Newbie Q - 5 PCs on broadband

(Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)

I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The idea is to
connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection - without the need for a
specific one to be on for the others to connect. Firstly, is this ok?
Who/what would you suggest?

Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it not make a
difference?

Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect each PC
into?

If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be able
to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).

I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all I'd be
very grateful )

Laura

"Laura P" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cannd4$673$(E-Mail Removed)...
> (Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)
>
> I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The idea is
to
> connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection - without the need
for a
> specific one to be on for the others to connect. Firstly, is this ok?
> Who/what would you suggest?
>
> Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it not
make a
> difference?
>
> Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect
each PC
> into?
>
> If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be
able
> to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).
>
> I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all I'd
be
> very grateful )
>
> Laura
>
>

You need 1 x adsl ethernet router, 5 x network cards and 6 network cables
<patch type>

or you could go wireless.

If you want seperate IP's demon offer a buisness 2mb adsl package with 8 IP
address's connected to a BT supplied managed router, 5 of these IP's are
usable, connect each pc to this connection and give each pc its own fixed IP
address and bingo

Hope this helps

Ronny

"Laura P" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cannd4$673$(E-Mail Removed)...
> (Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)
>
> I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The idea is
to
> connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection - without the need
for a
> specific one to be on for the others to connect. Firstly, is this ok?
> Who/what would you suggest?
>
> Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it not
make a
> difference?
>
> Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect
each PC
> into?
>
> If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be
able
> to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).
>
> I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all I'd
be
> very grateful )
>
> Laura
>

Bearing in mind that 5 is an odd number when it comes to routers etc, here's
two courses of options:

1. Wired option. This is a bit awkward as you have 5 PCs, when the max ports
they usually give you on a router is 4. Probably easiest just to get a
4-port router and then buy a cheap 4-port hub and connect the two with a
crossover cable. Now just buy 5x ethernet cards and enough cables to wire it
all up. If you have ADSL broadband, make sure that you buy an ADSL router
with a built-in modem. If you have cable broadband, then just get a router
with a WAN port. The router will supply a manual to get you started, Netgear
and Linksys are popular makes.

2. Wireless option. Buy one wireless router (same thing for ADSL/cable as
above applies) and then 5x wireless cards. For internet sharing, 802.11b is
just fine and also much cheaper than the faster 11g standard.

...

As regards your security problem, you can just disable file sharing on the
network (on each client machine). I don't think the point made above about 5
seperate IPs addresses this issue as all machines are still on a LAN with
each other, unless each is put in a seperate DMZ.. (ignore, I'm rambling).

HTH




---
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On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 21:49:40 +0100, "Laura P"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be able
>to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).

if you don't install (or remove) "File and Printer sharing for
Miscrosfot Networks" from the connection on each machine there will be
no visibility. Just have TCP/IP and nowt else.

Phil

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
George Hewitt <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Laura P" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cannd4$673$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> (Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)
>>
>> I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The
>> idea is to connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection -
>> without the need for a specific one to be on for the others to
>> connect. Firstly, is this ok? Who/what would you suggest?
>>
>> Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it
>> not make a difference?
>>
>> Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then
>> connect each PC into?
>>
>> If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and
>> not be able to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if
>> possible).
>>
>> I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all
>> I'd be very grateful )
>>
>> Laura
>>
>
> Bearing in mind that 5 is an odd number when it comes to routers etc,
> here's two courses of options:
>
> 1. Wired option. This is a bit awkward as you have 5 PCs, when the
> max ports they usually give you on a router is 4. Probably easiest
> just to get a 4-port router and then buy a cheap 4-port hub and
> connect the two with a crossover cable. Now just buy 5x ethernet
> cards and enough cables to wire it all up. If you have ADSL
> broadband, make sure that you buy an ADSL router with a built-in
> modem. If you have cable broadband, then just get a router with a WAN
> port. The router will supply a manual to get you started, Netgear and
> Linksys are popular makes.
>
> 2. Wireless option. Buy one wireless router (same thing for
> ADSL/cable as above applies) and then 5x wireless cards. For internet
> sharing, 802.11b is just fine and also much cheaper than the faster
> 11g standard.
>
> ..
>
> As regards your security problem, you can just disable file sharing
> on the network (on each client machine). I don't think the point made
> above about 5 seperate IPs addresses this issue as all machines are
> still on a LAN with each other, unless each is put in a seperate
> DMZ.. (ignore, I'm rambling).
>
> HTH
>
>

As stated above, 5 PCs is too many for a 4-port wired router.

Are any of the PCs laptops which you may wish to use in different locations?
If so, a hybrid wired/wireless system would work well. Wireless routers
invariably have 4 ports to which wired devices can be connected in addition
to lots of wireless devices.

Some or all of your PCs may already have network cards (or a built-in
network port on the motherboard). Even if they don't, PCI network cards are
much cheaper than wireless cards. You could thus buy a wireless
router/modem/firewall and a single PCMCIA wireless card for the laptop - and
connect 4 PCs with wires and one wireless. [There are some good deals about
at the moment where a wireless PCMCIA card is bundled with a router, more or
less for free].

As others have said, if you disable File and Printer Sharing, your PCs won't
be able to see each other, but can still share the internet connection.
Actually, if you wanted to share printers but not files, you could still do
it. Before one PC can see another's files, you have to enable File and
Printer Sharing *and* the appropriate disk drive or directory (folder) has
to be declared as shareable. So if you want to share printers, you'll have
to enable File and Printer Sharing - but if you don't declare any
disks/directories as shareable, you'll still maintain privacy.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

In message <cannd4$673$(E-Mail Removed)>, Laura P
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>(Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)
>
>I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The idea is to
>connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection - without the need for a
>specific one to be on for the others to connect. Firstly, is this ok?
>Who/what would you suggest?

Five is a tricky number. There are lots of four port modem/router/switch
systems but you need one more port. Probably the simplest approach is to
buy a single port modem/router and a separate hub or switch.


>
>Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it not make a
>difference?

Take a look at adslguide http://www.adslguide.org.uk

>
>Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect each PC
>into?

You need a combined router and ADSL modem.

>
>If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be able
>to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).

It's up you how you connect them up. You can configure the individual
PCs any way you want. Unless someone chooses to share resources on a PC
the other systems won't be able to access them.

If you are setting up a system like this it might be a good idea to set
up another box as a file- and/or print-server. Each of the individual
workstations could access the server.




--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author. Will work for money.

Laura P wrote:

snip
> Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect each PC
> into?
>
> If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be able
> to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).
>
> I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all I'd be
> very grateful )
>
> Laura
>
>

Re privacy using TCP only is not a guarantee of privacy make printer and
file sharing is disabled on each pc and load a firewall such as Kerio
Personal which can block connections even from the local network.

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 21:08:24 +0000, Ron wrote:

>
> "Laura P" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cannd4$673$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> (Please forgive me if I've posted this in a wrong group...)
>>
>> I'm new to this networking lark, although not to broadband. The idea is
> to
>> connect 5 PCs in a house to one broadband connection - without the need
> for a
>> specific one to be on for the others to connect. Firstly, is this ok?
>> Who/what would you suggest?
>>
>> Is there a particular provider that you would recommend or would it not
> make a
>> difference?
>>
>> Am I right in thinking that we need a broadband router to then connect
> each PC
>> into?
>>
>> If so, would the PCs only be sharing the internet connection, and not be
> able
>> to 'see' each other? (We'd want 5 private PCs if possible).
>>
>> I'm sure I've left something out, but if you are able to help at all I'd
> be
>> very grateful )
>>
>> Laura
>>
>>
>
> You need 1 x adsl ethernet router, 5 x network cards and 6 network cables
> <patch type>

The problem is, most ADSL modem/router come either as 1-port or 4-port
version. The OP still need to get a hub or switch .. 8-port hub/switch I
guess is quite cheap nowadays.

> or you could go wireless.

Highly recommended!

Thanks for all the replies. It was for my boyfriend's shared house, so I
don't know too many of the details - he's on Windows XP home, but I'm not sure
about the others.

I think the house is going to go for a 4 port router (with the 5th staying on
dial-up as he's not at the house very often). They're going for the wireless
option. The replies have certainly helped with clearing up a few things so
it's appreciated!

Laura

On Fri, 18 Jun 2004 19:17:05 +0100, "Laura P"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> They're going for the wireless
>option.

wireless will carry 255 clients so the 4 port thing matters not.

Phil
--
spamcop.net address commissioned 18/06/04
Come on down !