[greycats]

HiYesterday I was advised to start a thread in the networking forum so that I could discuss with others what my networking options are and how I ought to begin. Right now I have a Dell Dimension 8300 desktop bought in 2003 and a Dell Dimension 3000, bought in 2005, that my husband uses (mainly for the internet). Both computers have an ethernet capability. When we first got the Dell 3000, I tried hook the two computers together using a 20 ft. long piece of patch cable, category 5E, R7J304this on the advice of the guy at the local Staples store. For whatever reason, I was never able to get the computers to acknowledge each other, and after a while I abandoned the effort. :unsure The main reason Id wanted to try was that I wanted to learn some things about networkingor at least begin to. There seemed to no particular advantage otherwise because (1) broadband is not available where we are and satellite connections are currently too expensive (2) and because though we both use computers, my husband and I use them in very different ways. Other than the internet, theres almost no overlap. Last winter, however, as I sat bundled up like Mrs. Santa and blowing on my fingers so that I could type, I began to think longingly of a laptop. Id love to be able to move where the light is better, the air warmer, the tv more distantwhatever. Temporarily, of course. I like the desktop where it is, but sometimes the room (in a 150 year old farm house) is too cold or too hot or too noisy. So, Ive been saving for a laptop and will probably get one this fall. This means Ive got to give networking another look. With a router, this time, if I understand the matter correctly. So I guess Ill start my questions there. What functions can a router serve? Can a single router connect both wireless and ethernet? Does the fact that we have dial-up have any effect? Does anyone have advice about what sort of equipment or what brand to buy? Can anyone recommend printed material on these subjects? A glossary?Thanks in advance for your help. :wink:

[smax013]

[quote name='greycats']Hi> > Yesterday I was advised to start a thread in the networking forum so that I could discuss with others what my networking options are and how I ought to begin. > > > > Right now I have a Dell Dimension 8300 desktop bought in 2003 and a Dell Dimension 3000, bought in 2005, that my husband uses (mainly for the internet). Both computers have an ethernet capability. > > > > When we first got the Dell 3000, I tried hook the two computers together using a 20 ft. long piece of patch cable, category 5E, R7J304this on the advice of the guy at the local Staples store. For whatever reason, I was never able to get the computers to acknowledge each other, and after a while I abandoned the effort. :? The main reason Id wanted to try was that I wanted to learn some things about networkingor at least begin to. There seemed to no particular advantage otherwise because (1) broadband is not available where we are and satellite connections are currently too expensive (2) and because though we both use computers, my husband and I use them in very different ways. Other than the internet, theres almost no overlap. > > > > Last winter, however, as I sat bundled up like Mrs. Santa and blowing on my fingers so that I could type, I began to think longingly of a laptop. Id love to be able to move where the light is better, the air warmer, the tv more distantwhatever. Temporarily, of course. I like the desktop where it is, but sometimes the room (in a 150 year old farm house) is too cold or too hot or too noisy. > > > > So, Ive been saving for a laptop and will probably get one this fall. > > > > This means Ive got to give networking another look. With a router, this time, if I understand the matter correctly. So I guess Ill start my questions there. > > > > What functions can a router serve? > > Can a single router connect both wireless and ethernet? > > Does the fact that we have dial-up have any effect? > > Does anyone have advice about what sort of equipment or what brand to buy? > > Can anyone recommend printed material on these subjects? A glossary?> > > > Thanks in advance for your help. :wink:For a ethernet cable to work between two computers, it needs to be a "special" ethernet cable called a crossover cable. Think about how a phone works. When you speak into the mic, the sound comes out of the speaker on the other end. This is like what a crossover cable does. When your computer speaks into the "mic", the "sound" needs to come out of the "speaker" on the other end at the other computer. A standard ethernet cable does not do that. If you run a standard ethernet cable between two computers, what one computer "speaks" into the "mic" is trying to come into the "mic" port on the other computer.To start with your last question, if you do a search on Amazon for "home networking", a bunch of books pop up. If you are into the For Dummies series, there is a Home Networking for Dummies. From the some of the reviews, it does not look to be too much of a "how to" but more of a very basic. The one that looks somewhat like a good possiblity in the Home Networking: The Missing Manual.Some of the basics are:A router is basically a device that "negotiates" traffic between an outside network (in the case of a broadband router, the Internet) and an inside network. Such a device would go between your (broadband) modem and your computer. It also can serve as a basic firewall.A switch is a device that routes network traffic to multiple computers. Typically, most broadband routers will have a 4 port or so switch built into them. This would allow more than one wired computer to use the Internet connection (the router function then handles which network traffic goes where). The switch handles the "crossover" effect that I mentioned before...thus, you just use standard ethernet cables to connect each computer to the switch...and bingo they are networked together.A WiFi access point is precisely that...a point in which your WiFi connection on your computer can then access the network and thus the internet. Most broadband routers these days also include a WiFi access point.That should kind of answer another of your questions...actually two.For your situation (dial-up), there are two possible ways to proceed. There are some routers that include some sort of ability to use a dial-up network as a back up if the broadband network goes down. Usually, this was in the form of a serial port that a modem could be hooked up to. I don't honestly know if there are routers specifically designed for dial-up, but there still should be some that make use of dial-up as a back up. That is the first option...get such a router and set it up to work with the dial-up. If the router has a switch in it, then you just hook all the computers to the router. When you want to transfer files between computers, it will use the fast ethernet speeds. When you browse the web, it will be the slow dial-up. As I said, I don't know how feasible this option is anymore.The other option is to network the computers together with a network switch (they cost like $20 or so...plus the cost of the ethernet cables) and then use one computer to connect with the dial-up connection and then use Windows Internet Sharing feature to share that Internet connection. This does not involve a router. If you wanted to add WiFi into the mix, you would need to add a WiFI access point to the mix so that a WiFI enable computer would access your little internal network through the access point which is then connected to the switch. If you go this option, then for any of the computer NOT directly connected to the Net to have access, the computer with the dial-up connection would have to be turn on and the dial-up connection active (i.e. you are connected with that computer). And that computer with the dial-up connection should realistically have a firewall running on it...although it could just be Windoze built-in firewall (although I am not really a fan of it).I will let that information digest and we can go from there.

[rgreen4]

smax013 - very good description of the situation. You have probably saved her the cost of the "dummies" book. I did not know that there was a "Missing Manua" book on networking, I have that series on Win2000, XP, XP SP2, VIsta and Excel2007. They are the only computing books I will buy now. They are detailed and thorough, yet written for a non-techie.greycats - the one thing you need to think about is if you want the laptop to join in the network. If you do, then you will have what is referred to as a mixed network, some wired devices and some wireless. Since you will be sharing an internet connection from one computer, you may also want to consider connecting the printers to that same computer and then you can share the printers as well.

[greycats]

[quote name='smax013']> > To start with your last question, if you do a search on Amazon for "home networking", a bunch of books pop up. If you are into the For Dummies series, there is a Home Networking for Dummies. From the some of the reviews, it does not look to be too much of a "how to" but more of a very basic. The one that looks somewhat like a good possiblity in the Home Networking: The Missing Manual.> > > > I ordered the title from Amazon last night. Thanks for the suggestion. > {quote:title=smax013 wrote:}{quote}> > For a ethernet cable to work between two computers, it needs to be a "special" ethernet cable called a crossover cable. Think about how a phone works. When you speak into the mic, the sound comes out of the speaker on the other end. This is like what a crossover cable does. When your computer speaks into the "mic", the "sound" needs to come out of the "speaker" on the other end at the other computer. A standard ethernet cable does not do that. If you run a standard ethernet cable between two computers, what one computer "speaks" into the "mic" is trying to come into the "mic" port on the other computer. > > Aha! Well, that's what I get for depending upon clerks in office supply stores.:oops: I should have started out by informing myself. I'll do better this time. :)> {quote:title=rgreen4 wrote:}{quote}> > greycats - the one thing you need to think about is if you want the laptop to join in the network. If you do, then you will have what is referred to as a mixed network, some wired devices and some wireless. Since you will be sharing an internet connection from one computer, you may also want to consider connecting the printers to that same computer and then you can share the printers as well. I definitely want the laptop to join the network--wirelessly. I asked people who had been laptop users for a long time and they all recommended a mixed setup. (Well, actually, that was their second recommendation. For the first, they recommended I yank the ethernet cards and install all wireless, but I'd rather not.) I'll see how it works out about the printer. The main printer is already connected to the Dell 8300. There is a secondary printer, but it's seldom used. Thank you both for your suggestions. I'm saving your "basics" smax013, and I'll start absorbing what I need to know and get back to you both with better questions as soon as I do. In the mean time, I'll go to the office forum and ask about MS Office 2007. :)

[smax013]

[quote name='greycats']> > > > I definitely want the laptop to join the network--wirelessly. I asked people who had been laptop users for a long time and they all recommended a mixed setup. (Well, actually, that was their second recommendation. For the first, they recommended I yank the ethernet cards and install all wireless, but I'd rather not.) I'll see how it works out about the printer. The main printer is already connected to the Dell 8300. There is a secondary printer, but it's seldom used. > > > > Thank you both for your suggestions. I'm saving your "basics" smax013, and I'll start absorbing what I need to know and get back to you both with better questions as soon as I do. In the mean time, I'll go to the office forum and ask about MS Office 2007. :)You don't necessarily need to yank the ethernet cards if you want an entirely wireless network. You could just add it to those computers. If they have slots left over, then you can add a WiFi expansion card. Or you can just do USB WiFi adapters.Keep in mind that WiFi has its own set of issues to deal with such encryption, range of signel, chipset compatiblity, etc. Nothing is ever simple!! :lol:

[smax013]

While you are waiting for the book, there is a Linksys tutorial that might start to fill in some blanks:[url]http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=LContentC1&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1114037291160&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=9116018478H12_

[rgreen4]

With a mixed network, the trick is to get the wired and wireless together. A wireless router does this job well when attached to a WAN (wide area network) which is the high speed internet.At one time there were wireless routers that used a dial up line, but they haven't been made for years. I had my network set up before I got satellite internet, with mixed results for the internet connection. Internet Connection Sharing has to be set up on the host machine and another computer attempting to access has to trigger the dialing.File and printer sharing were not a problem, the host machine of course has to be on all the time.I prefer Linksys, they seem to give fewer problems, but shop sites such as Newegg, read the user reviews on the various products. When you are ready, come back and post, and we will be glad to assist you to the best of our ability.