A little while ago i set up 2 PCs at home ona Lan... 1 for Peach & 1 for myself. All is good, however the way i have it setup machine No1 (mine) needs to b running in order for machine No2 (Peachys) to be able to access the net. This is isnt always ideal & im wondering if i am able to reconfigire the Lan so either machine can access the net without the need for the other 1.

The set up is like this:

Cable Modem into PC1 -
PC1 to 6 Port Switch -
Switch to PC2.

Its probabaly a very basic setup... but im wondering if i run striaght to the switch from the modem if i can run either PC independant of the other.

Any help appreciated.
Mrp ;)

dont hold me to this, but i think if you run it straight to the switch that you can achieve what you are looking for. I havent used a switch in forever though so i cant be positive.

Modem to switch (uplink port)
both pc's to switch :D

Each computer is then handled like its own network and has its own individual access to the net reguardless what the other one is doing.
Mine is set up like above cuz i dont care if I network or not, but both share my cable modem flawlessly, AND there's no drain on your pc 1 when pc 2 is online :)


Switches are meant for getting workgroups talking to each other so if you have any problems getting the 2 pc's networking between each other (if you care) you might have to put a hub in between them.
Even if they dont network, they'll still share the modem fine m8.

Yea i do need em to be available on the network.... ill give ur suggestion a go soon & let u know wat happens.
thx
Mrp ;)

ummm switches work just like hubs except that they allow asynchronous connections to each ethernet jack.

for a better explanation click here (http://www.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch2.htm).

Your right, and routers have hardware firewall among other things.
What I meant was that most IT's use switches to link up workgroups, not in place of a network hub. They're actually better at it, but most still use hubs...
Some switches have problems linking to other childed computers when you use them like a hub, I know cause I've got like 15 of the ******** at work. Been begging my boss to either get me some cheap hubs or switches that aren't so finicky. I still have no idea why they do it, but it seems to happen a lot to me :(
By adding a hub inline it takes the linking burden off the switch and the hub does those tasks, almost always fixing the linking problem.

Well i tried running the Modem straight to the switch last night (uplink port) & then running out to PC1 from No1 port & PC2 from No2 port.... nothing... not even a sausage. Im not sure why i expected a sausage but i didnt get 1 :p
So any more ideas on how to get them accessing the net without PC1 being on...? maybe theres some settings or tweaks i need to do..?
Mrp ;)

Hmmmmm.... you cant use the port right next to the uplink port for plugging in 1 of the computers. It's a shared port with the uplink. Anyway the other one shoulda got internet....
Mebbe try ports 4 & 5... dunno.
You on XP or 98 m8?
How much did u mess with the network settings?

Network Settings.....?
Mrp :rolleyes:

I could be guessing here, but im thinking Mrp didnt mess with any network settings. :D

erm...... Network Settings.....?
Mrp :p

All this is regular stuff and shouldn't have changed, but just in case...

Control panel --> network and dialup connections --> local area connection. click properties.
Should see:
Your ethernet card detected at top by its name and not a generic reference to it.
Below:
-Client for Microsoft Networks
-File and Print sharing for microsoft networks
-TCP/IP

click properties for TCP/IP...
Obtain IP and DNS server address automatically should both be checked.

click the advanced button...
IP/Settings:
-DHCP should be enabled and show in the window
--------------------------------------------------
DNS:
-Append primary conn specific DNS suffixes checked
-Append parent suffixes of the primary DNS suffix checked
-Register this connections address in DNS checked
--------------------------------------------------
WINS:
-enable LMHOSTS checked
-use netBIOS setting from the DHCP server checked
---------------------------------------------------
OPTIONS:
IP Security = do not use IPSEC checked
TCP/IP Filtering = TCP/IP filtering should be UNchecked

================================

Also check under System Information utility...
components --> network --> adapter...
in the right window find your ethernet card and make sure that:
-IP address has an address
-IP Subnet has an address
-Default IP Gateway has an address

Ok after 14 hours of work today I'm just winging it now... the brain hurts.

P, are you talking about a switch or a hub? I thought you had a hub, in which case I can't see that it will work, because each PC would have to be assigned a DHCP address, and the modem will only assign a single address.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

There I go assuming stuff again...
P, you need to find out if your ISP service supports multple IP's. I assumed they did, but they might not. Are u on cable or DSL?
I couldn't tell ya either way if you're on DSL, but I know 90+% of cable providers support multiples and so do the modems.
The problem wasn't with how you had it setup, it's prolly a problem with your ISP not supporting multiple IP's per connection. A quick phone call to them can answer this for you.

The ISP's DHCP server reads your network cards MAC address and assignes it a unique IP address. Items like modems, routers, switches, and hubs DO NOT affect this. All you need is a properly detected network card, TCP/IP protocol (or a different one in different circumstances) installed, and DHCP enabled to access the internet in a windows environment.
It does make every bit of difference if your ISP doesn't support more than 1 IP from your modem connection.

Originally posted by Mrp
A little while ago i set up 2 PCs at home ona Lan... 1 for Peach & 1 for myself. All is good, however the way i have it setup machine No1 (mine) needs to b running in order for machine No2 (Peachys) to be able to access the net. This is isnt always ideal & im wondering if i am able to reconfigire the Lan so either machine can access the net without the need for the other 1.

The set up is like this:

Cable Modem into PC1 -
PC1 to 6 Port Switch -
Switch to PC2.

Its probabaly a very basic setup... but im wondering if i run striaght to the switch from the modem if i can run either PC independant of the other.

Any help appreciated.
Mrp ;)

Check out this site:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/homelan.html

This guy has the answers for everything.

dude... you CAN NOT divide an internet connection with a switch or a hub...

to do this thing, you need a router...

the only other way is to let your comp act as a bridge like you have been doing...

Originally posted by RMcElroy
dude... you CAN NOT divide an internet connection with a switch or a hub...

Sure you can, but your ISP and your modem has to allow it and his doesn't... mine does. I have 3 IP's on 3 different puters all accessing the internet independent of each other through a switch. It does work... its a feature that not all ISP's offer.

when I first set up my network i bought a hub and ran into this problem, then found out AT&T would let us have more ips for more money per month so i just went and got a router and it solved all my probs. we have 3 comps hooked up so far, will prob have 1 maybe 2 more gettin hooked up.

Originally posted by Magny
P, are you talking about a switch or a hub?

nope its defo a 6Port Switch m8y.
ive not looked into this problem anymore since the last time.

lemme get this straight a mo... the thing to do now is contact my ISP (http://www.blueyonder.co.uk/) & see if my conn supports multiple IPs...?
Mrp ;)

yea... my B... whay i meant was

you CAN NOT divide an internet connection with a switch or hub using ONE IP :)

(i knew i was forgeting something there... duh* thats why a connection can be divided behind a router... the router assigns the additional IPs... *doh*)

but i wasnt aware that you could have multiple IPs with some cable modems... (i knew you could purchase more IPs... but i figured it would requre an additional modem... hmm)

hehe- yeah that missing '1 ip' had me stumped cuz i been doing this for years.... :)
Yes you can run a subnet to acuire additional internal IP's from a router... then that would work just like you say.

My service supports up to 5 IP's thru 1 modem, and all I need is to connect them up, its all automatic thru my ISP's DNS servers.

P... i would call your ISP and ask them if your account allows you to have more than 1 IP. If not, you'll need a router... if yes you can make it work with what you have now. My guess is NO they prolly dont, and would be why it didn't work when you tried the first time.

if you get more IPs through your ISP dont you have to pay more MONTHLY?

if so then it would be cheaper to just buy a router... you can get a small linksys or SMC 5 port router now for about 50 bucks... not bad at all...

Cant answer that 1 man....
I know I get 5 dynamic IP's through my service whether I have the cheapest or best package they offer.
I suppose some do charge more...

oh... i see... so regardless, if you get cable through your isp, they just give you 5 ips... sweet deal!

i would imagine that others would either charge more per IP, or not supply additional IPs at all... (i doubt my isp does... they suck ***! thats why i simply bought a router)