crossover cable good or bad?

[spock]

Hi,
I'm using a crossover cable to connect 2 PCs running XP home. While I can
share files and folders to copy between them I can't get ICS to work.

I'm using a USB ADSL modem.

I realise a router with built in ADSL modem is preferable but should I
expect the cheaper crossover arrangement to work? If someone can confirm it
should I will investigate further, before buying a router.

Any thought welcome.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[BigBears2]

If you mean connecting with a roll over lan cable instead
of going through a lan router the answer is yes ICS will
work. What firewall are you using ( windows firewall,
free zonealarm, zonealrm pro)?

 

[Guest]

But I use an internal modem dial up modem so not
absolutly possitive with your usb modem.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I'm using a crossover cable to connect 2 PCs running XP home. While I can
share files and folders to copy between them I can't get ICS to work.

Mike,

it should work. What exactly are you doing and what exactly
happens?

Hans-Georg

 

[Chuck]

Hi,
I'm using a crossover cable to connect 2 PCs running XP home. While I can
share files and folders to copy between them I can't get ICS to work.

I'm using a USB ADSL modem.

I realise a router with built in ADSL modem is preferable but should I
expect the cheaper crossover arrangement to work? If someone can confirm it
should I will investigate further, before buying a router.

Any thought welcome.

Thanks,
Mike

Mike,

A crossover cable will work fine, yes, to connect two computers and provide file
sharing and internet service to both.

If you truly want to keep you costs to a minimum, and if you're stuck with the
USB modem.

But, if you're going to use DSL very much, or if you have any plans of ever
getting a third computer, you'll be better off now AND in the long run getting
a broadband router (and replace the USB modem with an Ethernet modem, if
possible).

Connecting the two computers with a router is the responsible solution.

All computers will be safer. The router will block any malevolent internet
traffic. This further protects the internet, from your becoming infected and
spreading the infection.

All computers will run better, with the router blocking the trash infection
traffic. Any personal firewall on either computer will have less to do, because
the router will block most malevolent traffic.

All computers will run independently of each other. Right now, you have to have
one computer on whenever you wish to access the internet from the other. With a
router, this will not be true.

If you can afford to have more then one computer, and broadband, you can afford
a router. For many reasons.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[spock]

Mike,

A crossover cable will work fine, yes, to connect two computers and provide file
sharing and internet service to both.

If you truly want to keep you costs to a minimum, and if you're stuck with the
USB modem.

But, if you're going to use DSL very much, or if you have any plans of ever
getting a third computer, you'll be better off now AND in the long run getting
a broadband router (and replace the USB modem with an Ethernet modem, if
possible).

Connecting the two computers with a router is the responsible solution.

All computers will be safer. The router will block any malevolent internet
traffic. This further protects the internet, from your becoming infected and
spreading the infection.

All computers will run better, with the router blocking the trash infection
traffic. Any personal firewall on either computer will have less to do, because
the router will block most malevolent traffic.

All computers will run independently of each other. Right now, you have to have
one computer on whenever you wish to access the internet from the other. With a
router, this will not be true.

If you can afford to have more then one computer, and broadband, you can afford
a router. For many reasons.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

Thanks for the reply, I shall definately get a router. I still have
questions and have not gone through all the help files yet - seems to be a
complex subject,

One thing I can't make sense of is, in windows help under :
'To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection'
It says 'open Network Connections', which I can,
Then It says 'Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN
connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks'............
etc...

But, I can't see a tab or button labelled 'network tasks' in the Network
Connections window!!

What am I doing wrong?


Mike

 

[spock]

Mike,

it should work. What exactly are you doing and what exactly
happens?

Hans-Georg

Hi,

Now it has been confirmed it should work, I will give it another go, and
will definitely get a router with ADSL modem and while I'm at it, a wireless
connection too, any recommendations?

All I've done so far is go through the Network connection wizards on both
PCs . when I attempt to access a web page on the client pc I just get a
'page not available' error in explorer. It looks like the windows help files
will take a couple of weeks to go through! Is there a more digestible
resource on networks available on line?


Thanks for help.

Mike

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the reply, I shall definately get a router. I still have
questions and have not gone through all the help files yet - seems to be a
complex subject,

One thing I can't make sense of is, in windows help under :
'To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection'
It says 'open Network Connections', which I can,
Then It says 'Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN
connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks'............
etc...

But, I can't see a tab or button labelled 'network tasks' in the Network
Connections window!!

Mike,

This one bothered me for a while too.

You have a window labeled Network Connections. In the left 1/3 of that window,
where the Folders Explorer bar should be, is Network Tasks, See Also, Other
Places, and Details. The Network Tasks list is probably collapsed, with just
"Create a new connection" showing. Hitting the double up arrows button opens up
the list.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the reply, I shall definately get a router. I still have
questions and have not gone through all the help files yet - seems to be a
complex subject,

One thing I can't make sense of is, in windows help under :
'To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection'
It says 'open Network Connections', which I can,
Then It says 'Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN
connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks'............
etc...

But, I can't see a tab or button labelled 'network tasks' in the Network
Connections window!!

Mike,

This one bothered me for a while too.

You have a window labeled Network Connections. In the left 1/3 of that window,
where the Folders Explorer bar should be, is Network Tasks, See Also, Other
Places, and Details. The Network Tasks list is probably collapsed, with just
"Create a new connection" showing. Hitting the double up arrows button opens up
the list.

BTW, instead of using Windows Help and Support, you may find better help from
tutorials in these websites:
http://www.cablesense.com/
http://www.homenethelp.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
http://www.wown.com/

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[spock]

Mike,

This one bothered me for a while too.

You have a window labeled Network Connections. In the left 1/3 of that window,
where the Folders Explorer bar should be, is Network Tasks, See Also, Other
Places, and Details. The Network Tasks list is probably collapsed, with just
"Create a new connection" showing. Hitting the double up arrows button opens up
the list.

BTW, instead of using Windows Help and Support, you may find better help from
tutorials in these websites:
http://www.cablesense.com/
http://www.homenethelp.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
http://www.wown.com/

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

Chuck,

I had windows classic folders set and 'show common tasks' was disabled in
folder options, so could not see anything on the left. I've not had time to
look at your links yet, but I found this one:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/home-network.htm/printable


Cheers, Mike (in S. London)

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,

I had windows classic folders set and 'show common tasks' was disabled in
folder options, so could not see anything on the left. I've not had time to
look at your links yet, but I found this one:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/home-network.htm/printable


Cheers, Mike (in S. London)

Mike,

I don't use that menu either, generally. I did follow the H&S instructions
once, and found it was essentially what you can do from Local Area Connection -
Properties - Advanced. I don't care for the menus blocking the folder bar.

HowStuffWorks is a good website too.

Enjoy the beer there - I wish I could get real English bitter here. California
beer is not the same. :-(

Can't walk to the pub here either. :-((

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Now it has been confirmed it should work, I will give it another go, and
will definitely get a router with ADSL modem and while I'm at it, a wireless
connection too, any recommendations?

Spock,

if you do web browsing and email and the occasional file
download, even a very cheap router will normally do.

If, however, you play online games or run file sharing programs
like BitTorrent or Overnet, then some cheap routers will not do.

I went from a cheap SMC router (7004 ABR) to another SMC router
(7004 VBR), then to a DrayTek Vigor router. This last one is
holding out well and has good features. I can recommend it to
users who play online games and run file sharing programs that
simply killed the SMC routers very quickly.

I would still recommend a router like the SMC 7004 VBR for light
use, and this class of routers is incredibly cheap these days,
so everybody can afford one.

For networking troubleshooting you may want too have a brief
look into http://www.michna.com/kb/WxNetwork.htm.

Hans-Georg