networking pc

robby-01

I know this will have been covered before somewhere but help would be appreciated.
Our main pc is located in our office which is remote from the house.It is served by a broadband connection from telewest.
I want to be able to use the internet at 2 positions in the house.The office is about 10 metres from the house.
We have a cat5 cable pre installed but not connected from the office to a position in the house.
Can this be used to serve the 2 new positions and if so what kit do I need and how do it.How do I get the pc,s networked and working on the same connection..
Running cat5 cable and terminating etc is not a problem its the techie bit I need help with.
I would rather not go wireless .
help appreciated

cdbrown

What broadband modem do you have? Is it a router type (2-4 ports) which allows more computers to share the broadband connection? Hopefully its some sort of router modem to allow the connection of the office pc and the cat5 to the house.

In the house if you've only got the one cat5 running from the office you'll need either a 2-4 port router or an ethernet hub. The router will be required if the modem in the office does not assign IP address to the internal network (or is not NAT enabled). If it can assign then just use an ethernet hub and let the modem assign the IP addresses for the computers. Then just run cat5 between the pc's and the router/hub.

BillScarab

You'll need a router to plug into the cable modem. Routers usually have 4 ethernet ports on the back so connect your office PC to one of them and the CAT5 cable that goes to the house to the another one. Then at the house connect a four port ethernet hub or switch to the the other end of the CAT5 cable from the router and connect the other PC's to it with CAT5.

So you will need a router and a hub or switch and some CAT5 cable

selection of wired routeres here

http://www.dabs.com/productlist.aspx?&NavigationKey=11177&NavigationKey=11&NavigationKey=4294960268&CategorySelectedId=11177&PageMode=1#Paging

selection of hubs/switches here

http://www.dabs.com/productlist.aspx?&NavigationKey=11176&NavigationKey=11&CategorySelectedId=11176&PageMode=1#Paging

Personally I like Netgear routers, they're easy to configure, have a good reputation and look nice!

albertross_2

you need a cable dsl router.. in the office, and a (switch in the house (unless you use wireless))

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=255

a wireless version (which has 4 wired ports as well) would give you extra flexibility if you ever added a laptop to the equation.., or if the cat5 wire didn't work. You can turn the wireless function off if you aren't using it, or encrypt it if you are worried about security.


http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=539

how to encrypt...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471408&postcount=37

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471410&postcount=38

BillScarab

As I read it he needs a switch because he has one CAT5 cable running from his office (where the cable modem is) to his house. He has two PC's in his house he wants to connect to this one cable so he needs a switch so he can connect them both.

albertross_2

BillScarab,

Apologies, I think you are right.. I was missing something!

Toxteth_OGrady

I think all that is needed is a 4-port router/switch like this.

Plug the office PC and the existing cable modem into 2 of the ports. Plug the 10m cable to the house into a third port and the house end of the 10m cable into the house PC. If the 10m cable is terminated with RJ45 wall sockets then a patch cable wil be needed at one end to the router/switch and a second patch cable at the other end to the house PC NIC.

Edit: Whoops, just re-read and realised there are two PCs in the house; so in addition to the router/switch at the office end it will need an ethernet switch or hub in the house as well and patch cables from that to each PC in the house.

:cool:

TOG

robby-01

cheers everyone for advice.
So I need a router and a switch .I can get that far no worries ,no probs making cables off etc.What happens when I plug in pcs to new points in house will they just be on line or will I have to do something to configure them.
thanks in advance..

Toxteth_OGrady

Do it in three stages (ensure initially any software firewalls in the PCs are disabled temporarily). First connect the office pc to the router and run the network set up wizard on the office pc. DHCP will likely be enabled by default in the router and it will provide a LAN IP address to the PC. You should then check you can access the router by typing in it's LAN IP address in your web browser. If that's ok connect the cable modem to the router, access it via its LAN IP address using your web browser and configure the modem with your ISP settings. You should now be able to access the internet from the office pc. Next, run the network setup wizard at each of the house PCs in turn and you should then be able to access the router, cable modem and internet from all three PCs.

:cool:

TOG