networking windows ME computer and windows XP computer

Trying to setup a home network, and don't know the first
thing about it! Any help appreciated.

Current computer, in my roommate's bedroom, running
Windows ME with high-speed cable internet and printer.

I just got a computer, running Windows XP Professional (my
bedroom). I want to network the two computers together so
I can access internet/printer without having to have my
own separate account/connections. I called my ISP (ATTBI,
now Comcast) and got it set-up on their end so we now have
two different IP addresses available so I can have two
network connections.

I don't know the best way to connect the computers
together without having wires running all throughout the
apartment. Our bedrooms are on opposite ends of the
apartment. The two options (that I know of) are wired and
wireless. I don't know if wirless will work since two
computers are not in that close of proximity to each
other? if the connection speed will be slower because of
wireless? of if I will have problems with losing the
connection all of the time. Also, even if it is wireless,
don't you still have to have the two computers wired into
the central transmitter somehow?

The second, wired, option is good except I don't know how
to do it without having cable running through the house.
I know there is some sort of a phone-line adapter that you
can get which allows you to plug two computers into
different wall jacks and network that way. But, once
again, I know absolutely NOTHING about that, what
equipment I would need, etc.

Finally, don't know what types of
hardware/software/additional equipment I need in order to
make this all work? Is having one computer with Windows
XP and the other with Windows ME going to cause problems?

In the end, with all of the additional equipment I may to
buy, install, etc., it may be cheaper just to get a
completely separate cable internet connection installed.

I want the easiest and cheapest solution, with giving up
the least amount of internet connection reliability or
internet connection speed.

http://www.wown.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

--
Richard G. Harper (MVP Win9x) (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies to the newsgroup so all may
* benefit from the discussion. Private mail is usually not replied to.
Help US help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Korey Ham" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:7eab01c344e7$46eb8480$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Trying to setup a home network, and don't know the first
> thing about it! Any help appreciated.
>
> Current computer, in my roommate's bedroom, running
> Windows ME with high-speed cable internet and printer.
>
> I just got a computer, running Windows XP Professional (my
> bedroom). I want to network the two computers together so
> I can access internet/printer without having to have my
> own separate account/connections. I called my ISP (ATTBI,
> now Comcast) and got it set-up on their end so we now have
> two different IP addresses available so I can have two
> network connections.
>
> I don't know the best way to connect the computers
> together without having wires running all throughout the
> apartment. Our bedrooms are on opposite ends of the
> apartment. The two options (that I know of) are wired and
> wireless. I don't know if wirless will work since two
> computers are not in that close of proximity to each
> other? if the connection speed will be slower because of
> wireless? of if I will have problems with losing the
> connection all of the time. Also, even if it is wireless,
> don't you still have to have the two computers wired into
> the central transmitter somehow?
>
> The second, wired, option is good except I don't know how
> to do it without having cable running through the house.
> I know there is some sort of a phone-line adapter that you
> can get which allows you to plug two computers into
> different wall jacks and network that way. But, once
> again, I know absolutely NOTHING about that, what
> equipment I would need, etc.
>
> Finally, don't know what types of
> hardware/software/additional equipment I need in order to
> make this all work? Is having one computer with Windows
> XP and the other with Windows ME going to cause problems?
>
> In the end, with all of the additional equipment I may to
> buy, install, etc., it may be cheaper just to get a
> completely separate cable internet connection installed.
>
> I want the easiest and cheapest solution, with giving up
> the least amount of internet connection reliability or
> internet connection speed.
>

In article <7eab01c344e7$46eb8480$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Korey Ham"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Trying to setup a home network, and don't know the first
>thing about it! Any help appreciated.
>
>Current computer, in my roommate's bedroom, running
>Windows ME with high-speed cable internet and printer.
>
>I just got a computer, running Windows XP Professional (my
>bedroom). I want to network the two computers together so
>I can access internet/printer without having to have my
>own separate account/connections. I called my ISP (ATTBI,
>now Comcast) and got it set-up on their end so we now have
>two different IP addresses available so I can have two
>network connections.
>
>I don't know the best way to connect the computers
>together without having wires running all throughout the
>apartment. Our bedrooms are on opposite ends of the
>apartment. The two options (that I know of) are wired and
>wireless. I don't know if wirless will work since two
>computers are not in that close of proximity to each
>other? if the connection speed will be slower because of
>wireless? of if I will have problems with losing the
>connection all of the time. Also, even if it is wireless,
>don't you still have to have the two computers wired into
>the central transmitter somehow?
>
>The second, wired, option is good except I don't know how
>to do it without having cable running through the house.
>I know there is some sort of a phone-line adapter that you
>can get which allows you to plug two computers into
>different wall jacks and network that way. But, once
>again, I know absolutely NOTHING about that, what
>equipment I would need, etc.
>
>Finally, don't know what types of
>hardware/software/additional equipment I need in order to
>make this all work? Is having one computer with Windows
>XP and the other with Windows ME going to cause problems?
>
>In the end, with all of the additional equipment I may to
>buy, install, etc., it may be cheaper just to get a
>completely separate cable internet connection installed.
>
>I want the easiest and cheapest solution, with giving up
>the least amount of internet connection reliability or
>internet connection speed.

I second Richard G. Harper's suggestion to do some reading on
networking web sites. The www.wown.com site is the most comprehensive
source of Windows networking information that I know of. I've written
several articles on www.practicallynetworked.com . Another good site,
run by the former proprietor of PracticallyNetworked, is
www.smallnetbuilder.com .

All versions of Windows can network with each other. Having ME and XP
is fine.

ATTBI didn't tell you about what's probably your best solution: using
a broadband router to share one IP address between both computers.
They want you to get two IP addresses and pay an extra monthly fee for
the second one.

A router would connect to the cable modem and to both computers. The
computer connections can be wired, wireless, phoneline, or powerline.
I've used all of those types in my own network and in networks that
I've installed for my consulting clients. Here are my observations
and opinions:

1. All of the connection types that I've listed are faster than the
fastest cable modem connection.

2. Wired Ethernet is the fastest, least expensive, and most reliable.
If you can run cables easily, it's usually the best choice.

3. Compared to wired, wireless is more convenient, more expensive, and
more trouble-prone. It should be usable within a range of 50-75 feet
in most buildings, depending on the number and composition of the
walls, floors, and ceilings that the signal goes through.

4. Phoneline networking has little to recommend it, and I wouldn't be
surprised if it dies out. It's the most trouble-prone of all those
types.

5. Powerline networking has had a bad history (slow, expensive,
unreliable) and is little known, but current models (no pun intended)
using the HomePlug 1.0 standard have been 100% reliable in my
experience.

If either of the computers is a laptop, wireless is by far the most
convenient type of networking. I'm writing this message on my laptop
computer while sitting on my front porch. My wife is in the basement,
surfing the web on her laptop. Our cable modem connection comes into
a room on the main floor.

If both computers are desktops, I'd seriously consider powerline
networking. For example, the Siemens SpeedStream 2510 is a powerline
DSL/cable router. One computer (in the same room) can connect to it
using wired Ethernet, and the other one (in a different room) can
connect to it using a powerline Ethernet bridge like the SpeedStream
2502 or Netgear XE102.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm