Another esential question is weither the Linux machine (I assume the server) will run 24/7 or not. I doubt you will walk across your house to turn on the linux box so your wife can get on to the internet! I often suggest that people use wireless, But please test to see if the wireless works (Physically test connection between where the computers will stand!). I've often been surprised at where it does not work. (And once or twice also I was also surprised at where it does work!). Jerry On Sat, 2004-04-17 at 22:21, Vince Littler wrote:
Hi Stephen
On Saturday 17 April 2004 8:04 pm, Stephen W wrote:
Hello listers
I am still a newbie to linux but want to make a quantum leap in computing.
I have zip-silch-zero experience in networks. However, there are now three computers here at home and I would sure like to tie them together. What I have:
+Windows98 desktop
+WindowsXP laptop (w/ T-mobile wireless installed - for my wife's work.
+Linux box (SuSE8.2 running on an Asus A7N8X-Deluxe MB, 1 gig Ram, 160 gig HD.
For the above, a network is possible. As 2 of the 3 do window$, you are looking at running Samba on your network.
Your biggest issue is establishing a configuration which will play with your wife's machine, while maintaining her work config. This could be an advanced topic, depending on what you want to do and how her work have configured the machine.
I suggest you leave this to one side for the moment, but consider up front do you want to share files and printer, or will it be enough to share web access? In either case you will probably need to deal with DHCP, but for her machine you could have a tricky SAMBA configuration if you want to share files and printer, or not, if her work have not done anything too sophisticated.
What references should I read first?
I'll leave others to suggest. These days I do it out of my head, so be encouraged, I have only networked my own house.
What hardware do I need to buy? Would prefer to set up a wireless - but if it is not practical I can go the hardwire route. (My house is wired for telephone in every room and there are four pairs of wires in each box, but only one pair is being used for telephone service, do if worse comes to worst could I use some of those extra 6 wires?)
Networking down telephone wires is probably not impossible, but it is an advanced topic, which I would suggest you leave well alone for the time being. Firstly, a network requires a hub and a star layout. Domestic telephones are usually a bus layout, and I'll assume US practice is the same as UK on this one. Secondly, CAT5 network cable will probably do very nicely for phones, while UK CW1308 premises telephone cable will probably do a 10Mbit/s network with short runs, but will probably give you some grief which you might prefer to avoid. I suspect the US equivalent of CW1308 will be not a jot better. Thirdly, doing both in the same cable and mixing telephone voltages with your ethernet cards - and the issues of earthing, mutual capacitance and lightning protection are so advanced, that if you could frame the right questions, you might not be asking them here...
Thanks in advance
===== Stephen W Sarasota, FL
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine ..." Proverbs
Hope that helps somewhat
Vince Littler