link 2 pc's

kdee_2

"Hi, my name's Katy and I'm a technophobe."

Ok, now we've got that out o the way. How can I link my son's pc to mine - well the BB bit actually, no more. He has a pc in his room and wants internet access from my BB connex.

Please no jargon otherwise I'll self explode

GaryS

Cheapest way is to get 2 network cards, 1 in each pc and link them with a crossover cable. This will enable you to share your BB connection.
Your pc will need to be ON for him to use the BB.
Have a chat with the local pc shop for further info.

dalepearson

You will also need to enable Internet sharing with an application.
Depending on your budget, and type of BB you have. You may want to invest in a Wireless router and 2 wireless cards. This will probably cost in the region of £150.

If you have any friends who work in IT this would be great, in my experiance some shops tend to rip off the Technophobe.

Where abouts are you based?

kdee_2

Lincoln, well a surrounding village

dalepearson

Hmm abit to far away from me

How far away are these 2 machines from each other?

Oh and what version of windows is running on each machine?

kdee_2

xp home on both. They are at opposite ends of the house.
Actually, just thinking it through.
I could have a BB connex installed free of charge in my son;s room (husb works for BT) , would this make a difference?

dalepearson

Surely this would result in another monthly cost for the broadband?
If the room is at the other end of the house, you will probably want to run the Network cable via the loft to keep it tidy, if you dont want to do this then 2 wireless cards running in AdHoc mode is the next cheapest alternative.

Setting up the Internet Connection sharing easy, but here is a link to help anyway:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/