step by step help on connecting 2 puters

[msweeble]

I just got cable modem about a month agao. I have it in the one upstairs and want to connect the one downstairs to it. I have two 3com eathernet cards, cable, and a hub but need instructions on the exact order on how to do it if someone could take the time and help I would greatly appreciate it. I know it probably is easy but I am 51 and the husband is 60 so need simple instructions step by step. I do have the drivers for the 3com's but don't know when to use them. Please feel free to e-mail me with the help. I know the two cards need to go into each computer but then am sort of lost. I have read different pages of information but am confused.
Thanks
msweeble
plp@mtco.com

[Just Mark]

Two good sights to check out would be:
http://www.sohointer.net/
http://www.timhiggins.com/

There is a lot of information here to absorb and it might be a good idea to find someone where you live with a little PC knowledge to help you set this up.

The good folks here will be glad to help you. What kind of interface do you have to your cable right now? Who is your service provider? Can you buy additional IP addresses? Do you already have an ethernet card in the PC that is currently set up for cable? Do you have free PCI slots in you computer?

And why does being 51 make it more difficult than say 21. We all learn by reading all these great sights on the Web, talking to others that have been there before us and doing it ourselves. The best learning experiences that I have ever had on my PC was when I totally screwed it up. You can always recover from any errors on a PC. The more dificult the fix the more you learn.

[msweeble]

Thanks Mark. I will try the two pages you have listed. I know it can't be as hard as I am making it out to be. I am not sure what interface means but I have a Surfboard cable modem and am with Mediacom. I can either buy another address or the guy I was talking to today thought I could have up to 3 e-mail accounts. It is ISPChannel out of California. Yes I do already have an ethernet card in my PC and do have free PCI slots in both computers. They put the ethernet card in my computer when they brought the cable modem. I will visit those sites and see what I can find.
Thank you!

[msweeble]

I forgot but I have a Kingston Networking Adapter in the CPU. Also have a Linksys 10/100 auto sensing 5 Port Workgroup Hub and three 3-com fast etherlink PCI cards. Am ready to go when I figure out what goes where. Cable is even in place.
msweeble

[Just Mark]

Simplest thing to do is to get a second IP address from you ISP and then connect the cable modem to the uplink port of the Hub and then commect your currently set up PC to one of the hub ports. At this point you chould be able to go online still with the currently configured PC.

On the new PC you must install the ethernet card in one of the PCI slots. This is not hard. Unplug the PC and open the case. Find an empty PCI slot and insert the card firmly. plug the PC in and install the driver. Use the find new hardware function of Windows 98 (I assume you are using windows 98). The best way to do this would be to create a folder called DRIVERS and unzip the most recent driver files in this folder prior to starting the install. when you power up the PC after installing the new ethernet card (aka interface card or NIC) it should detect the new hardware and ask you some questions. You will tell it to look in the DRIVERS folder for the drivers that will be installed.

Make sure that you go to the 3com web sight and get the most recent drivers for your NIC. Be sure that you get the drivers for your particular NIC (look at the part number on the box).

Another Mediacom customer can tell you exactly what you need to do to get the NIC up with Mediacomm.

On the computer that is currently connected go to:

START
SETTINGS
CONTROL PANEL
NETWORK
IDENTIFICATION

Look at your computer name and work group. Your new computer will have the same workgroup and a different computer name. The computer name will probably be given to you by the cable company. The domain will be given to you by the cable company.

Next click on TCP/IP - associated with your NIC. Look at every tab and write down the settings.

If you have obtain IP address automatically checked then the only thing that will be different between the 2 will be on the DNS settings. HOST will be different. It will be assigned by the cable company.

IF you have an IP entered then the IPs will be different and the HOST will be different.

Take a look at your TCP/IP properties for your current computer and give them to me here. Also pass what is under your Identification tab. If you have an IP address entered DON'T post the last 3 digits just put xxx. And don't post your real computer name or host name (put an x for the last charactor). (This is for your protection)

I hope this helps.

[msweeble]

You have helped a lot. When do I put the other card into the older computer? Do I put it in the same time as the new computer? I probably won't get to do anything till Tuesday. I work second shift. I have today off but work the next three. We are both home on Tuesday. He works days and I work nights. Printed out what you said so I won't lose it. (I hope) Will go look for new drivers to get ready.
Thanks
msweeble

[Just Mark]

You already have a card in the old computer. You will not need to do anything to it. Just use a cable to connect it to the hub instead of the modem.

Don't forget to contact your cable company and get another IP prior to starting this.

[msweeble]

Right now the only eathernet card I have is in the new computer that the cable company put in when they brought the modem out. So I think I need to put another one in the new computer and also the old computer I want to hook to the cable modem. Right?? I know I am being a bother and the husband is yelling at me to come to bed. I will call and get the IP before we start. I went looking for new drivers for the 3Com cards and will download them tomorrow before work. I wish the cable company techs would just come out and do this for me but I asked and they said they couldn't. I will look for your answer when I get up in the morning. Seventeen minutes and it will be Saturday. Good night!!
msweeble

[Just Mark]

IF you get another IP from your cable company, you will need only 1 ethernet card in each computer. each computer will connect to the Hub and the hub will connect to the modem. Each computer will access the modem through the hub. You will not have to do anything to the computer that you have currently on the internet except move the cable going to the modem to the hub.

[msweeble]

That sounds easy enough since we have the hub and cable. Tuesday when I am off I will call for another IP from them. So that means I won't even have to install the drivers for the card we are putting in Robert's computer. This is sounding easier then having to install another card in mine and one in his.
Thanks
msweeble

[msweeble]

We are not up and running just yet. The older computer's main hard drive crashed and I was tired of fixing it or sending for a new one so we bought a new Gateway. Just got it yesterday and have been putting his programs back on it. I did call and get an e-mail address for it and was told I just need to put an ethernet card in that one because the one with the cable modem has one in it already. Just need to put the card in his and connect the cable to it and then connect the cable to the hub and (this is where I am a little confused) hook one of the three cables on the back of the modem to the hub. They said that is all I need to do. Does it sound right to you?? Sounds almost to easy. After installing the ethernet card in his I have to put the drivers on for that card. Sounds to easy and that scares me. Got any thoughts on it??
msweeble
He told me I didn't need another IP address, just another e-mail address.

[Just Mark]

Three cables is correct. One to the modem and one to each computer. The IP address may not be required if they do DHCP. Hook it up and give it a try.

Can you tell me what your settings are on the existing computer under NETWORK? Look at my above post to see how to get there and what settings to look for.

Congrats on the new computer.

[Just Mark]

Hey msweeble,

Did you ever get up and running??