How do I get my PCs networked?

[UKDEB]

We've been meaning to sort this out for ages. At the moment, we have one PC on Telewest Broadband and another on Telewest Surf Unlimited. If we network them we can do away with the Surf Unlimited and save ourselves £25 a month.

Is it something we can do ourselves and how do we go about it?

 

[UKDEB]

I meant to post this on the Community Board. I have tried to delete it, but I'm told I do not have permission.

 

[UKDEB]

We've been meaning to sort this out for ages. At the moment, we have one PC on Telewest Broadband and another on Telewest Surf Unlimited. If we network them we can do away with the Surf Unlimited and save ourselves £25 a month.

Is it something we can do ourselves and how do we go about it?

 

[Fantasia Sam]

LOL but that £25 a month will help towards planning another trip

Sorry I can't help!

 

[athurstance]

It is very easy - you can do it yourself. You need a network card in each PC. Then you will need a length of the blue Cat 5 cable - you can buy it in PC World.
How you set it up depends on what software you run on you PC but with Win 2K or XP it should be pretty much plug and play.
You assign one of the PCs as the 'hub' and the other is simply part of its network. You can then use any of the software on the hub PC on the other one.
If you want to run the cable through the walls so you can't see it make sure it is channelled clear of any electrical wiring as it can interfere with it. You would also need the 'connection boxes' which look a bit like the phone boxes - those white ones you plug the phone into. You can then plug your individual PC cable into the box on the wall.
We've just done ours and it is really very simple and a huge saving as we now only need one internet connection.

Angela

 

[bengunn]

Hi Deb,

It is not too difficult, you need two network cards and a network cable with a CROSSOVER (this is very important) to join them together.

How easy it is next depends on what operating system (version of Windows) you are running. Which one is it?

 

[Red-Snapper]

Alternatively go to the little computer shop "up town" between the tourist info place and the multi-storey and they will sort you out with all the bits.

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks, Richard. It's Windows XP.

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks, Angela - that's all very reassuring. We're running XP.

R-S - can't bring to mind the shop you mention. Are we talking Longsmith Street?

 

[UKDEB]

R-S,

Think I know where you mean now - the one in the arcade which used to be Tiny? Well, it's still quite small . Sorry, couldn't resist .

 

[bengunn]

If you have Windows XP on both PCs, it is very easy.

Fit the network cards and connect up the two PCs.

On the PC which has the Broadband connection, run the Home Networking Wizard (I think you get to it via Control Panel and then Networking but I am not at an XP PC at the moment). The options are fairly obvious - select the one that says this PC has a direct connection to the Internet and also allow other PCs to share it. If the other PC also runs XP, don't bother to make a home network floppy disk.

Then on the other PC, run the Home Networking Wizard again but this time select the option to connect to the Internet via another PC.

That should complete the process if you are lucky!

If you need any more help, email me on my home email (which I am sending in a PM) and I can look at a PC running XP and home networking.

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi Deb, I'll move it over and merge it with your other thread

Edit : The only problem is that the posts have fallen into the order in which they were posted - I hope that doesn't cause too much confusion

 

[Peebee]

Hi Deb,

Just had a thought about this - how is the broadband PC connected to the Telewest cable box at the moment ? Is it a USB or network connection ? Do both of the PCs have a network card already ?

I'm with NTL and they give you the choice of either. However if you are currently using the LAN connection to link to Telewest then it won't be available to connect to the 2nd PC - unless you put a 2nd network card in.

Apologies if this confuses things even more

Paul

 

[marlouwrig]

Just a word of caution.

We also have telewest broadband and have 3 computers so we bought a router and all the cable to connect.

Most of the time they work just fine but we have since discovered that telewest will not support networked pc's - so if you have a technical problem you have to sort it out without there help.

We had a problem a couple of weeks ago when we had no internet access but Telewest refused to even talk to us. We sorted it out on our own ..........eventually.

Just thought I should warn you.

Good luck

Mary

 

[#1MMFan]

This is a nightmare. Get someone qualified to do it!

I have two desktops and a laptop all linked wirelessly at home. Including to our cable internet connection... like previous posters said, NTL as well won't support linked PCs.. they ALLOW it, but they don't give support for it.

Having purchased nearly £300 equipment, I found I was unable to sort it out and had to pay a family friend to sort it out. Fortunately he managed and it has been so brilliant since... I don't know how I did without it. I can sit in the lounge with my laptop not plugged into anything and surf the internet!

John

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Go wireless, you won't regret it. We've got two desktop PCs (three if you count the Macintosh) and a laptop all sharing our broadband connection using a wireless network. It's great to be able to surf the net from anywhere in the house of the garden. You'll need a wireless router and a wireless network card (cost about £100 for the router, more if you want an ADSL moden built-in, and £60 for a PC card). Lots of the PC magazines have features on setting up a wireless network - it seems too be the 'flavour of the month' for home computing.

Regards

Rob

 

[WDWfan uk]

Rob? I thought you were in sunny California !!

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I am - on a wireless connection in my hotel (to keep this thread on topic!).

Having a great time. Walked across the Golden Gate Bridge this morning, now in hotel having a late lunch and checking email. We fly to LA on Thursday for a rendevous with Mickey...

Regards

Rob

 

[Red-Snapper]

Sorry Deb only lived in Glos all my life so I'm not very good with the street names

The shop I mean is the one just down from barclays and round the corner towards the multi-storey - opposite the Malt & Hops.

Went in there (a while ago now0 and they were very good about network cards when I got mine for the Blueyonder connection.

As mentioned above I think you will need a 2nd card to go in the PC you have the cable modem attached to.

 

[Peebee]

Hi Deb,

Remembered I had a link to this web site as well which is very useful for all things to do with cable modems and home networks. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/homelan.html It's a bit techy in places but has some useful links and recommendations.

I've got to agree with Rob that a wireless network is very nice too. I rigged this up at home for our laptop and DW (currently 8 1/2 months pregnant and finding it a little tricky to sit in front on the PC for very long ) can now lounge on the sofa with the laptop!

Paul