XP networking

[simon373]

Hi,

Is it possible to network two XP computers via crossover cable using one pair of network cards and have another pair of network cards within the same computers connected to another network simultaneously? Would this cause conflicts?

The reason behind doing this is that my internet connection is provided by a landlord from a cat5 data point. I don't have access to a router and so am unable to network the pcs conventionally. I need to have both internet access and file sharing capability.

Or, would it be possible for me to plug a switch into the cat 5 outlet and connect both pcs to this so they both have file sharing capability and internet access?

Thanks.

 

[ravashaak]

The preferred way would be to plug a switch into the existing cat5 then connect both PCs to the switch. However, without knowing the exact details of your landlord's network, I cannot say with 100% certainty that this will work. Some home/small office routers have strict requirements in terms of which ports can have a switch hanging off of them.

It gets more complicated if you want to use multiple NICs in each XP host. However, it's still potentialy do-able. You would need to use different subnets for the "crossover" NIC pair, than for the second pair of NICs. As for using the 2nd NIC in each system to access the internet, how would you do this if you only have a single cat5 port? Do you mean to use a second port which you didn't mention, or another device (switch or hub)?

 

[simon373]

Thanks for this. Yes, there is a second cat 5 port in the room which I did not mention.

Also, to clarify, my internet is provided on a university campus. So, thinking about it further, I guess that it will not be possible to network the two computers. As, if I could do that, I would be able to connect to other peoples' computers on the same network - which, presumably, the university would not allow.

Do you think that the 2 NIC card solution looks like the probable option and if I choose a different subnet could there still be problems? I was hoping that someone might have developed a portable disk drive that could somehow be connected to two computers simultaneously via USB!

Many thanks.

 

[vacunita]

It should be doable and only one of the machines requires a second NIC.

You should be able to Share the Internet form one NIC to the other, and network the 2 machines through the second NIC.
So as to not upset any setting in the land lord's network.

Machine A: is connected to Landlord network and has 2 NICS
NIC1 connects to landlord's network, NIC2 connects to Machine B.

Machine B: has only one NIC connected to Machine A.

Now for settings: setting the crossover connection to a different subnet, and IP range should not interfere with the landlord's network in any way.

Once you set ICS in Machine A, it should become a DHCP on the crossowver network and provide machine B with an address automatically.





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