home networking with router

[Guest]

i want to set up a home network. i game alot so i wish to allow my host
computer to be the gamer. i would like to run the other networked computers
from a router that would be on the shared line from the host.
MODEM>HOST>ROUTER>SEVERAL OTHER PCS. WILL THIS WORK?

 

[Chuck]

i want to set up a home network. i game alot so i wish to allow my host
computer to be the gamer. i would like to run the other networked computers
from a router that would be on the shared line from the host.
MODEM>HOST>ROUTER>SEVERAL OTHER PCS. WILL THIS WORK?

If you want to provide internet service to a number of computers, and have
broadband (or PPP compatible dialup), using a router / modem directly connected
to all computers is preferable.

If you want to share service from the host, this is possible, but will involve a
bit of extra work. You'll have to make the host an ICS (Internet Connection
Sharing) server. Then,
1) Disable DHCP on the router.
2) Connect the ICS server, and all ICS clients, as peers to the LAN side of the
router.
3) Change the LAN address of the router from 192.168.0.1 to something like
192.168.0.99 (gotta keep it on 192.168.0/24 subnet).
4) Setup the LAN interface on the ICS server as 192.168.0.1.
5) Setup any ICS clients to use DHCP for all settings (obtain IP address and
DNS servers automatically).
6) If you're going to do file sharing, either disable ICF on the ICS LAN
connection (not recommended for a wireless router), or open the following ports
in ICF for the LAN connection: TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138, 445.

Using the host for game playing (which involves intense CPU and network traffic)
may conflict with its role as an ICS server. You'll have to see how that works
out.

Please let us know how this works out for you.

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

 

[Ken B]

I think he may want to connect all the computers to the router, and place
his computer on the DMZ.

To do this, navigate to your router's management webpage, then (on
Linksys)... click the Advanced tab at the top, then click DMZ Host, then you
can put in the IP address of your 'gaming' computer. Just keep in mind that
doing this will place your computer on the internet directly, and pretty
much anyone can connect to the computer, and try/succeed to hack into it
using various exploits.

If you take this option, BE SURE TO RUN WINDOWS UPDATE OFTEN! Also keep
your virus definitions up to date!

You may want to give yourself an address of 192.168.0.200 (or something high
that the router should never reach on its own), to make sure that another
computer doesn't accidentally get assigned the address of your gaming
computer and get placed on the DMZ.

Good luck!

Ken

 

[Bob Willard]

i want to set up a home network. i game alot so i wish to allow my host
computer to be the gamer. i would like to run the other networked computers
from a router that would be on the shared line from the host.
MODEM>HOST>ROUTER>SEVERAL OTHER PCS. WILL THIS WORK?

It can be made to work, but I suggest some homework first:

- A basic tutorial on routing for a home network:
http://home.comcast.net/~bobwbsgs/homenet.txt

- A good intro to home nets
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/home-network.htm

- A good intro to home WiFi nets
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm

- A good site for Windows XP network troubleshooting tips:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot

- Adding Windows XP to an Existing Network
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/addxp.htm

- Another site with WinXP networking tips:
http://www.michna.com/kb/WxNetwork.htm

- A good site for basic networking info:
http://www.wown.com

- Cisco's handbook on networking:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/index.htm