Networking Challenge

[drkestrel]

I am after a set of cable which allow Connection between 2 PCs as follow mainly for Internet Connection sharing, but also would be nice to be able to share files too:
1) Windows 2000 Professional Desktop PC as Host connecting to Internet using 56K Dial up Modem connection, Windows XP Home Edition Laptop PC as client. Common Ports available: Parallel, USB

2) Windows 2000 Professional Desktop PC as Host connecting to Internet using 56K Dial up Modem connection, Windows XP Professional Edition Laptop PC as client. Common Ports available: Parallel, USB

3) Windows XP Home Edition Laptop PC connecting to Internet using LAN as host, Windows XP Professional Laptop PC acting as client. Common Ports: Parallel, USB, Infra Red, LAN port (but on Home Edition Laptop host, port occupied already)

4) (Nice to have)- Windows 2000 Professional Desktop PC as Host connecting to Internet using 56K Dial up Modem connection, Windows NT4 Workstation SP6a Laptop PC as client. Common Ports available: Parallel

The tirkcy bits are-
1) I dont want for 3) to spend money on switch/router to share the LAN connection.

2) For 3) is Internet Connection Sharing possible (certianly for LAN, there isn't a "Share conenciton" option, as for Dial up networking!! Any share/free ware that I could use, perhaps??

3) The Desktop host running Windows 2000 Professional has a LAN Card, but issues are
- If I use a cross over cable, what do I need to do to the desktop (do I just give it an IP address, and get laptop to use that IP as the 'gateway' and DNS server)??
- The Laptop WinXP Client, whilst have LAN Cards.
-- WinXP Professional Laptop client configured to Log on to another domain already
-- WinXP Home Edition Laptop client is configured as part of 'workgroup'

I guess for the desktop connection, I just need to join a 'workgroup', but what exactly do I need to do to the 2 laptops so I could easily choose/swap connections. I guess I could use parallel cable for connection, but how fast could I get with a normal parallel cable, and could I use "file sharing" between the client/host PC??

 

[LegendrySilverFox]

Hi,

Best thing to do is get yourself a small hub if connecting more than 2 machines, if its just 2 machines a cross over cable is all you need.

Connect everything into the hub, or both pc to pc via cross over cable.

Use the windows XP pro machine and use the built in network configuration tool. Found in control panel --> network connections and on the left hand sideof the screen should be a option to set up a home or office network. Just follow the menus through.

This will let you identify which machines you will use to coonect to the internet, which machines will be networked to other machines.

It will then ask you for a floppy disk and install the client files for the other pc's. Then use this disk on the other pcs to setup your network.

Sounds complicated but its pretty straight forward.

Have Fun.

 

[drkestrel]

This doesn't work because the Windows XP Pro Laptop will always be the client (i.e. won't connect to Internet Directly).

It's either the Windows 2000 Professional Desktop OR the Windows XP Home edition Laptop that will be the 'host' that connect to the Internet.

The Cross Over Cable idea is good, but it won't work in the scenario (the most tricky one) where:
1) Windows XP Home Edition Laptop connect using a LAN Card to a Workgroup to a LAN/Internet
2) Windows XP Professional Laptop is the client that want to share the connection.

Spare common ports on both machine: InfraRed, LPT Parallel, USB. I could connect via a 'hub'/switch for the 2 PC to share the connection, but I wold rather not do that because
1) Without the Windows XP Pro client, it would be more space-saving for the windows XP Home Edition Laptop to plug in directly to the LAN socket.
2) I would rather have 1 single set of cable that allows connection of the other scenarios.
e.g.
Win2K Pro Desktop as Host connecting to Internet
WinXP Pro/Home Edition Laptop as client

 

[MasterofNone]

Haven't tried this so might not be simple to achieve. It is possible to file share over USB with the help of a special USB device. Once you have connected the the PC's it should then be a simple matter to share the internet connection.

As stated, haven't done this myself so you might want to read up a little more but the following link is for the USB device

http://www.lpt.com/Products/NetLinqCable/netlinqcable.htm

(have no links to this company and only post this as an example of required hardware).

Hope this helps

 

[MasterofNone]

Quote from another website:

USB Networking and standard Ethernet are almost exactly the same. With USB, you don't use a NIC (network interface card). You have a USB dongle.


But your computer still sees USB devices as Ethernet NICs so all the networking rules still apply. After installation, go into the networking properties window and select the appropriate adapters and protocols. Set them accordingly.


Unfortunately, you're not saving money by using USB. USB devices cost slighty more than a traditional Ethernet NIC and you'll still need to purchase Ethernet cables and hubs regardless of which method you choose. Even USB-to-USB networking kits are still Ethernet-based solutions.




You'll also have to overcome USB support problems. Only Windows 98 and Mac OS 8.x support USB right now. If you use another OS you can't use USB networking.


Next you'll have to deal with network bandwidth. USB in its current guise is only 12MB wide, so the largest pipe that you can support is 10MB.


USB networks do reduce installation hassles and have no IRQ requirement. Laptop owners will benefit most from USB networking.


Some popular USB network manufacturers are Entrega and Belkin.

 

[bcastner]

There is nothing unusual about what you are trying to do. The Win2k is host, the XP laptop is client. You use ethernet between them with a cross-over cable.

You can use the USB on the Win2k as the WAN connection to the modem.

Start with Steve Winograd's guide:

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

And the always wonderful Helmig's guide:

http://www.wown.com