networking 2 comps **Need Help**

[lackluster]

I just got DSL with a 2wire Home Portal 1000HW and want to network two computers. Whats the best way, keeping bandwith about equal and simple?

 

[Goosemaster]

I really couldn't find any info on THAT PARTICULAR MODEL.


i will assume:

1) that device does not have a built in switch...basically a buch of built in ports
2) it only has two ports ..one for your LAN(local) and one for your WAN(wide)


if so buy a small switch, and attach one of the port to the LAN side. plug the the computers into the switch. Then go to the 2wire Home Portal 1000HW's configuration and set your DSL PPPoE dial in settings.

that's it.

 

[ojai00]

From what I found on Google about the router, it only has one port. Like what Goosemaster said, you'll need to hook up a switch to that port, then connect your two computers to the switch.

 

[lackluster]

Yes it only has one switch, and then a USB port. Would connecting one computer via the USB or wireless decrease the bandwidth to the second computer?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: lackluster
Yes it only has one switch, and then a USB port. Would connecting one computer via the USB or wireless decrease the bandwidth to the second computer?

Terminology 101:

a SWITCH is a multiple-port device. It has between 4 and 24 "jacks", where you can plug in cables. Don't even bother with usb. As for wireless, it should be fine. you will need to wireless cards for each PC, though, and using cat5 cabling in conjunction with a switch will be faster.


here is an 8port switch. It is called a switch becuase it acts like and old fashion telephone switch. When a request is sent to another machine plugged into it, it creates a virtual connection that is not permament. This is nice because you can have multiple "vitrual connections at a time." Old fashioned devices called HUBS look very much the same like Switches, except for their inards. They are sometimes called "mutiport repeaters." What HUBS do is regenerate the signal, and send it out to all ports. The problem with this is that only one computer can transmitt at a time....i can go on forever with this stuff.

Basically, set it up like this, where the "----" is cat5 cable:

DSL modem-------Home Portal's WAN jack



Home Portal's WAN jack-----switch-----clients' network card