2 PC's on ADSL ?

[Kev_UK]

I have been on ADSL for 5 years now, my pc uses a usb Alcatel Speedtouch modem. My mother has given me her old pc which is a mere Intel 100MHz cpu (a dinosaur) but I will fit my old Intel pentium 233MHz MMx motherboard and cpu inside, along with the 96mb memory it has. The motherboard is USB enabled, and Ive fitted 2 USB sockets. I used to run this pc with AOL, MSN, ICQ, YAHOO messengers AND a webcam... so it will be adequate for just text chat and occasional webcam use.

If I get another ADSL modem, and plug it into an extension phone socket using a adsl spitter/microfilter, will I be able to have BOTH pc's online at the same time?

If not what will be the cheapest alternative?

 

Thanks in advance.. Kev

[Closer]

It won't work. If you have a network port on both PC's you can use a crossover cable to link them together and use internet connection sharing on your main PC to allow the second PC to use the ADSL connection. Alternatively you will need a router (probably a modem router since your modem is USB at the moment) which will allow both PC's to use the ADSL line independently at the same time.

[j2buttonsw]

I would get network cards for both computers, link them together with a cross-over cable then use internet connection sharing on the PC that is currently connected to the modem. It is by far the cheapest option. The problem is that the PC connected to the modem has to be on if the second computer wants to connect to the internet. An alternative would be to buy a BT ADSL compatible router and network the two computers through this. Both PCs would access the internet via the router so they are completely independent of each other. You can go one better and put wireless PCI cards in each computer and buy a wireless BT ADSL compatible router so you can link up without unsightly wires. You cannot have two modems sharing 1 ADSL line.

[stevie21]

I was faced with this same problem recently. As mentioned, my choice was either to have one PC on constantly and any others getting their internet connection via that one or get a router & network cards.

I opted for the latter. It wasn't as expensive as I'd expected and the router acts as an extra level of security. Setting up the router also wasn't as complicated as I feared - I can use p2p networks as freely as ever. Some people have trouble with this if they don't have the settings right.

Why not do all your chatting and webcamming through the same computer that you already use? Do you *need* 2 PC's online simultaneously?

[Kev_UK]

Thanks for all the replies. I will look into your suggestions.

 

Stevie21, the reason I need 2 pc's up and running online is because at the moment I have to share it with the wife, and you know how women are when they get chatting LOL !!!

[stevie21]

Cool - I was just checking to see if it was necessary or just a luxury you wanted to mess around with. I always find myself wanting a "new toy" to play with. I've come close to buying lots of things that I have no real need for like a DVD burner, new motherboard & processor, expensive mobile, iPod clone...

The list goes on.

If you go down the router option then I use this and find it very easy to use:
http://tinyurl.com/6j4av
That same page has some great instructions too.