Peer-2-Peer Networking

[Mclarry76]

Please Refresh my memory. I have a lawyer that would like to create a workgroup between her 3 computers in her new offices, as she awaits her ISP to come through in a week. I know I implement peer-2-peer using crossover cable for 2 computers. Now 3 computers? Do I use a switch or router? and what about IP addresses, noting that she will not have a cable modem yet...?

 

[edfair]

You use a hub or a switch and connect the 3 to whichever device with straight thru cabling.
The IP addresses come later when you implement a router between the cable modem and the hub.

Not the only way, BTW.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Mclarry76]

Soi what you are saying is I will not need to configure IP addresses? I thought if I'm using a router say, linksys I will make the IP addresses 192.168.1.xx? How will they communicate through the router without an IP?

 

[edfair]

You do that later, when you get the router. You won't be using TCP/IP at the beginning.
Once the router is in you add TCP/IP and enable the router to supply addresses.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Mclarry76]

Note that I will be getting a router for networking these 3 computers. So if I hear u correctly, I will need to configure DHCP regardless off whether I have internet connection or not?

 

[edfair]

Peer to peer doesn't need TCPIP. So the initial setup won't even have that choice.
Once you have the internet setup you can add the tcpip and implement the dhcp.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Mclarry76]

Edfair,

Thanks for your responses. U have tried to answer my question maybe I'm just not being to explicit.
So all I will do is get a router plug it in and plugin the other 3 computers thats it and set up the workgroup name....create shared files and boom...the 3 computers will be able to talk to each other? If it's that simple I guess I should have not asked in the begginning. I guess my point was there will be no internet connection at this moment for 2 weeks thats all..

Thanks though...

 

[edfair]

I had specified a hub or switch. And then then later to add the router as an additional path into and out of the hub.
I had done it that way to avoid router problems affecting the work part of the network.
This more as a reflection of problems I've had with routers over the last few months. In a business environment I would want to keep the work area as simple as possible by separating the functions, even at the expense of an additional piece of equipment.

But that was the reason for the note at the beginning that there are other ways.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Mclarry76]

So a router will work fine too, though?

 

[edfair]

Yes.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[bcastner]

Peer to peer doesn't need TCPIP."

No it doesn't, but as the question originally posed was "...as she awaits her ISP to come through in a week." you should buy the router and implement a Netbios over TCP/IP based peer-to-peer network using a router.

Then when the ISP is ready, just plug the modem into the WAN port of the router and you are done.