sygate home manager client version

now both pcs should be networked and everything working perfectly...

if you plan on gaining any more pcs..you use the same set up... but buy a switch and go from card 2 on server pc to the switch,, then all other pc 2 and all other pcs use same settings except last number of ip and plug into the switch

 

Actually, for little more than the second NIC investment, you could have a broadband router and solve the problem the really easy way! In addition, using the router you don't have to have the host PC on all the time to share the connection. For $40-50 for the router, this is a no-brainer IMO.

 

thanks every one you all have very helpfull the only problem is that i dont have the other computer yet but i do have an old one that i think i will try a few things on i posted a new thread about my problems comcerning that whole situation.