I have a few random questions about home networking?

Question

I know some of these questions are kind of dumb, but I just want to make sure I understand some things.

1. what is PPPoE and DHCP?(something like that)
you need to use one or the other when setting up a wireless router right? how do you know which one to use?

2. each computer needs a wireless adapter when sharing internet including the host computer right?

3. the software that comes with the wireless router needs to be installed on the host computer and the one you're going to be sharing internet with?

4. how hard is it to go from 2 computers (desktop and laptop) sharing internet to 3 (desktop....I'm not sure if this will happen)? is setting up home networking more difficult when the computers have different systems (desktops have XP and the laptop has Vista)?

5. what needs to be the same on both computers when setting up the wireless router and adapter to share internet? (I know theres something that needs to be the same....PPPoE or DHCP maybe?....or what else?)

Please answer using simple terms!

Answer 1

1. PPPoE and DHCP are two different protocols (set of rules) that can uses for networking computers. For a home network, you would normally want DHCP. If you are using DSL, some providers require you to use PPPoE.

2. In order to have a wireless connection, you must have something that sends the signal (usually a wireless router) and something to pick up the signal. Each computer that needs to receive the wireless signal needs a network card to receive it. If the computer is a desktop that is attached to the router by a cable, it does not need a wireless card.

3. Usually the software only have to be installed on the first computer tht connects to the router. After that, all other computers are configured using the wizards for either a regular network connection or a wireless connection included as part of Windows. (Some wireless cards may include their own "wizard" for setting up the connection.)

4. If the new computers are desktops, and will be using network cables (not wireless), simple plug them into the router and run the "Set up a home network" in the Network Neighborhood. (See the answer to 5 for more detail)

5. For all the computer to talk to each other over a network, they all have to be part of the same "workgroup". When you run the Network Wizard, it will ask what workgroup you want to be part of. Make sure you put the same name in all the computers. You can also cheat and use a nice feature in the wizard. When you run it on the first computer, it will set everything up and then ask if you want to make a disk to use to set up any other computers. If you say yes, it will save all the set up information onto a floppy. Take it to the other computers, run the wizard, and it will use the information from the floppy to configure all the other computers to work with the first one. (You should nat have to do anything with PPPoE or DHCP).

Answer 2

OK in order.
1. This is determined by your ISP. If you are DSL it more than likely will be PPPoE (needs a username and password sent to the server to connect.) If it is cable - fiber - wireless it will more than likely be DHCP which is just an automatic IP assignment.

2. NO - only the machines you want to connect without using an ethernet cable need wirless cards! You can mix wired and wireless with nearly any router.

3. No you do not need to install the router software on ANY computer actually! The software just makes it easier to setup. (I haven't ever used any CD with a router - find them much easier to setup without adding the garbage on my computer!) There really IS NOT A HOST for the router! The router is a standalone device.

4. Usually adding a computer to a LOCAL network which the router generates is as easy as just plugging it into the router. or just connecting to the wireless signal!

5. NOTHING! The ROUTER handles the connection. The computers connecting into it wirelessly MAY need to use the same wireless security key but if you are hardwired you need nothing at all software wise on the computers.

Hope that helps clarify this .. Routers are simple connections. Once setup and connected you really don't have much other issues than simply connecting to them to get additional machines on the internet.
Good Luck

Answer 3

1)
- PPPoE is point to point protocol over ethernet and it is used in conjunction with DSL.
- DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - is the way for a PC to automatically be assigned an IP address (it is pulled from a DHCP server). this is as opposed to a statically assigned IP address.

2) only if you are connecting wirelessly to the wireless router, otherwise you can connect to the router with a Cat5 cable (in fact when configuring the router, I recommend that you ONLY do that wired to the router.

3) no, windows wireless config client is perfectly acceptable

4) as long as there is a router in the mix, it's a snap, just connect the new machine to the rotuer.

5) each PC must have it's own unique name. all PCs must be part of the same usergroup. and each PC must have it's own unique IP address (usually assigned by DHCP)

BTW, the PPPoE is a setting in the router to connect to the DSL (internet) modem or line