D-Link - http://www.dlink.com
Netgear - http://www.netgear.com
Linksys - http://www.linksys.com
SMC - http://www.smc.com
Network Cards - Each PC on your network needs a network card. For under USD20 you can buy a decent 10/100MB PCI network card. Check out the following web sites for some popular possibilities:
D-Link - http://www.dlink.com
Netgear - http://www.netgear.com
Linksys - http://www.linksys.com
SMC - http://www.smc.com
Follow the instructions that came with the card to install it. Tip: Instead of using the driver that came in the box, go to the manufacturer's web site and download the latest driver.
Cat5 cable - You'll need several pieces of Cat5 cable. The example pictured above requires 5 cables: One from each of the three PCs to the hub, one from the hub to the gateway, one from the gateway to the cable modem. The cable most commonly used for networking is referred to as Cat 5 cable. Every decent computer store will sell you as much Cat 5 cable as you need by the foot. The cable should have a RJ-45 connector on each end, which looks like a phone jack just a little wider. Be sure to get plenty of cable, it is very easy to underestimate the length you need. Alternatively, you can make your own Cat5 cable by following our tutorial: http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/cat5diy1.html.
Hardware Installation
This is the desired network configuration:
Once you have all the pieces, start the physical setup part. Install a network card in each PC following the included instructions. Make sure that each card shows up properly in the device manager without any conflicts.
Use appropriate lengths of Cat5 cable to connect each PC to the hub or switch. When running the cable, be careful and place it where nobody can trip over it. Make sure it doesn't have any sharp bends or kinks, which could cause breakage. If you have to run cable through walls, avoid serious injury inflicted by your spouse or landlord - please do not break 5 inch holes at eye-height in the middle of the wall.
Use Cat5 to connect the uplink port of your hub or switch to the LAN port of your gateway device. Pay attention to the link light on the hub/switch. If it doesn't light up, use the button to switch the uplink port or use a crossover-type cable instead as explained in the Cat5 tutorial.
Lastly, connect the WAN port of the gateway to your cable/DSL modem.
That should be all the physical work involved. Now you need to configure each PC. Page
1: Configuring a home network - start here Page 2:
This page
Page 3: Setting up a gateway, software, TCP/IP, NetBEUI Page
4: Testing the firewall, outbound traffic, wireless access
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