What are my options for connecting another computer to my USR9003...at distance?

[FruitChute]

I have a laptop in another room which requires internet access via my F2S account.

The room it's in is....10 yardsish away from this room where the router is.

I would like to avoid going wireless. Unless it's like unbelievably the best option by far.

My caveman-like thinking (cos I know nothing about networking at all) on this problem came up with the genius idea of running an ethernet cable from the laptop (up through the loft etc) down, into this room and to the rooters other ethernet port.

OR Another equally genius/stupid idea...buy another rooter for the laptop in the other room.

Before somebody says "1. Pick up the laptop, 2. Walk to the room with the router" etc.....the laptop needs to stay in the other room.

My huge ethernet cable idea seems stupid because....I don't know. Do they make ethernet cables that long? Are they supposed to be used like that?

My buy another rooter idea seems wastefull.

Any help is appreciated.

[petevick]

Idea one is the best/cheapest, and not such a stupid idea either. I don't think 10 yds is too long for an ethernet cable, not too sure what the max is tho. You can get a cable made up to any length you want, but don't forget to put some tape around the plug so that it doesn't snag on anything when you are routing it.

[mikeuk]

I think 100 mt's is the longest recommended run for twisted pair

[John R]

Got a 10M cable in use here for sprogs puter. Bought it from local fair for around £5.
If rooms are next ot each other why bother going up and over just drill through the wall and run cable on skirting board...NOT under the carpet....

[kmount]

100m is the "recommended" max without repeaters.

I agree with the idea of drilling through the wall rather than loft bound but if thats how its gotta be then thats how its gotta be. Do not buy another router (the idea will not work).

[FruitChute]

Thanks for the replies people.

The loft root is the easiest way to go for me. The rooms aren't side by side. One room is on one side of the stairs, upstairs and the other room on the other side.

By sending the cable out of this room through the loft and down into the other room the cable is going over the landing/stairs area. Sending it around, under, over skirting boards/carpet to navigate the stairs would be a nightmare.

Chaz....the idea of buying another router wouldn't work because? My guess would be that you're not allowed to run two routers on your ADSL enabled line? Or that two routers wouldn't work simultaneously?

Holes in the cieling in both rooms are already in place because of a standard phone line that used to go that way.

So it looks like I just need to obtain a long ethernet cable. I can't see it needing over 20 meters. Definitely no more than 30. I will measure the route with string, that will be fun.

Oh yeah...when I first got ADSL from F2S and connected my router it wouldn't work. It took tech support a while to figure out why but it was because I wasn't using the ethernet cable supplied with the router. I used the one I got with my computer. It fit perfectly into the routers ethernet socket and to my computer. It showed that it was connected with the ethernet port light on the router.

But it wouldn't work in a transfering data sense.

My thinking is there are different kinds of ethernet cable? Can I end up buying the wrong one for this over the loft solution?

Thanks again for your time.

[kmount]

Yes, in this situation there are essentially two types. Cat5 and Cat5e. Regardless of which one used ... the ethernet port light would have lit up ... data just wouldnt have been able to be processed.

If your connecting directly between two computers you use the Cat5e (twisted, crossed) for tx + rx

If your connecting from the router to a computer you use the normal Cat5 (not crossed) for tx + rx.

With regard to the two routers idea ... Only one device can use the telephone line at once (IE, one router would be on the line and the other ... well ... wouldnt be able to do anything). -- By adding another router your increasing the costs without just reason.

If your connecting the laptop to the router you want a long length of normal cat5 cable (NOT cat5e)...

[Matt]

Cat5 and Cat5e are just different cable "catagory" - you can have cross-over and straight-through 5e no problem. There is Cat6 and Cat7 also, but unless you plan to be running a 1Gbps(i.e. 1000Mbps) network soon, you may as well stick to Cat5. There is some more information about network cables here: http://discountcablesusa.com/ethernet-cables.html

Maximum length of cable depends on several things. In theory, the maximum for 10Mbps is 2.5Kilometres, 100Mbps is about 250metres and 1Gbps about 15-30metres. Various other technical factors will affect this but I wont bore you guys with the details. 10Mbps will be more than enough for sharing ADSL and moving some files around the network (typical ADSL is 0.5Mbps).

Network cable is pretty tough stuff. My house is networked with cable running up the outide of our house for about 6 metres (although sheltered behind a drain pipe) and its fine - there is about 40 metres in total as it leaves the house in the room next to the master socket, goes up the side of the house and then into the loft where it snakes around a lot.

As Chaz said, second router is not going to work - they wont work at the same time (just like you cant make a telephone call while someone else is taking on the phone)

[stevie21]

Excuse my blind ignorance in all things networking related but I'm hoping to connect 3 PCs to my f2s account so obviously need a router. That's as far as my knowledge goes really - is it really easy to do this?

I don't want to share files from my PC with the others so am I right in thinking this is a software issue : that I just instruct my PC not to share any files/folders/drives?

The trickiest bit is that I run a DC++ hub from my machine (I host this p2p hub rather than just connect to it) and for others to be able to join it, my IP address has to be visible to the outside world. When my IP addy changes I have to go to a website to update it or the "hub" doesn't work. At the moment, anyone in the hub who is behind a router generally say that they can only connect in "passive mode" which is a little restricting.

If I'm behind a router, will this mean that this file sharing hub will cease to work?
If it's important that this "hub" is on, what alternatives are there if the router stops me? Buying more IP addresses? Is it really obvious I have no clue what I'm talking about now? haha

Stevie.

[John R]

Couple of options on the router side if you only get a single port on then you need a hub/switch (recomend switch) to connect all 3 machines. Better off getting a 4 port one really.
If you dont want to share the drives on diffrent PC's thats a windows issue and easily solved in windows itself (in fact default is shareing turned OFF).
On the DC++ issue i guess this must run on a port or ports so you could forward this port just to your PC to allow it to work. Need more info on just how this DC++ works really..

[stevie21]

Couple of options on the router side if you only get a single port on then you need a hub/switch (recomend switch) to connect all 3 machines. Better off getting a 4 port one really.

I don't even understand what this means! haha.
"If I only get a single port on" ? I don't understand - can someone explain in amazingly simple language?

Is a hub/switch different from a router? I'm stretching my knowledge to realise that whatever I buy needs space for at least 3 PC inputs.

Lastly - I don't really know much about how any programs work - not in the technical level that might be required to get round a firewall so I can't offer up any insights into DC++. Maybe I should post on a DC++ forum and see if anyone else is in the same position as I am.

Ta in advance for any ideas.

Stevie

[John R]

Originally Posted by stevie21

I don't even understand what this means! haha.
"If I only get a single port on" ? I don't understand - can someone explain in amazingly simple language?

Is a hub/switch different from a router? I'm stretching my knowledge to realise that whatever I buy needs space for at least 3 PC inputs.
Ta in advance for any ideas.

Stevie

SIngle port router will only allow you to connect one computer to it, unless you use a hub or switch which has more connection ports on it.

For a 4 port Router look here

I would recomend you get a 4 port modem/router for ease of connection you can always add a switch/hub at a later date is you require more connections.

These links are in no way a recomedation of good products mearly pointing out what is what for you.
For a good company to talk to i would say Solwise they do a good range of products, know what they are talking about and have a support forum. Maybe not the cheapest around but they are good.

[stevie21]

My basic solution is to buy a router which I can connect 3 PCs to. I'm assuming I'm right in saying that I'l need network cards for each of these 3 PCs and some lengths of ethernet cables? I don't currently have a network card in my PC.

The technical/ideal bit of the solution is that 2 PCs (and the phone socket) are at one end of the house and mine is at the other so does anyone know of a router (possibly with built in modem - I've been told elsewhere that this may be required to replace the BT Voyager 105 that I have) which I can plug 2 PCs into using ethernet cables but use mine with a wireless connection?

Does such a combo router exist?
I'll ask the same type of questions of solwise but I thought I'd ask here just in case someone currently uses such a router and finds it reliable.

Again, ta in advance.

Stevie.

[John R]

Yep network cards for all Pc's. Cheap enough £5 at most. Cables could be around the same. Visit a local computer fair for stuff like this much cheaper.
I would dump the BT voyager (keep as back up) and get a new combined adsl modem/router this will get you away from usb and onto a ethernet connection, much better. I think most wireless routers allow hard wired connections as well.