Installing a 2nd network card

I assume you are running Win9x or NT. If so, not a problem. Just make sure you have a free interupt. You will not want them to share an interupt. However, with Windows 9X, it should automatically set up the new card wherever available. Once setup, just select appropriate bindings and such so that you will direct the NIC's in the appropriate direction.

In case you do not have a free interrupt, just by a hub for 30.00.

Good Luck!

If your running WIn9X then no problem. It will take care of it for you. If NT then youll have to configure it yourself. Be sure there on diffenrt IRQ's and also you may need a hub. If you have an RJ45 cross-over then you do not need a hub. If you hae 2 straight though RJ45's then you'll need to connect them via a hub.

Good Luck!

Redmond, WA

Installing a 2nd nic and connecting it to another pc via a crossover cable or hub (as stated in answer #3) will work. However, it will not give the second computer access to the internet. If you desire to give the second computer internet access via the cable modem, you must incorporate a proxy server to provide NAT (network address translation) to the second PC. This can be accomplished relatively easily by employing one of the following...

1. A proxy program like Wingate. However, it isn't compatible with everything and has problems with some gaming communities.

2. A router/firewall. For about $200 you can go to comp-usa and pick up an internet router (with NAT proxy built in) and it's really easy to configure. You just need to connect that to your cable modem, then a hub to the router, then the pcs to the hub. No second nic needed.

Just to make things more complicated...
You can set up a linux Box with 2 Cards and IP-MASQUERADE to have internet access on both machines...

I've actually done this using a 4-port hub and WinProxy from Ositis, which provides name address translation, firewall and anti-virus protection. You first install the 2nd NIC (As I recall, 3Com has you run the software installation before you actually plug in the board). Then install your hub and configure your network so it's working between the PCs. The cable modem should work at this point, but the 2nd PC cannot access it. You then install WinProxy on the PC with the cable modem, which allows both PCs to access the cable modem. Installation is pretty simple. You may have to manually set some IP addresses, but the instructions are clear. Go to www.winproxy.com for more information on WinProxy. I've had it running between two PCsfor almost a year now and it's great.

There should be no problems with doing this. I have done this on a Win95 system to enable the PC to access both networks. I have also a Firewall NT system with 2 NIC cards and works ok as well. The only diference is that WIN95 does not route betweenboth networks which might be a good thing depending on what you need to do with access to 2 networks.

To share your cable modem (I assume that you wanted to access the Internet from PC and laptop simultaneously), I have two solutions which you can choose from:

1. Dedicate your desktop as a Proxy Server having 2 NICs and Proxy software. One NIC connects to cable modem and the other to a hub. The laptop connects to the hub.

2. Get a Cable/DSL Router from LinkSys. It has an RJ45 port to connect to your cable modem; 4 10/100 ports for 4 PCs and another for an uplink to a hub for a total of 6 ports. It has a built-in firewall.

I recommend the 2nd. I'm currently using it at home and installation is very easy.

--- Edgar

There are a lot of good answers here already, but If you want to save the expense of a proxy server, you can(if necessary) upgrade your desktop to windows98se. It has internet sharing built in.

You won't have a problem if you are using NT or Win2k. I do not recommend it if you are using Win9x or M.E. NT & 2000 con handle a multiholmed (more than 1 Nic) machine. Each Nic needs a unique IP address. Think of it this way, having more than one Nic turns your machine into a router. You will also need to research static routing tables.
-- lanpinger

I would find out if your DSL modem has a Net Address Translator built into it, if it does your firewall problems are solved. Then I would purcha a hub and hook you laptop and desktop into that hub. This way you would get the full through put of the network, no cross over cables.

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