do i need to have ethernet on both pcs in order to set up a network

Foxy

thanks everyone and u rushnowt too. think the router going back and gonna get the pci modem took out if there isnt a pci slot spare and get an ethernet card put in there(if i understood all this right ) then get a cross over wire which shouldnt cost much as they are sat side by side the pcs. rush has the same modem as me and hers worked as was so i presume it is a usb modem.

least this way sounds simple enough for even non techie me( i hope)

thanks for all the help everyone

foxy

andy88_2

I was starting to think you might as well keep the router, but in fact this would only be a good idea with an ethernet-connected modem. Yours are usb; I'm not sure if they can both be connected to the phone socket at once, but that is irrelevant now.

You said the 2 pcs are side by side, so it doesn't matter that one will need to be on for the second to have access.

Keep it simple like you say. Ethernet card in each, and a crossover ethernet cable. There will probably be some setting up of Internet Connection Sharing to do, but there should be Windows wizards to help with this, and some more techie pundits around tomorrow to add to this.

Foxy

cheers andy88

i think xp home has a network wizard so im just hoping it isnt too difficult using that to set it up

andy88_2

Yeah, just looked at the start of it; seems like it searches for the network when it's all connected together and you define whether this computer is connected direct to the internet or via another.

Then, when you're bored with that, you can try and figure out something about sharing files. Don't ask me; I just listen to others who are confused

Foxy

andy88 wrote:

Then, when you're bored with that, you can try and figure out something about sharing files. Don't ask me; I just listen to others who are confused

:eek:just two pcs connected to the internet symultaniously will do. that in its self saves me from hearing two kids row over whose turn it is:j

SomeOne_2

Your ideal situation would be to have an ADSL router.
This would have an inbuilt modem and so will allow either computer to connect
to the internet independently of each other.

Foxy

cheers for info someone

couple of questions if you dont mind

-would most of them work with aol
-would that mean i wouldnt need to get ethernet in the one that doesnt have an ethernet card in
-are they a lot more expensive than normal routers
-would it improve performance that way rather than the way i was planning to do it

andy88_2

1 ethernet card and cable will cost about £15 to £20

combined router and modem about £50 or £60, plus an ethernet card and 2 cables to connect pcs to router

I think because they're in the same place, it won't matter that the second one doesn't connect direct and needs to have the first on

make sure you explain in the shop what you intend, as the first system needs a different cable (crossover)

Foxy

cheers andy88

thats wot i thought the only reason(unless someone knows of another 1)there would be to do the dearer one is if it would improve performance overall as the point of having to have the main one on wouldnt affect me really as they are literally two desks side by side one hard drive on top of desk 1 and one hard drive below desk 1 on a shelf:) some one said doing via cable would not slow it down noticibly

Foxy

andy88 wrote:

make sure you explain in the shop what you intend, as the first system needs a different cable (crossover)

so to get this right i just need to ask them to put an ethernet card in an internal pci slot(i know ive got a spare one as dont use my internal pci modem and if push came to shove got an internal modem in other pc if my broadband ever went down)and get a crossover cable and bobs you uncle:)