need help to network / share inet for bootcamp LAN before i34

[mAson]

Hi guys,

I am very new to networking etc. and am currently have a single pc conencted directly to my virgin media modem that goes straight into the coxial cable to the wall.

On Monday, I have 4 friends coming over to LAN and play some games over the net.

Im confident that my 20mb line with 512 upload will be sufficient to support us, but im not 100% sure on how to go about getting us networked together to share the connection.

I have a large Hub at home, but last time i tried directly connected 2 comps to the hub and the modem to the same hub, only 1 of us could use the connection at a time..

do i need a router? if so they all seem to be 4-port routers and i need 5 comps sharing the connection..

what would you guys suggest to do?

any help is very much appreciated! sorry im very new to networking Very Happy

Also might be useful for me to mention were all on Windows Boxes (vista + xp)

Thanks again,
mAson

[SENT]

you can get small 8 port switched for £10
like that
http://www.stak.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=4361

you need a switch not a hub to share the internet the way your doing it.
but i doubt you could even buy a hub these days. ..

[Mione]

Dont use a hub in a TCP/IP enviroment.

[webvictim]

If you have two network cards - some motherboards do these days, failing that, a network card is about £15 in a shop - then you can share your Internet connection out from your main PC. It's not as glamourous as a router because the main PC has to be on for anyone to get an Internet connection, but it's the cheapest way to do it.

If you get the second network card, install it, and then Google "Windows Internet Connection Sharing" you should find something decent.

[KingDaveRa]

Webvictim's method is good to get you going quickly. If you're looking at a longer-term solution, you'll need a router, and possibly a switch if you have too many PCs.

So basically, you'll have this:

Virgin Modem -- Router -- Switch -- PC.

So you plug your modem into the router. This shares out the connection using Network Address Translation (NAT). As you may already know, every computer on the internet has an IP Address. This is like a phone number for each and every PC. You can share them using NAT. The router, will sit as the gatekeeper to your network, and take all the traffic from the other PCs, and pass it out from the one IP address it has. When the information comes back, it knows who asked for it, and sends it back.

A switch, on its own, cannot do this.

The switch simply takes data in one point, and punts it out another. Nothing more. It literally 'switches' data about. Similarly, a modem simply passes data through, and converts it to the format required to travel over that coaxial cable into Virgin's network. A router, however, is more intelligent, and can handle internet traffic, sending it to the PC which asked for it.

So, to summarise, you need a router plugged into your modem, to perform NAT. Each PC will then plug into the router (or plug into a switch, plugged into the router) and will request a 'private' IP address from the router. The PC will request something, and the router will take that request, translate it, then send it out onto the internet, then return it to the original PC when it comes back.

Phew!

There's plenty going on you don't really need to know about - it's a case of getting the right kit, in the right places.

[mAson]

that is absolutely great feedback thanks guys!

[Portia]

you need a switch not a hub to share the internet the way your doing it.

eh?

[SENT]

a switch is intelligent and only send the packets down the cable it needs to.
a hub is the old way of doing this were it just sent anythign it got down all the cables.
this causes many problems with some network protocols.
Now switches are very cheap nobody makes or sells hubs any more but old ones are still around. As they look the same they occasionally cause problems

[Portia]

I know the difference between a hub and a switch. Saying a switch is needed is plain wrong.

What problematic protocols are you thinking of?

[KingDaveRa]

I think it may cause problems with Banyan Vines.

But then, you'd be mad to run that on anything other than Token Ring.

/me roffles at the idea

[Portia]

I think it may cause problems with Banyan Vines.

But then, you'd be mad to run that on anything other than Token Ring.

/me roffles at the idea

:D

Nice diagram what I have found...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2158502/Detailed-7-Layer-Model-Chart

[SENT]

Portia fishing for an argument on an already resolved problem post is very negative.
change your bait ...

[Portia]

Portia fishing for an argument on an already resolved problem post is very negative.
change your bait ...

This isn't about arguing SENT, grow up.

If neomase follows your advice, they will buy a totally unnecessary switch, to replace their perfectly usable hub. It's just a waste of time and money.

[KingDaveRa]

:D

Nice diagram what I have found...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2158502/Detailed-7-Layer-Model-Chart

Ooh nice!

[Portia]

It's availiable as a pdf here (http://banyan.dlut.edu.cn/~ygh/network/Protocol_Layer.pdf), for those with A0 printers ;)

[KingDaveRa]

I did just find that. I may have to print it out. At the very least, it'll look funky on the wall.

There's an A3 printer at work ;)

[Shazz]

Dont use a hub in a TCP/IP enviroment.

I network through a hub (im lazy and havnt upgraded to a switch yet)

It works absolutely fine...

[KingDaveRa]

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/funny-pictures-cat-teaches-you-the-internet.jpg (http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/07/26/funny-pictures-nao-or-need-moar-teechings/)

[Nikumba]

Dont use a hub in a TCP/IP enviroment.

Why not? We use hubs to connect our terminal servers for the heartbeat network, works fine

Kimbie

[K]

Ooh nice!

Might be if it didnt always say:-
Hello, you have an old version of Adobe Flash Player. To use iPaper (and lots of other stuff on the web) you need to get the latest Flash player.

[Boffykins]

Then upgrade. Scribd is a fantastic site with a lot of resources. It's working fine for me.

[KingDaveRa]

Jah, worked fine for me too.