Network help

[Smith oo4]

This is not completely a linux problem but a networking question in general and deals mostly with MS tools* (‬because that is what I already have )*‬,* ‬if you could give me a hand that would be great or point me to a better place to ask.

I am trying to set up a wireless network at home and this is what I have for equipment:

One Windows XP services pack* ‬2* ‬desktop,* ‬this computer connects to the Internet using a* ‬56K internal modem* (‬the best Internet connection I can get where I live * ) ‬and also has a Canon PIXMA IP5000* ‬printer connected to it.

One* ‬desktop* ‬computer that I am current using to test out linux

Two laptops with WiFi cards* (‬and network cards *) ‬running Windows XP services pack* ‬2

An old D-link switch and a D-link WBR-1310* ‬wireless G router

Currently I have a wired network set up using the MS network tools on XP and the old D-link switch,* ‬ I have set up a Internet proxy* (‬I think that is right term *) ‬to share the* (‬slow*) ‬Internet connection* ‬on the XP desktop.*

I would like to setup* ‬a network were the two desktop* ‬uses a wired connection and the laptops* ‬uses a wireless connection and all computers can print and access the Internet* ‬through the XP desktop.* ‬I have gotten a network setup like this* ‬using MS network* ‬tools* ‬with file sharing and printing work fine the only problem is that* ‬the only computer that can access the Internet is the XP desktop with the internal modem.* ‬If* ‬someone could* ‬give me some help getting this working right that would be great.


Also my* ‬Linux test* ‬computer dose have a* ‬56K internal modem* ‬in it so it could be use* ‬with linux as the backbone of my home network and Internet connection but if this is the case,* ‬I don't know where to start for I am about* ‬3* ‬months new to linux.* ‬Any advice about this option* (‬advantages,* ‬disadvantages,* ‬practicality* ‬and ease *) ‬would be appreciated.
*
I am not the most knowledge about computer and networking but I am trying to learn.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

[gthill]

I suggest that you get yourself an external serial port modem that works with linux (most internal ones don't without a lot of mucking about) . Then set your linux box up as a gateway and dhcp server, then you can connect your switch to the the linux box, plug your xp box and wireless into the switch to serve the laptops.

phone line -> modem -> linux -> switch -> xp box
.................................................. ...........switch -> wireless router -> laptops

You will need three ports on your switch and 1 LAN card on your XP box and 1 LAN card and a serial port on your linux box.
You will still have your XP as internet ready until you get it all configured.
It's a good introduction into linux networking.

There's a good how-to here for the linux side, you may have to look elsewhere for the modem setup, but thats the easy part.

http://www.brennan.id.au/

[Smith oo4]

what you have suggested sounds like a good idea, I would like to try and use my internal modem instead of buying a new piece of hardware could you give me advice on how to do that or point me where to look for help. If I were to get to an external serial port modem can you give me any recommendations of what I should get or what I need to make sure it has.

also when you say a LAN card is that the same as a network card?

Thank you

[schamarthi1]

hello there !
I am getting a msg "Could not find information on interface 'eth0:0' in /proc/net/dev"
but m able to connect to the net. I am working on a user mode fedora 7. The update feature is not working.
can someone help me??!!!

[gthill]

what you have suggested sounds like a good idea, I would like to try and use my internal modem instead of buying a new piece of hardware could you give me advice on how to do that or point me where to look for help. If I were to get to an external serial port modem can you give me any recommendations of what I should get or what I need to make sure it has.

also when you say a LAN card is that the same as a network card?

Thank you
Yes network card.
Most internal modems are software driven modems and have no drivers for linux. However most external modems are hardware and are easily configured to connect to your ISP and I would say they are pretty cheap these days. I believe you can set up some internal modems using ndiswrappers but I have never done that.
I would imagine nearly any serial port external modem would be good enough but suggest you post for confirmation on that. I have set up several cheapies in the distant past and never had problems with any of them. Ask around with family and friends and they may have one lying around unused.

[bbfuller]

Hello gthill

Like you, I've never had any problem with any serial port modem. Hardware seems to be their middle name.

Note that it does not apply to universal serial bus (USB) external modems though, they seem to be more akin to internal modems.

It's going to become a problem isn't it with new computers, especially laptops, often coming without serial ports now.

When you are in a location with almost universal ADSL there is a tendency to forget there is a large proportion of the world where that is not so,

[Smith oo4]

I did find a serial port modem, it was left over from old automation system at work that we recently decommissioned, is a nice find. I am hoping to find sometime this week to start setting up my home network.

[gthill]

I did find a serial port modem, it was left over from old automation system at work that we recently decommissioned, is a nice find. I am hoping to find sometime this week to start setting up my home network.

That's good to hear. I built my own network at home from mostly discarded bits and pieces from work and friends. My main desktop I built myself, but the case and peripherals are all hand me downs.
Just a suggestion for you, seeing as you want to learn about networking, set up your gateway machine from the command line (ie. no gui's). You will learn a lot faster about what you are doing. Dual boot your xp machine with Linux and use that for all your bells and whistles. (gui's).
You can then administer your gateway using ssh (linux)/putty (windows) from your desktop and you wont need a second monitor or keyboard.
Make sure you secure your wireless.