How do you set up a home network using dial up?

Question

I have two computers in seperate rooms. Currently, I can only surf the net using one computer at a time. I want to be able to use both at the same time. I understand I can set up a home network. How?
Details please:)

Answer 1

A home network simply means that your machines at home are connected to each other, whether or not you access the Internet at all, but in most cases people do this in order to share Internet access.

For this, both computers need to have network cards installed, and you'll need to connect them using CAT5 cables to a dial-up router (hard to find these days- there was never a very big market for these, and since then DSL & cable have become commonplace)

Dial-up routers have a built-in modem, so you configure them with the login information for your ISP. Your phone line then goes into the dial-up router, not directly to your computer.

Unfortunately for folks living in remote areas where there isn't any DSL or cable Internet service available and none expected in the near future, this is what you need. I have relatives who used the Actiontec dual modem over dial-up for a couple of years.

A final note- connecting the computers in different rooms will mean one of three things:

1) Running CAT5 network cables between the rooms. This could mean simply running it along the wall and hiding it under carpet, or drilling holes in the walls or going under the floor etc.

2) Buying a pair of powerline ethernet adapters so you can avoid stringing cable directly between the rooms. With these, you plug one into electrical wall outlets in each room, it uses the house AC power to form a network connection.

3) Going wireless- probably not an option since there aren't any wireless dial-up routers to my knowledge. If you were using DSL or cable, then wireless network cards would be the easiest solution.

Here are a few dial-up routers on Ebay. They might be listed as "Internet sharing modem" or "dual modem router" or something similar.

Answer 2

You need to connect them with a direct cross-over cable (CAT5) or 2 straight cables and a network switch. Set up internet connection sharing on one, then set up the other to the same workgoup and to connect via another computer. This can all be done from the network setup wizard.

Answer 3

Setting up a Home Network

Refer these Articles for Setting up a Home Network:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?x=7&dlc=en&lc=en&product=443079&lang=en&y=6&cc=us&docname=c00380993

http://www.geekgirls.com/windowsxp_home_network.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/learnmore/default.mspx

Good Luck and Happy Processing!!!!!