connecting to internet

[Modas]

Hey -

I've got an old computer P3 700 that I'm thinking on bringing back to life just for giggles.

I don't want to invest anymore money into it.  Would it be possible to network the old machine into my new one and be able to access the internet with thru my new machine?

The new machine is on dialup, so it would have to manually connect.

I've also seen posts about using a computer as a firewall, and having the second computer access the net thru the first.  Would this be a better use for the old computer?  How would I go about setting that up?

I'm definitely not a network guru, so keep it simple

Thanks!!

[Vipermann]

What OS are you using in the computers?

[Modas]

Originally posted by Vipermann
What OS are you using in the computers?

Sorry -

WIN98SE both machines.

[Vipermann]

Do you have any networking hardware? Hub, switch, or router?

Also is your plan to have both computers access the internet at the same time?

WINXP allows internet connection sharing but 98 has no way of doing this without 3rd party software. If you are looking to use one computer as a dedicated firewall than I would suggest IPCOP. It is easy to setup and use, free, and doesn't require a fast computer.

[zmeg]

All you need is a $20 network card in each computer and a $10 crossover cable(the yellow one) you dont need any other software except the drivers that come with the cards.

[Vipermann]

Originally posted by zmeg
All you need is a $20 network card in each computer and a $10 crossover cable(the yellow one) you dont need any other software except the drivers that come with the cards.

Please explain how he is going to share the internet connection on the computers in this fashion.

Oh and by the way a crossover cable has nothing to do with the color of the cable, it's the order of the wires on the ends.

[Modas]

Originally posted by Vipermann
Do you have any networking hardware? Hub, switch, or router?

Also is your plan to have both computers access the internet at the same time?

WINXP allows internet connection sharing but 98 has no way of doing this without 3rd party software. If you are looking to use one computer as a dedicated firewall than I would suggest IPCOP. It is easy to setup and use, free, and doesn't require a fast computer.

 This was my thought, and not being an I.T. guy, am probably smoking dope, but here goes.

Option 1:

Use the older machine as a firewall only.  The older machine has a NIC card, but no modem.  Ideally if I could use it to access the internet once in a while as well, that would be cool, see the SETI comment in option 2

Option 2:  Use the 2nd computer as a downloading/crunching computer.  I'm into the SETI thing right now and could use it to crunch away with occasional connections to the internet.  Again, I don't want to stick money into this thing, so I would have the old and new machines connected and have the old machine connect to the internet thru the new machine's modem.

Now that I got ya'll confused, lemme have it  

[zmeg]

Theres nothing to explain, you just enable internet sharing, plugem in and windows does the rest. And crossover cables are always yellow unless you make them yourself and of course they're wired different thats why they're called crossover cables. Duh

[Vipermann]

Originally posted by zmeg
Theres nothing to explain, you just enable internet sharing, plugem in and windows does the rest. And crossover cables are always yellow unless you make them yourself and of course they're wired different thats why they're called crossover cables. Duh

Sorry I missed the SE part on his second post, I thought he was running 98 only.

I beg to differ with you on the yellow cable part. You can buy crossover cables in colors other than yellow. Do I need to post links to prove it to you?

[Modas]

Doesn't enabling internet sharing open the computers to attack?

[Roscoroo]

Originally posted by Modas
Doesn't enabling internet sharing open the computers to attack?

yes inless you firewall bolth pc's and give them trusted permission

Setting up 98se the old way for networking /connecting to the internet thru one pc is a nightmare , it leaves to many ports /routes for hackers and virus's to get in  .(netbios /netbieu port 139 is the one they look for this is the windows file sharing port)

when i finally got mine to the hidden port level they would stop talking to each other , or one pc could talk to one but the other couldnt .  I went around for weeks and weeks reseting ,it became to much hassle on dial up,

as for the cables they come in all sorts of colours . just ask for a lan patch cable and they will give ya the right one .

its hard to tell them apart , but for a R-45 lan cable it is going to be a crossed over cable  (look thru the clear ends at the wire colours and you will see that they dont match up ) This is what i used when i networked on dial up .

a regular R-45 eithernet cable isnt normally crossed over (the wire colours match up on each end) this is what most every one uses on a hi-speed connection and for attaching to a switch or routor/hub combo .

(note you only use crossed-over cables if theres a traffic collision in the network , This only happens when you get alot of pc's connected on a hi speed)

microsoft windows website still has all the info for setting this up ,

but I also suggest you use the Symantec security check website   when your done . This will let ya know how many ports are open and seen .

(note ignore the anti virus update security alert it always says you need to get symantecs software ,even when your using there own software LOL )

[Modas]

Cod, this sounds like a pain in the fanny...

How you I.T. guys deal with this stuff day in and day out is beyond me.  

Sounds like it would be easier to buy a $20 modem and phone line splitter and be done with it...  

Thanks for the replies gents.  I'm off to find a drink.