what is the best way (and the cheapest way) to link two computers up for shared Broadband internet access.!!!?

Question

the two computers will be 10meters apart in different rooms, out of the line of sight from each other...
the internet connection is cable and it is fed to the main computer and it is ended with an external modem...
question...
if one computer is slower than the other, will this slow down the other connection (access speed on one computer is slower because the computer's hard drives are full)

thank you

Michael

Thanks for the Wireless tip......will look into it.......i suppose the dearer the product the better reception i will get (the two rooms are at the end of a small corridor, but with brick walls, and reflective material in place between them..!!)

Michael

Answer 1

get a cheap router. If your connection is slowed down, It'll be barely noticeable.
check out network everywhere's cable/dsl router model NR041-WM
it's cheap and works great for what you need it for. It also protects your PC from security invasions. This router is super easy to set up and doesn't require any configuration!

No matter if your hard drive is full.
I spent about 50$.
I tried the crosssover cables, but the configuration process was a pain.

Answer 2

Hi Michael ,

I hoped I can anwser you as completely as possible, so , the information is a bit long. Pls bear with me.

Assuming that you ONLY want to link 2 computers
together and assuming that they are desktop computers with USB ports and PCI slots , then You have 2 choices

a) Wired connection b) Wireless connection

Each connection has its Pros and Cons .

For Choice a) , you will need :

2 ( NIC ) network cards

1 CROSSED RJ45 cable that is 10 metres long .

Method : You just insert and install the network cards into your computers, join the 2 computers together and they are now a peer to peer network .

Pros : Cheap . You can do this with less than $100 or $80 ( depending on how fast you want yr network cards to be ) .
Network cards : cheap , $20-30 + per card . 10 metres long RJ45 cable : also v cheap , depending whether you buy branded or just plain cables.

Cons: You will have wires running around your house and there is a danger of someone tripping over them, plus they will be ugly . If you want to run the cables along the walls , then you have to plan to buy extra length .

For Choice b) Wireless , you can have a number of configurations , each utilising different components with different costs .
I chose the cheapest configuration for you .

you will need :

1 wireless broadband router

1 wireless adaptor .

1 PCI to wireless adaptor

Setting up this is a bit more complicated , so I will skip it.

So, the Pros will be :

Its clean . You will not have any wires running around , no tripping . No ugliness .

No loss of bandwidth . Each computer gets the same share.

Higer bandwitdth than wired NIC cards .

Additional capacity, should you need to add a few more computers , no problem, just buy 1 USB wireless adaptor for each computer and you can plugged into the same network.

Cons : More expensive than the wired connection. at least $130 and above , depending on which brand you buy.

Danger of being "hijacked " or " hacked into " by other people . Though nowadays you can choose very strong encryption, which will stop that . Of course, that means additional costs.


If you are using cable broadband , your access speed is more likely to be affected by how many cable broadband users are accessing the web at the same time in your area, then yr other computer . If more broadband users are accessing at the same time, you will get slower access speed.

If 1 computer's Harddisk is full or nearly full ,it will not necessary mean a slower Computer Access EXPERIENCE. More importantly , it is your RAM , yr browser , yr CPU speed , yr Display card capbilities, yr network speed that will affect the access EXPERIENCE.

Your network (TCP/IP ) will always run at its prescribed speed , it always move information around at that speed from your modem. The possible slowness will happen after the information packets are passed on to your OS ( assuming it is windows ) for processing . Your windows are in turn affected by those hardware / software that I mentioned earlier . If they are of top performance , then you will have a good access experience .
Vice versa.

Rgds
Liewguy

Answer 3

The cheapest way will be to have two network cards in the computer connected to the cable modem, turn on internet connection sharing, and run a cross over cable between the two computers. ICS will automatically give DHCP to the second computer.

The hard drives aren't an issue, but the speed of the processor could be. And the computer connected to the cable modem would have to be running in order for the second computer to be able to gain access to the internet.

Answer 4

If both computers has an interface card (LAN Card), you can use a CROSS-OVER NETWORK/CABLE (This is nothing but a UTP cable especially designed for connecting two computers only, and you can download its architecture or cabling/wiring diagram in the internet).

About your second question, even though the other computer is slower than your server (where your internet service is installed) it doesn't affect the internet speed because speed varies on your internet connection bandwidth (kbps / mbps) or modem speed (for dial-ups) or the speed of your DSL connection.

It is also a factor if your hard drive is full, because this is where you computer gets its extra memory storage (virtual memory). So un-install the programs that you are not often use.

Answer 5

You can connect two computer by using cross cable. provided that both the computers have network card installed. if the hard drive are full the speed of the system will slow down. If the main system is slow access speed on the other system will be slow too

Answer 6

The speed of the connection will not slowdown because of the other systems lag.
Also, are you using infrared or network cable to connect.
If you are using network cable, go out and get a switch and connect it to the router. Then connect your computers to the switch.
My home is setup with 3 computers connected to a switch that is connected to the router which is connected to the modem.
Network works like a charm.

This setup ran me about $100.00.

Answer 7

Get wireless broadband router with more than one routing point and grab a ethernet extension cable and run along ground to computer number 2 or alternatively get a wireless router and reciever and run comp no 2 with reciever cost more though.

Answer 8

the quick answer is confident. that's commonly completed. you're able to be able to desire to purchase a router / swap. those router / swap gadgets are very elementary and somewhat less costly. maximum contain one WAN or internet port that connects your ISP modem internet feed to the router and likewise contain 4 LAN ports to fulfill as much as 4 LAN gadgets. ought to you desire to link via way of instant link to computers, you will desire a instant router which incorporates in additon to a router and turn, the instant get right of entry to factor. opposite to what one answer states you won't be able to use a go ethernet cable and get right of entry to the internet except you exchange one laptop into internet Connection Sharing and installation a 2nd under pressure community card. that's no longer prudent to do. be certain to stay with the guidelines that got here with the instruction manual for the router.

Answer 9

you can get a Cross Over cable with RJ 45 connectors to link both computers but I recomment using a wireless base and two wireless card adapters. Cost is about 80.00 US

Answer 10

Unless connected through networking, you cannot use broadband simultaneously on more than one connection.

However, remote system is also available in the market but that is not satisfactory.