Networking?

[louise jones]

I have two home computers - one is connected to blueyonder broadband. The other one is my daughter's who wants internet access - do we need to get them networked or do we need a wireless modem? Can someone please help and explain to me.

[OBonio]

The best way would be to network them with a wireless network. For this you will need wireless network cards for yout computers, and an ADSL wireless router/firewall.

http://www.netgear.co.uk/wireless_network_home.php?type= h

[camioneur]

<DIV>If cables aren't a problem to you, all you need is an ethernet cable between the two, of course it depends how far apart they are but you can get very long ethernet cables. however as OBonio says, wireless would be by far the best

[Ethel]

I have the same sort of set up.

My desktop is hard wired to blueyonder's bb modem.

I bought a linksy router and connected that to the bb modem.

My laptop connects wirelessly to the router, but does not interact with the desktop pc.

However, the two cannot get internet access at the same time.
This is my choice.
I could connect the desktop to the router with a wi-fi card adaptor and then they could both use the internet at the same time and be networked together.

I found it very easy to do.

[qapmoc]

What you should do will depend a bit on how your system is now and how much you want to spend?

Whatever happens you will need to have both the PC's fitted with a network connection, the network connection can be network interface cards which are fitted into the PC's and connected via ethernet cable, or wireless network cards which are fitted into the PC's and don't need cable (obviously).

Then you have one of three main choices -
1. If you already have a broadband modem connected to a USB port, then you can link the two Pc's together (cabled or wireless) and setup windows internet connection sharing or a proxy server which does the same thing, this system will need the PC with the modem to be switched on for the second PC to get the internet.
2. If you already have a broadband router which connects with a cable to the PC via a network interface card then you just need to fit a network interface card to the second PC and connect it to one of the spare ports on the router. the PC's will access the internet as seperate units.
3. If you already have a broadband router which connects with a cable to the PC via a network interface card, you can remove it and buy a new wireless router and fit wireless network cards to both the PC's. the PC's will access the internet as seperate units.

The cost will be -
1. Pretty cheap
2. More expensive
3. Ouch!

[jennifer_cro]

If you want to use wired connections rather than wireless you can use your homes electricity cabling to create a network.

If your telewest router has more than one network port then simply buy 2 of these - http://www.homeplugs.co.uk/acatalog/HomePlugs.html