bmxfelon420's networking guide

[bmxfelon420]

before you start:

Before you even make your network, think about what you are going to use it for. Where are the computers at? You need to look at things like how much cable to buy, how many ports in the switch you will need. It is also a good idea to buy about 5 feet more cable than you need, because if the ends happen to go bad than you will have extra to work with, and also to go around furniture. Also, think of how many computers you are going to hook together. Depending on how many you have, you will need a bigger switch. I dont think that hubs are very useful, they cause a lot of collisions. This could slow down your network. Also, check the speed of your parts. You are going to want cat5 or better cabling, and 10/100 nics and a 10/100 switch. Also, if you are going to share internet, than you have 2 options. You can either get 2 nics and bridge the connections, or get a multiport router. After you have planned out how you want your network to work, than it is time to order the stuff. Ebay is a good place to look, also check www.newegg.com and www.directron.com, also www.pricewatch.com will list some good hardware.

Getting your network put together

1. hooking computers together
So, you have a few computers, and you are looking to hook them together? Networking is a good way to get that done. There are many ways to do this, some of which i will outline here.

a: Crossover cable and 2 nics (With or without internet): Probably the best way to hook just 2 computers together. you need to get a crossover cable, which is a cable that has the transmit and recieve wires switched around, you can buy pre made ones or just make them. If you are going to have internet access, than the only way to do it with this method is to have another nic to hook to your cable/dsl modem and/or share your dialup connection. Either way, you have to bridge the 2 network adapters to get the connection to work, i dont really recommend the internet connection sharing wizard because i couldnt get it to work in my experience. Just right click, and in xp at least you have an option to bridge connections, and in 98, you may have to look it up. Anyways, Hook the two computers together, and check beside the socket for a small led or 2 to come on. If they dont, there are a few things that you can check in windows to see whats going on. If not, just skip the troubleshooting paragraph.

TROUBLESHOOTING
First go into device manager, and look at your network adapters. Make sure that your device is showing up, and if it doesnt have an exclamation point beside it or anything, click on it and click properties. Go into one of the tabs and their should be a 'Media Type" setting. Make sure its at auto detect, and check on both computers to make sure they are on autodetect. If they are both on auto, and they still dont work, than try the 100mbps full duplex setting. If that doesnt work, than i suggest either looking for driver updates, or you can always settle for half duplex or any of the 10mb modes. Either way, that should help you get it working. Also another problem could possibly be a bad cable. You can confirm this by trying another cable, or using a cable tester if you have access to one. If you bought a diy kit, check the order of the wires on the jacks, if its wrong, snip it off and redo it. If the cable is bad and you bought it at retail, i suggest taking it back, or trying it on 2 different computers. I have encountered a situation where my friends pc would not connect to mine with a crossover, but 2 patch cables and a hub worked fine. That is also something to consider. If you got it all working with your link lights and all, move on to the next paragraph.

SETTING UP WINDOWS FOR NETWORKING

Now if you are just hooking up 2 computers, than this hopefully will be easy. The procedures are similar if you are doing it for filesharing or for games. Anyways, here is the meat and potatoes :o

The first thing you are going to want to do is check if you have any protocols installed. If you are using internet, than you may have some extra protocols, which case most of the time i recommend leaving them alone. But here are the ones that you will need : TCP/IP (might have the name of your network adapter in this heading) Client for Microsoft Networks (If you are sharing files than you will need this) File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks (So you can share files and printers and stuff) After you have these protocols installed, than you will need to configure your ip addresses. To do this, go to network connections or network properties, click on tcp/ip and go to properties. I found that a good ip address to enter is 192.168.1.1 and up. For every different computer, you change the last number to 2, 3, 4, etc. The subnet mask will always be 255.255.255.0 You shouldnt have to mess with anything else in this tab, so then you can just click ok. Now, you can try to ping your 2 computers and see if you have them set up. Go into command prompt (run, command in win9X or cmd in winxp/2000) and type ping and then the ip address of another computer you set up. with any luck, it should say reply from..... 4 times. If not, than double check your connections, and your ip addresses and subnet masks. After you get your ping to work, than you can go into your game and start playing! Most games have a tcp/ip lan option, but if it is old and ghetto, go back to where you put the ip protocol in and install ipx/spx compatible protocol and then it should work. If you are trying to set up internet access, than you need to bridge the adapter from which your internet access comes from with the lan adapter. In windows xp, this can be accomplished by simply right clicking and putting bridge connections. Than, try to see if the computers on your lan will work for accessing internet. Just open your browser, and see if it opens a page. If it doesnt, here are some things you can try. First, put the lan ip of the computer that has the internet access already in as a gateway in network properties or network connections. Then if it still doesnt work after that, put the internet pc's ip as a proxy. Once you got that working, congrats, you have a 2 computer network Moving on.....

MULTI COMPUTER NETWORK

This will seem a lot shorter than the first section, but mostly because nearly all of the procedures in the first section apply to this section, so im only posting the differences here. The main differences are in the cable used. You will be needing Cat5 patch cables, and a switch. There is one port on the switch that you dont want to use, it is labeled upload. If you need to use this port, than whatever computer is on that port must have a crossover cable between it and the upload port. Also on some switches it has a trunk port, this is usually to connect like a server to a switch, router to peers, etc. So once you got the cabling straightened out, than it is basically the same as before, only with more computers.

ANOTHER MULTICOMPUTER SETUP

Seeing as sometimes getting a connection to properly bridge is a pain in the ***, i thought i would detail another method that i tried (unsuccessfully, read on). Anyways take the cable from your router, modem, whatever and hook it into a switch. Than hook your computers into it. Than address accordingly, like basically i just left my 192.168.1.2 of my computer the same, and just told everyone to use numbers after that. The purpose of this was to give everyone at my lan party internet access. But the internet would only work for me, anyone else and it would do nothing. Eventually i figured out that the subnet mask in my modem was stuck on 255.255.255.252. If you know your binary, than this only leaves you with 2 ip addresses in the network in this scenario. Those 2 addresses were also already in use by the router and my computer. You could change the other computer's subnet addresses to whatever you like and it would only recognize itself and 192.168.1.2. The worst part was that that setting in the modem was locked, so it is basically stuck that way. I need to get a router, if i were you i would make sure that your masks are straight before you attempt something like that. Anyways id figure id add that for some insight.

MAKING CABLES

Ok id figure id also add a quick rundown on how to make cables while im at it. First get a crimper. They usually have a wire cutter and stripper built in. Cut the cable off as straight as you can, this will help you later. Than strip off some insulation, you are trying to go for the length between where the small wires rest in the plug and where the jacket is getting crimped, here ill attempt some ascii art:

-----------------
|---------|
-------
<-------> how far to strip the jacket

Once you have the jacket stripped, you have to untwist the wires a bit and get them ready for insertion into the jack. I recommend only untwisting them as far as they need to be to fit into the jack, this will provide the best signal quality and speed. The order goes as follows:

PATCH (computer to switch or hub) read from left to right, looking at the flat side of the jack, not the little plastic nub side

white orange, orange, white green, blue, white blue, green, white brown, brown.

repeat this on both sides for this type of cable

CROSSOVER

One end is same as above, but the other end

white green, green, white orange, blue, white blue, orange, white brown, brown.

Once you have the order all set, make sure that all the small wires are the same length, cut them until they are and flat. Than orient the plug right, and insert the cable into it CAREFULLY. Once you have it in, make sure that the wire jacket is all the way against the inside, and check the order of your wires. Make sure that they are fit into the little grooves properly, and that they go all the way to the end of the inner plug. If you are sure that you have assembled it correctly, go ahead and insert the plug into the crimper, and clamp it down. Than test it. Hopefully, if you made it right, it works, otherwise, i would double check your ends and try again.

BUYING A ROUTER

If you need to buy a new router, you want to look for one that supports the kind of internet connection you have, and most importantly, has a switch built in. Also try to get one with a hardware firewall, and a menu to configure it.

UPDATE********

I noticed that a lot of the time, if you share a folder and the share cant be accessed, you should check your permissions and make sure Everyone (the group everyone, it will actually probably say everyone right in there) has full permission, if they dont, give them full permission. Also if there is a box that says "authenticate as guest when computer information is unavailable" id check that too. Than maybe you can get into your share. Sometimes it doesnt work, if it doesnt try logging out and logging back in, it helps once and awhile. This doesnt work about 15% of the time for reasons that i cant figure out. Ill experiment with it later. SP2 has the most success though, i havent had any problems as long as both computers run sp2.
Any comments or suggestions, or questions, pm me

[Cheaper=Better]

from the little networking experience i have, you want to start computers at 192.168.1.100-255 and save the lower ones for special computers like DMZ host and print server. If you do hook them up to a router it will use a protocal called DHCP to automatically assign IPs to networked computers (unless you do it yourself, but again, usually only for things like the DMZ and print server will this matter) so taht you don't have to. Also a router will asign internal IP addresses 192.168.1.xxx as opposed to the external IP address, so taht if someone trys to haxxor you, they will get the hardware firewall that's built into most routers they make these days.
another important thing to say is that routers are platform independant, so you can hook any sort of Windows, Linux, or even Mac (Eww) to it and it will work just fine.

[dygital]

Originally posted by Amazon_Shampoo
2nd for sticky. now all you nead to do is explain about the 543rule, tcp/ip pritacal, clision domanes, brocasting, and cut thrue swiching.... hold on i will right that out. aways gald to help.

cut through switching is if you can select it, on many consumer switches there is no management. I know for a fact the Cisco Catalyst 19xx switches you can select between cut-through, fragment-free, and store-and-forward.

I think most switches on the market today are fragment free, the ideal purpose of a switch.

[jumanji969]

Don't you have to also make sure netbios over tcp/ip is enabled?

[bmxfelon420]

actually no. As long as you have some sort of protocol enabled, whether it be tcp/ip or ipx, file and printer sharing will use it.

[dygital]

Originally Posted by bmxfelon420

actually no. As long as you have some sort of protocol enabled, whether it be tcp/ip or ipx, file and printer sharing will use it.

Windows File Sharing operates on NETBIOS, and TCPIP or NETBUI.

IPX wont work, unless you use a driver TCP-over-IPX type of thing.

[bmxfelon420]

thats what i meant, its usually enabled if you enable sharing and have ipx enabled.

[junkilo]

Originally Posted by dygital

I think most switches on the market today are fragment free, the ideal purpose of a switch.

actually its store and forward.

[ceegee]

Windows internet connection sharing works well, not that hard to configure.
Set up cable/dsl/modem and make sure that computer connects to internet
(give it an address of 192.168.0.whatever but not 192.168.0.1) use network properties and share that connection. XP will eventually come back saying it's finished.
you can have it make a disk but really no need. It will have changed your address to 192.168.0.1. On all others just enable DHCP (get address from network) and they will have address, DNS address and gateway address no hassles. i you want to set up one to always have same address (static) then give it a higher address say 192.168.0.150 and set mask to 255.255.255.0, dns server is 192.168.0.1 and gateway is 192.168.0.1.
Make sure all are in same workgroup. and there you go internet for everyone. by the way this also works if you are running wireless in adhoc mode (no router) just be sure to turn off sharing or password protect each share if wireless (firewalls on each pc also good idea if wireless).

[imagefx]

Just to clarify on the "Making Cables" part.....there is the 568a standard and the 568b standard. Both can work on the same network together, but the difference is this:

568a:
Green/White
Green
Orange/White
Blue
Blue/White
Orange
Brown/White
Brown

568b:
Orange/White
Orange
Green/White
Blue
Blue/White
Green
Brown/White
Brown

Note: One good thing to remember is it always goes color/White, Color, Color/White, Color, etc for both standards.

[bmxfelon420]

yeah, i usually find it best to adhere to one way for all of the cables you make, to avoid confusion and make it easier to differentiate cables that you make.

[SaFrOuT]

for connecting a 2 switches should i use CROSSOVER or patch ?

[dnorf87]

i dont see anything on wireless...and file sharing through wireless.

that would be sweet. i cant figure it out.

[gsferrari]

Originally Posted by SaFrOuT

for connecting a 2 switches should i use CROSSOVER or patch ?

As a general rule - crossover between identical devices, straight between non-identical devices.

If you have VLANs on your switches - and want to communicate with the same VLANS on another switch - use a trunk link.

[SaFrOuT]

although it is too late but i would like to know more about what is meant by VLAN and what is trunk link ?

thanks in advance

[gsferrari]

VLAN = Virtual Local Area Network

You have a LAN...if you want to segment it you need to use a router (traditional way).

What if you had several segments. Example: large companies have marketing, accounting, sales, research...etc. departments. They want separate networks for each department (very common). Each segment will have it's own servers, printers, users, IP phones etc. Segments shouldnt overlap.

If you have several segments - you will need several routers. Routers are expensive.


Segment - one section of the LAN that is logically inaccessible from another section. Each segment is a different IP subnet. Each segment is a separate VLAN.


What is done now is - we use switches and create "logical" network segments called VLANs. You can have multiple VLANs on a single switch in one room. The same VLANs on a switch in another room or another floor within the same building, In another building or in another country

No matter where you are within the organization - if you belong to a VLAN and if you are on the company network - you will have access to all resources of that VLAN...and you can communicate with all devices and users on that VLAN.

VLANs are manually assigned to switchports in some cases. In other cases they are "dynamically" assigned based on your MAC address and other authentication criteria. Basically - that port of the switch will belong to a particular VLAN.

Now - when you have a switch in NYC with VLAN 20, 30 and 40. And another switch in Boston with VLAN 20, 30 and 50 - what will you do in this case? Users in VLAN 20 in Boston SHOULD be able to communicate with users in the same VLAN in NYC.

In this case - we connect the switches with a TRUNK link. A trunk link allows transmission of data from multiple VLANs in and out of a single physical interface on the switch.

Think about it...ports on the switch are assigned to a certain VLAN. I may have 5 ports in VLAN 5, another 10 in VLAN 20... NO MATTER WHAT - one port can only belong to one VLAN.

The Trunk port is a switch port but it is unique because it allows data from all the VLANs to pass through it. The data still cannot mix though...once it reaches the other end it is again sent to the same VLAN from where the data originated.

Does that make sense?

[SaFrOuT]

WOW

thanks very much

it is very clear now and thank God i only have 2 computers on my home LAN and i don't need to figure out how to build a VLAN . LOL

really thanks again

[gsferrari]

Originally Posted by SaFrOuT

WOW

thanks very much

it is very clear now and thank God i only have 2 computers on my home LAN and i don't need to figure out how to build a VLAN . LOL

really thanks again

It is very easy really...but you definitely dont want to do it unless you have a lot of hosts, departments, network resources etc. that need to be shared according to a certain company policy.

[lozootmaniac]

http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/200...-your-own.html

Great Graphical on making a cross-patch cable(crossover cable). Figured it would help.