Which router?

[lynchknot]

OK, looks like we are going to set up office here temporarily- so we're looking for the cheapest router possible - that is still effective. Should I just go to Radio Shack and get anything? All we want to do is to be able to share the printer and cable internet connection.

[phishhead]

cheap way would be to get another nic in the pc that the cable is hooked up to and plug the other pc into it...xp has a good wizard for internet sharing.

[lynchknot]

Is that a Network interface card? Does it have the same large telephone type plug so all I have to do is plug in a telephone type cable to each PC?

[phishhead]

Originally posted by lynchknot
Is that a Network interface card? Does it have the same large telephone type plug so all I have to do is plug in a telephone type cable to each PC?

yes it would be a Network Interface Card. but read the help for internet sharing to familarize yourself before jumping in. might be easier than buying a router and configuring it.

[lynchknot]

I read some stuff and it said the wizard will do it all. What is the functional difference between using a router or just another nic (other than a firewall)

someone else told me that i need reversed cat 5 cable if u get regular cat5 cable just connecting the 2 pcs won't work

[Big Booger]

the cheapest way isn't always the most advisable :D

In your case, I would get a cheap router. You can find them on ebay for next to nothing.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&krd=1&from=R8&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=4+port+router


Walmart sells linksys routers, for like 69.99 brand new:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=3951&dept=3944&product_id=1174850&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4139%3A49712

They have a cheaper model for 49.99:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=3951&dept=3944&product_id=2067723&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4139%3A49712

It is a D-Link router which IMHO is just as good as a Linksys.

hope that helps.

[efc]

Here is one for under $26.

Link (http://www.axiontech.com/prdt.php?src=FG&item=45368)

[Big Booger]

can't beat that price efc. :D

[egghead]

watch our for SMC

ha a few cheap ones at the audio store and my bro tries a few and had to return them.


they died after doing a web update.,

big problem around the internet and many users were very upset.

Lynch, before you put your money down
write down the model number and search the newsgroups to see how many people like or dislike it.

it will help you get away from the lemons!

cheers
egghead

btw

you can always post the model number here and we can check it out for ya

[Dehcbad25]

Lynch. C'MOM by this time you should be able to refer to the cables and plugs by its own name :p
Lets see
NIC= Network Interface Card (they came in 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps)
large telephone type plug
That is called RJ45 (For Ethernet) and it has 8 connectors (cable)
RJ11 is the telephone plug and it only has4 connectors.
telephone type cable
NOOOO, It is not called telephone type cable. Actually telephone cable and Ethernet cable are different even if they might look similar. Big difference is the quality of the copper inside. Even thought you might run data in the telephone cable it is not the best solution.
Telephone cable depending of the type can have 2 pais, to 4 pairs (like Ethernet) but the twist is not the same, so it can be affected more by "noise"
Cat5 cable can be used for telephones too, and it provides 4 pairs (8 cables) it is mainly used for digital (network) telehpones.
for 100 Mbps trasnfer you should used Cat5e, and to connect PCs it is better to use patch (style) Cat5e because the copper is stranded giving the cable a better flexibility, instead of the solid copper Cat5e sold in bulk
someone else told me that i need reversed cat 5 cable if u get regular cat5 cable just connecting the 2 pcs won't work
If you connect directly you can only connect 2 PCs together, and if you share Internet one will always have to be on.
The reversed cable, is more commonly know as crossover cable because it crosses the first pair with the 3 pair.
A normal patch Cat5e won't work in that configuration. Plus this can get tricky to do, and sometimes frustrating. It is easy, but a lot of details to look for. You could end up using a lot of time.
Considering the price of routers now a day, I recomend a router. Since they are under 99$ it is not a big deal, and are almost plug and play literally. It might not be a highly custimizable solution, but nonetheless is the less painful and faster.
Finally, you don't have to go RadioShack. Actually I would never buy a router from RadioShack because I don't think of it as a hardware store. I would preffer Circuit City, Best buy or even Office Max before RadioShack. Plus all this places usually have sales giving you rebates.
Check OfficeMax since they have the biggest sales. I usually get my rebates back unless I send them late :p

[Dehcbad25]

PS: Lynch, I just throw you some definitions, technical stuff, but using it makes more clear the questions, and more precise answer. I kind of tend to use the definition if I know it for everything, since we have so many things similar in technology world, for example, I usually correct people when they refer to the computer box (CPU, HDD, mobo, video, all execpt the peripherals) as the CPU or the Hard Drive. YEAHH, People do refer to them as the hard drive.
I had a user that told me that he needed to upgrade the hard drive of the computer, so I went ahead and I bought a hard drive (I needed a couple actually) but when I checked the computer he had 65% free, so I said to the user the Hard drive was good, he didn't need an upgrade. So he told me that the PC was slow, and I was trying to explain to him that the hard drive was not the par to upgrade if he wanted a faster PC. Can you imagine that?? The user must had thought for 10 minutes (that lasted the confusion) that I was a complete idiot :p
Some pleople would try to look smart and don't know exactly what they are repeating.
Another example, a conversation that I over heard and could not correct because I was rolling on the floor was a user explaining to another why optical mouse.This is an optical mouse because the mouse (showing it) connects to the PC thru fiber optic, making the response fast as light. Can you see the red light?? If you follow that light goes all the way to the PC and it translates it to the movement!"

:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :smash:
I will always regret that I didn't have my Ipaq then so I could record that conversation. It would had made a great mass mailing mail:p

[PIPER]

Netgear 4-Port Cable/DSL Web-safe Router


Brand/Model: NTG RP614
check this out at circuit city.....they were offering a 20.00 rebate not long ago. regular price. 69.00....easy install!!!
www.circuitcity.com

[lynchknot]

I must ask for help again. It was working but now it stopped. I have followed the wizard in both machines and this is the SS for the main PC. What is wrong here please?




http://www.techstarcomputers.net/~sighost/sigs/cont.JPG

[phishhead]

whats wrong with it one is the shared and one is probably going inbetween the pc's

[lynchknot]

ok but if I share connection 2 I lose connection to internet with main pc.

[phishhead]

check this out http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/networking/ics.asp

[lynchknot]

http://www.techstarcomputers.net/~sighost/sigs/cont2.JPG

[phishhead]

what happens if you uncheck the bottom one

[lynchknot]

which connection am I supposed share anyway?

*edit. If i try it on #2 i get errors no matter what is checked. On the first connection is will share but not work.

[lynchknot]

I have this on the other pc:

1. local area connection
enabled, bridged
realtek - blah, blah


2. Network bridge
8 enabled


3. 1394 connection
enabled, bridged
1394 net adaptor


And this on main computer:


1. local area connection
enabled, shared
via pci 10/100.....

2. Local area connection 2
enabled
ADMtek an960 10/100....


but it's not working!

[lynchknot]

I tried switching the plugs to the cards but no work.........

[Dehcbad25]

See a router was easier :p
Just think about the hours you spent, then alone you pad for the router ;)

[lynchknot]

probably has nothing to do with it but it was working until i reformatted and called microsoft

[efc]

This is a review of the $26 routher D-Link 704 posted above. Conclusion, It works. No reason to pay more.

Link (http://www.fragtopia.com/reviews/dlink-router/dlink-router.htm)