WHAT WE WANT: Internet sharing between two PCs.
Apr 27 '01
The Bottom Line It can't be any harder to do, but I think my steps will help. You will get files and a internet connection shared. And looking back, it seems easy-as-ever-now!
Ok, before I start, this is my setup;
I had a lovely powerful PC, running Windows Me, and decided that one PC is not enough, there are ques to get on it, as our family is internet mad. So I decided to build another PC with my dad, (we built our other pc too). The new PC would be almost identical to the main one we had to start with, as all the components are very cheap from where I get them. The two PCs would be networked together for internet sharing. Little did I know it would be the hardest and longest problem I have ever encountered. And so, this is why I started this epinion, to show any one else who hasn't a cat in hells chance of getting it right like I finally did. The whole concept is quite easy, once you know what you are doing, I had to use web resources and found plenty of help, and thought I'd pass on my new found knowledge to help others in this situation. In fact the main problems I had was with the blasted software. Every problem is due to software, drivers fighting against each other causing big time consuming problems. But in the end it was well worth it.
Might I remind you this is only for Windows user only.
So, say you have two PCs, what do you need to get them to:
a) share an internet connection and
b) share file and folders
Firstly you need two network cards, I got mine for £10/ $14 each (cheap mind), those should be marked 10/100Mb/s or similar (this simply states the speed, it either 10 megabytes a second or 100 mega bits a second, those are two different file sizes, and is fast enough to send, say an mp3, in less than a second!). Those cards will need a crossover cable (you would only need a hub if you wanted more PCs connected) these are as much as the cards, I got a 20m cable for £10. So the price won’t reach more than £50. Each card will come with a disc of some sort, probably a floppy disc, these need installing once you have installed the cards inside your PC (check out some advice on how to install a card on epinions).
After both cards are installed, now comes the slippery bit.
The OS (operating system, i.e., Windows) will need configuring to accept another computer. If your using Windows Me, I’d advise using System restore as it may get hairy if you have an accident, though I don’t see any major problems occurring. And I would not recommend using the Home Networking Wizard which comes with Me, it never worked for me, and even stopped my current internet connection! – You can try it if you use Sys restore.
Now you should read the following passage carefully!
The ‘HOST’ PC is the one with the internet connection, and the ‘CLIENT’ PC is the one your trying to connect to the HOST PC. You will need to set up each computer individually.
First things first, each computer needs a workgroup name, and Identification, use any workgroup name (like family or something easy to remember, default setting – MSHOME will be fine), and identify the host and client pc with specific names like PC1 and PC2 (like me!). To change the ID and workgroup name on each PC, go into Network, either on the desktop (by right clicking on Network Neighbourhood, then on properties) or in the control panel clicking on Network. Once you are in the Network panel, click on the ‘identification’ tab at the top, now enter the desired workgroup and id you chose. Now both PCs will have a name and will be able to communicate to each other once you complete the next stage.
I’d recommend a restart now.
Next enter the Network Panel again, this time, click on the ‘File & Printer Sharing’ button, a panel should appear, check that each of the two tick boxes are ticked, then click ok. Next you need to add some protocols. Look in the window above, here you must add the following protocols:
IPX/SPX compatible protocol
NETBUEI
TCP/IP
Now is a good time to click ok, and restart.
Next gets yourself back in the Network panel, yep were not finished yet.
You need to assign an IP address and subnet mask address for each computer. First, scroll down in the window to TCP/IP, now there should be a number of TCPs, but highlight the one which has your network cards name on the end. Then click properties. If you get to this properties box in both PC you can continue.
Now follow carefully:
HOST PC
Look in the panel, at the bottom it should say Obtain an IP address automatically, you don’t want this so click on ‘Specify an IP address’. The below form should light up, enter the IP address as follows:
IP: 192.168.1.1
And enter a subnet mask as follows:
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Next, click on the advanced tab above, in here look at the very bottom, there should be a tick box with set this protocol to default, check its ticked.
Click ok and restart.
CLIENT PC
Look in the panel, at the bottom it should say Obtain an IP address automatically, you don’t want this so click on ‘Specify an IP address’. The below form should light up, enter the IP address as follows:
IP: 192.168.1.2
And enter a subnet mask as follows:
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Next, click on the advanced tab above, in here look at the very bottom, there should be a tick box with set this protocol to default, check its ticked.
Click ok and restart.
Right that’s almost it.
CLIENT PC: Next enter the Internet panel from the control panel, in here click on the connection tab, then click on LAN Settings. Then tick the ‘use proxy server’ box (the proxy server will be you host pc, like a gateway to the internet) now enter the first PCs IP address: 192.168.1.1 – and type in port number – 80. You don’t want that bypass proxy server ticky box ticked either!
Now in the internet panel again get into the connections bit again, and click on Setup button at the top, this will enable Internet sharing. A new panel should pop up, this will offer two options, you want a LAN connection, next page, you want the ‘Manual Proxy…’ box ticked, click next. On the next page, click the ‘Use the same proxy server for all…’ and type in the IP address and port 80 at the top, and use the ‘.’ Again as in 192.168.1.1
Click next, and click on ‘No, I don’t want to set up a new internet account’ box, and click on finish.
Right I think that’s about it. Phew! From all that the internet should be shared and you should have access to files and folders.
To gain access to file and folders both PCs must be on, and you should, go into ‘Network Neighbourhood’, entire network, and MSHOME, or whatever your workgroup name is. In there, there should be two PCs shown. To share the files, click on ‘My Computer’ icon on the desktop, and on each drive, right click and select share, from here click on the full tick box at the bottom of the pop up panel. DO that for each drive on each PC, to get a new drive in my computer after your CD-ROM or other drives.
I hope this helped, but I know there are better software’s that do it for you but if you want to save cash, this is the only and best way to do it on the cheap that I know of. And has worked from the day it began working for me. If you experience any problems with this system, leave a comment and I’ll respond soon.
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MichaelHatton
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