Using a Router to network

  • Thread starter Thread starter casey.o
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casey.o

Rather than networking my XP and W98 computers together with a crossover
cable, would it make more sense to use a router such as this one?
https://www.trendnet.com/langen/products/proddetail.asp?prod=165_TEW-432BRP

I can get one of these models cheap.

My question is whether I would need to connect the internet from my
modem, via the modem connected to the serial port on my W98 machine, or
is there a way to connect the modem to this router? (no serial plug on
the router).

Using a crossover cable appears to be very complicated, particularly if
I want to be able to use both OSs on my W98 computer (Win2000 also), and
might want to use a 3rd computer at some point......

Also, would this router make my dialup appear as a WIFI signal. so I can
use my laptop outdoors? Thisd would be handy in the summer when it gets
too hot indoors to stay inside (No Air Cond).

I can get one of these for under $10, so if it simplifies things and
gives me a wifi signal, it's worth the price.

I am completely clueless about this sort of stuff, so I need to know all
the details of using it, if it will work at all. Maybe an ethernet hub
or switch would work better???? Or is the crossover cable the easiest?
Seems there is too much to know about this stuff to make decisions on my
own....
 
Yes. A router provides extra security.

But I wouldn't get a Trendnet; I would get a D-Link.




You connect the modem to the router by an ethernet cable (Cat-5), and
you also connect both computers to the router by ethernet cables. Use
regular ethernet cables, not crossover
Click to expand...

Ok, I'm on dialup. My modem is a dialup modem with a serial port
output. If there is some form of adaptor to use to connect a ethernet
cable to serial port, then I may be in business. This is mainly where
I'm puzzled. Of course I could leave the modem connected to (ONE OF)
the computers, via serial port, but it appears the modem needs to
connect right to the router. It dont appear ANY routers have serial
ports on them, and I've never seen a dialup modem with an ethernet cable
output either.
 
Rather than networking my XP and W98 computers together with a crossover
cable, would it make more sense to use a router such as this one?
https://www.trendnet.com/langen/products/proddetail.asp?prod=165_TEW-432BRP
Click to expand...


Yes. A router provides extra security.

But I wouldn't get a Trendnet; I would get a D-Link.

I can get one of these models cheap.

My question is whether I would need to connect the internet from my
modem, via the modem connected to the serial port on my W98 machine, or
is there a way to connect the modem to this router? (no serial plug on
the router).
Click to expand...


You connect the modem to the router by an ethernet cable (Cat-5), and
you also connect both computers to the router by ethernet cables. Use
regular ethernet cables, not crossover
 
Rather than networking my XP and W98 computers together with a crossover
cable, would it make more sense to use a router such as this one?
https://www.trendnet.com/langen/products/proddetail.asp?prod=165_TEW-432BRP

I can get one of these models cheap.

My question is whether I would need to connect the internet from my
modem, via the modem connected to the serial port on my W98 machine, or
is there a way to connect the modem to this router? (no serial plug on
the router).

Using a crossover cable appears to be very complicated, particularly if
I want to be able to use both OSs on my W98 computer (Win2000 also), and
might want to use a 3rd computer at some point......

Also, would this router make my dialup appear as a WIFI signal. so I can
use my laptop outdoors? Thisd would be handy in the summer when it gets
too hot indoors to stay inside (No Air Cond).

I can get one of these for under $10, so if it simplifies things and
gives me a wifi signal, it's worth the price.

I am completely clueless about this sort of stuff, so I need to know all
the details of using it, if it will work at all. Maybe an ethernet hub
or switch would work better???? Or is the crossover cable the easiest?
Seems there is too much to know about this stuff to make decisions on my
own....
Click to expand...

For those playing along at home, we should draw a diagram first.
This is your intended application. And this is caused by your
problem with getting the dialup modem to work properly, when
it is hosted directly on the WinXP box.

(Ethernet Network Box ???)
___/ \___
/ \
Dialup_Modem ----------Win98SE WinXP
(ICS ???)

I would think a GbE Switch would work. A router would likely
also work, where the router only uses its switch portion.
I don't know if there are any other practical box types for sale.

Maybe you could connect the WAN port of the router to Win98SE, and
one LAN port of the router, to WinXP. I don't know if file
sharing will work that way though.

Doing it this way, likely works, but this isn't a sexy enough
purchase for most people. They'd want a box full of bells
and whistles.
GS605
(GbE Switch)
___/ \___
/ \
Dialup_Modem ----------Win98SE WinXP
(ICS ???)

$30 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122140

I have one like that, which I paid $39.95 for a number of
years ago. As far as I know, it would be one of the models
that uses power saving, and perhaps WOL wouldn't work on it
(Wake On Lan packets).

For that project, I paid as much for cables (locally), as
I did for the damn switch. Never go looking for cables
at 9 o'clock at night :-(

Paul
 
It is extremely hard, maybe impossible, to get a Router Today with a RS232
port for shared DUN connections. They stopped making them 5 years ago or
so.
Click to expand...

There is a cable on ebay that WILL connect the RS232 serial from the
modem to a RJ45 ethernet plug on a router. While it'll physically fit,
will it actually work?
http://tinyurl.com/nylofrj

This one is from China, so I'd look for one in the US if possible, but I
did find this one to reference. I tend to question how well it would
work, because the RS232 has 9 pins, while the RJ45 only has 8. ????


-----
By the way, the "RS" in RS232 means "Recommended Standard". When I
first started with computers in the 80s, someone told me it stood for
"Radio Shack", and I thought that was true till only a few years
ago..... I almost thought they invented it.....
I wonder how that nonsense got started? :)
As far as the 232, I still dont know if that really means anything.....

And now we have RJ45.... I'll have to look that one up....
 
There is a cable on ebay that WILL connect the RS232 serial from the
modem to a RJ45 ethernet plug on a router. While it'll physically fit,
will it actually work?
http://tinyurl.com/nylofrj

This one is from China, so I'd look for one in the US if possible, but I
did find this one to reference. I tend to question how well it would
work, because the RS232 has 9 pins, while the RJ45 only has 8. ????


-----
By the way, the "RS" in RS232 means "Recommended Standard". When I
first started with computers in the 80s, someone told me it stood for
"Radio Shack", and I thought that was true till only a few years
ago..... I almost thought they invented it.....
I wonder how that nonsense got started? :)
As far as the 232, I still dont know if that really means anything.....

And now we have RJ45.... I'll have to look that one up....
Click to expand...

That cable of yours, is intended for a server, not
for a desktop. Servers have some different (custom)
interfaces in them, for remote control and monitoring.

That cable won't be doing you any good.

As for the standalone dialup modem with two Ethernet outputs,
you could build your own one of those. But I still feel
it would be easier to just fix whatever is wrong with
the WinXP machine.

By the way, do your computers (and your house) use three
prong plugs ? Or are you wired on two prong plugs ? The
house I was born in, was a two-prong household, and there
was no safety ground. And that house isn't really
designed for modern computers (which use the safety ground
to dump a bit of leakage current).

Paul
 
Ok, I'm on dialup. My modem is a dialup modem with a serial port
output. If there is some form of adaptor to use to connect a ethernet
cable to serial port, then I may be in business. This is mainly where
I'm puzzled. Of course I could leave the modem connected to (ONE OF)
the computers, via serial port, but it appears the modem needs to
connect right to the router. It dont appear ANY routers have serial
ports on them, and I've never seen a dialup modem with an ethernet cable
output either.
Click to expand...


Ah, sorry, It's been so long since I've used dialup that I remember
very little about it, and can't help. But see David Lipman's reply.
 
Rather than networking my XP and W98 computers together with a crossover
cable, would it make more sense to use a router such as this one?
https://www.trendnet.com/langen/products/proddetail.asp?prod=165_TEW-432BRP
Click to expand...

Yes it will work. You just need to hook your PCs and Laptops in the 4
ports that are given marked in Yellow:

<https://www.trendnet.com/images/products/photos/TEW-432BRP/TEW-432BRP_d03_2.jpg>

This is a proper ADSL Modem Router This means it can also be connected
to receive Broadband but this does not apply to you.

You are making things very complicated for yourself but you will learn
these things fast. I learned it like you by buying things and trying it
myself and reading the manuals.

Please note: this is not a dial up modem so don't expect it to connect
to the internet unless you also have a dial-up modem hooked in your
serial port or USB port.

Good luck.
 
Ok, I'm on dialup. My modem is a dialup modem with a serial port
output. If there is some form of adaptor to use to connect a ethernet
cable to serial port, then I may be in business. This is mainly where
I'm puzzled. Of course I could leave the modem connected to (ONE OF)
the computers, via serial port, but it appears the modem needs to
connect right to the router. It dont appear ANY routers have serial
ports on them, and I've never seen a dialup modem with an ethernet cable
output either.
Click to expand...

Casey:

The SMC70004ABR will accept a serial dial up modem as an internet
connection.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMC-Barrica...70174?pt=US_Wired_Routers&hash=item35d4f013be

It will aslo accept an ethernet internet connection if you ever get
DSL or cable internet. It also has a built in print server (parallel
port) to share a printer if you have such a beast. I used one of these
for years in the days of Windows for workgroups 3.11 on a home LAN
with dial up and it worked well. The LAN ethernet ports are limited to
10 meg though.

If you don't like the ebay listing I still have one that worked when
taken out of service ~15 years ago and will let it go for shipping.
Post back if interested and I wil post a link to my email address.

John

--
\\\||///
------------------o000----(o)(o)----000o----------------
----------------------------()--------------------------
'' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. ''

John Dulak - 40.4888ºN,79.899ºW - http://tinyurl.com/3lvoh2n
 
Casey:

The SMC70004ABR will accept a serial dial up modem as an internet
connection.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMC-Barrica...70174?pt=US_Wired_Routers&hash=item35d4f013be

It will aslo accept an ethernet internet connection if you ever get
DSL or cable internet. It also has a built in print server (parallel
port) to share a printer if you have such a beast. I used one of these
for years in the days of Windows for workgroups 3.11 on a home LAN
with dial up and it worked well. The LAN ethernet ports are limited to
10 meg though.

If you don't like the ebay listing I still have one that worked when
taken out of service ~15 years ago and will let it go for shipping.
Post back if interested and I wil post a link to my email address.

John

-
Click to expand...

John

I'm interested in the router you have, for shipping. I did get a
switch, but I'm not getting it to work. I guess a router is better
suited, and according to the one on ebay, it has what they call the
"Smart Setup Wizard, this NetGear DSL router is very easy to setup,
which means your network will be up and running in minutes"

I like the sound of that. There must be some easier way to do this,
rather than manually. When they start talking DNS and all that stuff,
I'm totally lost, and the older I get, the stupider I get too.
Hopefully you have that software too.

If you were using it 15 years ago, it should work fine for Win98 as well
as XP. I seem to do better with older stuff anyhow, it's easier to use.
10 meg is fine with me. After all, I'm used to dialup speed.

I see it has a serial plug. Does that mean I can plug my modem external
in there?

Let me know how you want to do this. Thanks!

BTW: I had a network setup for Win 3.11. Someone else set it up, but
if I remember right, it was simply done by connecting the serial ports
of two computers. Kind of crude, but it did work. Around that same
time, I was also playing around with OS2, and that guy who set up the
network was a OS2 user, who claimed OS2 would be the OS of the future.
(that sure was wrong), but he had OS2 networked to Win 3.11and did the
same thing to my computers. It worked, I used to be able to transfer
files from computer to computer and do other stuff, but that method was
pretty slow transfer rate. Of course those old 386 and 486 computers
were slow too. One may have been a 286 too....
 
John

I'm interested in the router you have, for shipping. I did get a
switch, but I'm not getting it to work. I guess a router is better
suited, and according to the one on ebay, it has what they call the
"Smart Setup Wizard, this NetGear DSL router is very easy to setup,
which means your network will be up and running in minutes"
Click to expand...

Hi, casey.

It sounds like no one explained the difference between a switch and a
router.

Here's a very simplified analogy.

Think of your network as a parking lot. There is only one entrance and
exit to the outside world, a gate. On a network, the outside world is
the internet/web, anything outside your house and under your control.
Your modem is the gate. The router is the traffic cop at the gate. The
switch is just the intersection for the roads, aisles, driveways in the
parking lot leading to a parking space. For a network the parking space
is a computer, networked printer, network attached storage, whatever is
attached with an Ethernet cable. The traffic cop/router sends any
incoming signal to where ever it's supposed to go, the parking space, on
the network.

That's about as simple of an explanation as I can write. said:
I like the sound of that. There must be some easier way to do this,
rather than manually. When they start talking DNS and all that stuff,
I'm totally lost, and the older I get, the stupider I get too.
Hopefully you have that software too.

If you were using it 15 years ago, it should work fine for Win98 as well
as XP. I seem to do better with older stuff anyhow, it's easier to use.
10 meg is fine with me. After all, I'm used to dialup speed.

I see it has a serial plug. Does that mean I can plug my modem external
in there?

Let me know how you want to do this. Thanks!

BTW: I had a network setup for Win 3.11. Someone else set it up, but
if I remember right, it was simply done by connecting the serial ports
of two computers. Kind of crude, but it did work. Around that same
time, I was also playing around with OS2, and that guy who set up the
network was a OS2 user, who claimed OS2 would be the OS of the future.
(that sure was wrong), but he had OS2 networked to Win 3.11and did the
same thing to my computers. It worked, I used to be able to transfer
files from computer to computer and do other stuff, but that method was
pretty slow transfer rate. Of course those old 386 and 486 computers
were slow too. One may have been a 286 too....
Click to expand...

Back when, Atari computers came with a MIDI port, Musical Instrument
Digital Interface. I had my Atari computers, that's all I had then, all
networked via the MIDI port. If you look around deep enough, there were
lots of things that were introduced and failed, and some ideas have come
back because hardware has caught up with ideas. They had the fastest
printing lasers on the market, and I've seen nothing today that comes
close. And almost totally virus proof, too!


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 25.0
Thunderbird 24.3.0
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"
 
John

I'm interested in the router you have, for shipping. I did get a
switch, but I'm not getting it to work. I guess a router is better
suited, and according to the one on ebay, it has what they call the
"Smart Setup Wizard, this NetGear DSL router is very easy to setup,
which means your network will be up and running in minutes"

I like the sound of that. There must be some easier way to do this,
rather than manually. When they start talking DNS and all that stuff,
I'm totally lost, and the older I get, the stupider I get too.
Hopefully you have that software too.

If you were using it 15 years ago, it should work fine for Win98 as well
as XP. I seem to do better with older stuff anyhow, it's easier to use.
10 meg is fine with me. After all, I'm used to dialup speed.

I see it has a serial plug. Does that mean I can plug my modem external
in there?

Let me know how you want to do this. Thanks!

BTW: I had a network setup for Win 3.11. Someone else set it up, but
if I remember right, it was simply done by connecting the serial ports
of two computers. Kind of crude, but it did work. Around that same
time, I was also playing around with OS2, and that guy who set up the
network was a OS2 user, who claimed OS2 would be the OS of the future.
(that sure was wrong), but he had OS2 networked to Win 3.11and did the
same thing to my computers. It worked, I used to be able to transfer
files from computer to computer and do other stuff, but that method was
pretty slow transfer rate. Of course those old 386 and 486 computers
were slow too. One may have been a 286 too....
Click to expand...

Casey:

The router's serial port *does* connect to an external dial up modem.
That is how I had it running for a few years. I was mistaken that it
only went to 10 Meg it will do 10/100 Meg on the LAN (switch) side.

If you go to this web site:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzewo5xp/

and click on the "Contact" link at the bottom of the page you will see
my email address. Send me an email and I we can work out shipping. I
am located In Pittsburgh PA USA and estimate the shipping weight at 2
- 3 pounds most of which is the power supply.


John Dulak


--
\\\||///
------------------o000----(o)(o)----000o----------------
----------------------------()--------------------------
'' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. ''

John Dulak - 40.4888ºN,79.899ºW - http://tinyurl.com/3lvoh2n
 
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