Complicated home network setup. Please advise me.

[Adul]

I have a home network with 4 computers on it. I am currently only able to obtian 3 IP address from @home. I plan on adding one more PC to network, and thus it needs internet access has well.

PC#1 win 2k and win me
PC#2 win 2k
PC#3 win me
PC#4 win2k (just used to share files)
Any additional pcs will be 98se or NT 4.0

Here is my current network has it stands.
PC 1 - 2 have ip adresses and are connected to hub #1. PC#3 is connected to hub#2 and has a IP address has well. PC #4 is connected to hub#2, and it is used just for file storage.

Here is what I have tried( and want). I used the IP address of PC #3 and assigned it to PC #4. I added an additional nic card to PC #4 and installed Sygate to make it a Proxy server. PC#4 now is connected to hub #1 through nic#1. PC #4 is also connected to hub #2 through NIC#2. PC#3 is connected to PC#4 through hub#2. Problem is PC #3 can not see #2 or #1 on the network. It can only see PC #4. What I want is for PC#3, PC #5 (when ever is comes online), and any other PC I add to network to be able to see all the comps on the network. The internet sharing works just fine

So what am I doing wrong here? Should I go with NT server to be able to share the drives of all comps, or is it possible with current setup?

I hope I explained this clearly enough.

 

[jmcoreymv]

I read your paragraph but I am too lazy/tired to make sense of it. So heres what I advise you to do.
1. Cancel all extra ips from @home.
2. Switch all your NICs to Netgear.
3. Make sure you buy precrimped cables.
4. Buy a Netgear FS308 8 port switch.
5. Buy a Netgear RT311 Router.
6. Thank me.
7. Be happy.

 

[Marine06]

I would recommend the same as jmcoreymv and add cables to it... doh he already said that. Its the easiest and less problemadic way to do it,

 

[iceliquid]

Gotta agree with jmcoreymv here. Simplicity is key, which will help troubleshoot in the future. And did I mention jmcoreymv's solution will be cheaper for you in the long haul? If you've got money to burn, please contact me via email and I will send you info where you could send me the money at which time I will promise to burn it for you

IceLiquid

 

[cavingjan]

I'll be the odd ball here. But first I have a question. Why are you using two different hubs? I think the problem here is you in actuality have two different internal networks. The two internal nics in the server is getting confused. Try switching the subnets on one of the networks and see if you can't get anywhere or try combining it into only one hub and see what happens. if you disable the second nic, can the computer see the other two computers connected to the first nic? third nic going to the internet.

 

[Yoshi]

Get the Linksys 4 port Cable/DSL router. It is a router, hub, switch, and DHCP server all in one.

I have been using it for a couple weeks now without a hitch, I have had various numbers of PC's on my network over that time.

Check it out here, I think it would greatly simplify things for you.

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?prid=20&grid=5

Notice this unit can share your internet connnection with one IP with over 200 PC's by uplinking other hubs.

 

[office boy]

<< Get the Linksys 4 port Cable/DSL router. It is a router, hub, switch, and DHCP server all in one. >>


This (the linksys) my fit Adul's requirement a bit better then the netgear, but I'd still have to say your better off with the Netgear RT311....

 

[jmcoreymv]

The Linksys wont eliminate the need for an extra hub or switch since he already has 4 computers AND a cable modem, also he might be getting more soon.

 

[office boy]

sure it will...

cable modem = wan port
switch port1 = first computer
switch port2 = second computer
switch port3 = third computer
switch port4 = fourth computer
whats the prob?
if he adds more, then he can uplink with one of his hubs..

 

[dirtboy]

Actually, you don't have to buy anything. Install netBeui on all your computers and file &amp; print sharing. Be sure to unbind f&amp;p sharing from the tcp/ip protocol. Share your hdd's and it should work, plus and most importantly, it will be secure, as Netbeui is not routable.

But that doesn't solve all your problems. #3 can't see any of the other computers and there is a simple explanation, it doesn't have an IP Address the others can see, because you are running a proxied setup.

Here's what I would try. Connect both the hubs together, if necessary, use a crossover cable. If you install Netbeui at this point, you should be able to see all of the computers on the network and share hdd's.

Now, you still have one computer that needs Internet access. I would give #4 one real ip and one internal ip, probably like you have it set now. On #3, give in an internal ip and point it to use the proxy server on #4.

That should work. The same can be done with any future machines. I think most of your hangup now is that the two hubs are not connected to each other.

 

[Adul]

Haven't thought of trying that yet dorty boy. Reason I have three IP address is because of a game and some apps I have running that work only with an IP address that is assigned. Also, could some one explain in more detail has to what does a subnet do? Should I have the sub IP's the same or should I make them slightly different?

 

[jmcoreymv]

Adul try this. Hook the cable modem to a hub/swith uplink. Hook two computers directly to this hub/switch. To the third port on the hub/switch hook a router. To the router hook the rest of your pcs and set one of the PCs as DMZ.

 

[Adul]

I'll have to get a router first. Anyone interested in trading?

 

[office boy]

I have a (brandnew) linksys router, w/o switch..
email me if interested...
I want sdram, cpus, MBs, cd-roms, NICs, and videocards....

 

[BuckMaster]

Someone please help me here. I dont understand why the use of a router? I have 3 computers setup and networked for gameing also, plus all can get out to the internet at the same time. Im also a @home user. Im running a cable modem here. I have 2 nics in my main computer. 1 cat5 cable running from my cable Modem to 1 nic card. Another cat5 cable going from my 2nd nic to my 8 port Hub. All remaining computers cat5 cable plugged into my hub. I just had a lan party last week. Some us played Dark Reign_2 together and could also get out to the internet and goof off at the same time. The way Im able to do this is by useing Sybergen Sygate software. Are you saying that Sybergen Sygate is like a router here? Wouldnt this be cheaper then buying a hardware router like a BayNetwork router? I dont know what this software cost because you can D/L it for free and i got a 3 user serial Number from a friend well just say.

 

[IceStorm]

BuckMaster, your PC with the two NIC cards is a router. SyGate either configured your machine to route, or it's doing the routing and NAT itself. Either way, the machine knows how to get Internet-destine packets from your internal network to the Internet and vice versa.

The appeal of a separate router is tha you don't have to have a particular PC on all the time for the internal machines to be able to access the Internet. I personally use IP masquerade under Linux on a dedicated PC that just routes (P166 w/64MB of RAM and three network cards). In either case, I can crash, reboot, bring up, take down, and otherwise disconnect my main machines from the network without affecting the router. If your routing machine crashes, Internet access for other machines on your internal network is gone until it comes back up.

 

[BuckMaster]

IceStorm,

Thats Exactly what i wanted to know. You couldnt of done a better job of explaining it! Your right i do have to keep my computer up and running for the other to get out to the internet.

Agian Thanks!
Buck

 

[dirtboy]

I understand why you have 3 IP's, your setup is quite clear to me. Just use the subnet 255.255.255.0 on your machines that are going to have the IP 192.168.x.x bound to them. On the cable machines, use whatever subnet is given by DHCP. I still don't see why you need a router, unless you want one, because the machine with Sygate is acting like a software router.

 

[dirtboy]

He's right Buck, your machine with Sygate is a acting like a software router. The benefit of a hardware router is that they are small, use small amounts of power, and are usually always on. If your machine with Sygate crashed or a part went out in it, all the machines trying to connect to the Internet throught that machine wouldn't be able to access the Internet until you got it working again. Even something like a reboot would kick everyone off the Internet.

 

[Unclemo]

Get rid of the two hubs and make life easy. I just got rid of my 2 8port hubs for a 24 port hub and it makes everything much more reliable and easier. I had similiar problems as you with the two hubs, but it was erratic and not all the time...

 

[random]

I think I understand your setup. (I'm guessing they are 4 port hubs). I believe this would be the easiest/cheapest solution in the long run. Use the multiple IP bindings of windows NT (no idea if it's in 2k, but I don't have it) [network props, protocols, tcp/ip, advanced and add the ip, subnet 255.255.255.0)

.---- ISP ---- HUB1 --- PC1 (ISP IP #1, 192.168.1.1)
................| \ --- PC2 (ISP IP #2, 192.168.1.2)
................|
...............HUB2 --- PC3 (ISP IP #3, 192.168.1.3)
.................\ --- PC4 (192.168.1.4)

Since the 192.168.0.0 subnet is not routable, your file server will be secured from the internet.

[edit: just in case someone else cares...]

 

[Adul]

random I think you lost me...
My problem is just being able to veiw the other PC's on the other side of the proxy server. Otherwise everything works just fine with net access.

 

[random]

errg. thanks to the coding here, it doesn't seem to like the leading spaces on the lines, so it screws up the thing. i should have looked. I'll email it.

Basically, you put every computers on one subnet, and also three on the isp's subnet. That way, they can all see each other through the private one and eliminate proxies.

 

[cot]

Just to throw in my 2 cents, I have used sygate as well as wingate, and a unix software router, and now I just bought a netgear RT311. Way, way easier to use the hardware router.

Absolutely worth it.

Dont have to leave a PC on. Dont have to worry about crashing. Dont have to run any special software on the PCs (this stinks IMO). etc, etc.

cot