flatoutscooby

Looking to network 2 pc's at home so they can both share outlook, broadband and printers etc. Already have a basic Dell desktop with network card. Is it fairly easy to do and do I need to buy a fairly high powered machine to run this, any help much appreciated

Luke

MJW

You need a router, like this one :

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGT624.php

flatoutscooby

thanks but I want to network the two computers and they will always be switched on so surely a router would be pointless

Hashashin

What MJW says is correct, and you will have the best of both worlds. i.e. wireless and hard wired.
At the back of the router you have 5 network ports which use cat 5 patch cables.
These connect to both pc's network cards.
This will create a 100mb LAN for your file and printers sharing.
Plug the router into your broadband line and it will assign ip addresses to both your computers which in turn have access to the internet and email.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

The easiest way to connect them, is to put a network card in each and use a crossover ethernet cable to connect the NICs. Then you will have to set up internet connection sharing on the two machines, which a pain, but not as bad as it was under Windows 98... The good bit is that it's cheap, the bad bit is that yes, the machine with the internet connection MUST be on for either machine to have net access. And if your net access comes via an ethernet cabel then you need two NICs in that machine which is trouble on a stick. And obviously the two machines will need to be connected by a cable - easy if they're both in one room, but a pain otherwise.

The modem/router option is more expensive, but better in every respect: much more secure, more versatile if it's a wireless, easy to add more computers, etc. Unless money really is tight I'd advise this route every time.


M

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I have 7 pcs (sad I know), most networked, bought all the kit of Ebay, Dlink, all worked from a seller called digital dave who is very good,cost less than 60 quid to get set up (on was already fitted with a wired nic), internet connection sharing is a pain, just get a broadband router and whatever cards you fancy, it gives you expansion possibilites like adding in Xbox's and stuff.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

That means my four must make me only slightly sad...


M

flatoutscooby

Router it is then thanks for your help everyone. With the 2 pc's linked via network cards can i view my emails in Outlook from both locations in the house?


Luke

lightning101

If you have less than 3 pcs, you are obviously homosexual

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Yes, but it may mean some work. You'll need to locate where Windows stores them on the original machine, then tell the second machine to look there. However, it's not a question of "browse", you have to make that location the permanent setting. I do this slightly differently: I copy the files to a new directory ("E-mails") on a D:\ drive, then point any computers that need to see them to that.

But a security worry: this means that ALL the computers that can see the e-mails must have the highest level of security.


M