Desktop

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Networking

0 helpful
11 replies

by the world is an illusion 1 view

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

We have a wireless router in the office... the only problem is that all the computers can read each other and the link between me and my partners computer is no good...

If i use a router to connect our two computers is there a way to network out two computers through the hardware router but keep the internet connection that we currently use (the wireless one)?

So can i have a CAT5 connection between our two computers and have them be able to share files... while at the same time taking the internet connection from the wireless router... any help would be greatly apprecitated

11 replies

by sgt_shultz

life is a game, there is no pain...
or is it, there is no gain?

answer is yes, just plug wireless modem into hub with everything else. assuming it has ethernet port. but can't tell what kind of instructions exactly to give because too many kinds of devices out there.
tell us what router and wireless hardwre models and we can help better.
assuming what you have is say linksys wireless broadband modem/router. has antenna and one ethernet jack. is at out of box settings. which means is dhcp server. so you plug it into your switch and away you go. rides on same hardware as your network and might use same protocol but is not your network, see? co-exists.
if modem is router and has many ethernet jacks, joy joy joy.
just plug everybody into it. got link lite?
if not enuf jacks or only one ethernet jack on modem/router you will need get workgroup switch or hub and plug all into it including the broadband modem. make sure you have link lite. if no linklite you may to be in uplink port or not in port next to uplink port or have crossover cable, like that...see mfg website for complete lowdown and help tshooting.
tell us more about what hardware you have

by willcomp

To summarize the Sarge: you can either use ethernet ports on router (many have 4 ports) or add a switch. An 8 port switch with auto-sensing (no need for X-over cable) can be had for around $30.00.

Also, you and your partner need to be in a separate workgroup so that others on wireless connections do not have access to your PCs.

by csmith

This is not a hardware problem. This is a software settings problem.
How so?

The way I understand the question, is, that the internet connection works fine for all of the computers.
This excludes the possibility that there are so many PCs on the network that the wireless router table is overloaded.
It also means that the wireless card in your PC is working.

That all of the other PCs can communicate to each other, through the wireless router, means that they are all OK.

That your PC can not communicate with any of the other PCs, but it can communicate with the wireless router that the other PCs are using, means your PC is not recognized as part of the workgroup, and is thus excluded by the software.

Regards, Chris

by csmith

Now the troubleshooting method.
Start with the most basic level.
Ping is obviously it.

The other PCs have to ping to find your PC, and vice versa.
Ping uses the ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol), and is usually turned off because hackers scan ranges of internet addresses (using ping) looking for places to attack, and then they can use ICMP for a denial of service attack.

The wireless router can find your PC during the hardware handshake/setup, that is why your internet connection works.
There will normally be two incomming , and two outgoing ICMP check boxes in the window for security level settings.
Make sure all four are checked, plus the broadcast/multicast box(s) are checked, on both the pinging PC and the PC pinged.

If your software is current, check to make sure SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) is turned off or is set to alert only, because it will also block ping.

Now, at the command prompt (Both PCs), type IPCONFIG . Then type IPCONFIG/ALL . You now have the IP addresses of your PC and the other networked PCs. Now try pinging (both ways).

Once you have got ping to work, enable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). This will allow any router changes necessary.
(Remember to set UPnP back to disable after you get the network setup to recognize your PC. If you do not disable UPnP, a hacker can reconfigure your router. This may have already been what happened, because it can cause more trouble if a hacker disables one PC setting, rather than trashing the entire router table, and thus making it obvious that the router has been hacked.)

Now (Using the IP address information.) check MAC filtering on the network, and make sure that your PC is not excluded.
Do not permanently disable MAC filtering, if it is enabled.
MAC filtering (plus WPA) help prevent the hackers using wireless devices getting into your network, plus it will help prevent interference from the other wireless networks.

Now add your pc to the workgroup.

When done, m

by csmith

When done, make sure SSID is also disabled, for better security, and less wireless traffic.
By the Way, the excessive wireless traffic will cause the network to slow down. It will not prevent recognition, which seems to be the heart of the problem.

Regards, Chris

by csmith

But, what you are describing sounds like you and your partner are one of several small companies in an incubator.
That means you may have been supplied with only one wireless card, and it is in your PC. It also means you have no access to the wireless router.

If this is the case, to network your partners computer, add a wireless card, and see previous comments.
But, you say the connection is no good. That means both PCs have wireless cards. Then it is definitely a software problem. (Assuming your partners PC can access the internet also.)

But, Now to something you said about it killing you.
I have just come to the thought that when you said "No good" you may have meant "poor" rather than "It does not work", which is normally assumed.
Oh well, no problem.
We will cover that also.

If you are trying to transfer large files (i.e. photos etc.) over the wireless network you have, you will have trouble.
If both PCs have a free slot, your idea of just installing a network card in each PC, and running a CAT5 cable will work.
WARNING! this cable must be a "crossover cable" because you are not using a hub or a switch.

Now the internet connection question.
This actually brings up a "big picture" question.
How fast do you expect to grow this company?
If slow (Real estate office etc.) the cheaper peer to peer configuration is fine.
If fast, client/server.
If you are low on funds, go with peer to peer.
You can convert later, and VARs (Value Added Reseller) like us (Smith & Young) are happy to help with the conversion.

Now what happens when you install the network cards and the CAT5 cable? (assuming no other changes)
You now have two "Multihomed" PCs on a peer to peer network.
That is a workable configuration.
When you use Win98SE or higher you can install up to six network cards and use TCP/IP. If you run a very old version of Netware (when it still used IPX), you can install ten network cards.)
Obvoiusly this is not a limitation.

The only

by csmith

The only problem is that now you must make sure that the traffic for your partner's PC goes only over the CAT5 and of course the traffic from your partner's PC to yours, also uses the CAT5 link.
At the command prompt type ROUTE PRINT
Go to the network settings in the OS.
Use a static address, and when you assign an address to this link, you should consider using something like 172.16.0.1 for your PC and 172.16.0.2 for your partner's PC (Nonroutable addresses), so that if this link's traffic accidentally gets sent to the Internet, the first router on the Internet will dump it, rather than propagating it. (Security)

Now add the route to the route table

At the command prompt, type,
ROUTE ADD 172.16.0.2 MASK 255.255.255.255 172.16.0.1 METRIC 1

Notice the address of your partner's computer (the destination is first, The Mask says it must match exactly.
The next number is your PC (the source/gateway), and Metric is the number of "hops". (In this case one hop, which is a direct connection.) (Metric can not be zero!)

That should get you started.
Regards, Chris

by the world is an illusion

See the problem in my eyes is starting to become that our wireless internet connection has a crappy signal... i am starting to believe that the router is being overloaded due to the fact there a four or five other small companies in our building sharing a t1 line on a wireless network.... which is killing us... any other suggestions?

For the time being can i still cling to the wireless connection for the internet... and just connect me and my partners computer through a cat5 cable.... or will it only accept one network connection? this way the link between me and my partners computer is always strong.

by orpheum

hmm...
if you are getting internet connection only through a wireless T1 shared by several tenants.
it is obvious that your wireless card is already connecting to a wireless router or other wirless device broadcasting the internet access, right? this device will probably also assign an IP address using dhcp, right?
what you should rely on is exactly what you thought of and asked in your last paragraph.
hard wire through your own router. you will however have to experiment a bit with the dns settings on the wired NIC, due to the router's assumption that it is the one giving internet access through the NIC. let me know your results as this is a truly exquisite scenario.
opinhasi@hotmail.com

by Member 29605194

to improve wi-fi signal, connect external antenna for the PC wi-fi card and also the wi-fi router.

to use the wi-fi internet access and use the wired nic for LAN, u are better off in connecting ur pc and other pc u want to file share onto a desktop 8 port switch and put also the wi-fi router onto this switch. This way u get both internet and ethernet on wired signals. If u want more secure connection, buy a switch with VLan, typically a 16ports switch will have this feature.

used fixed IP instead of DHCP if u can, it is faster to establish connection.

This discussion is closed to new replies.