Networking

[RGK01]

OK guys, hope someone can point me in the right direction. I've decided it's time to teach myself networking.

First, If anyone can recommend a site that has the basics (from scratch) it would help.

What I have in mind is to start with a two system using Fast Ethernet PCI Cards and a Enhanced crossover Cat 5 UTP Patch Cable. I want to setup with win95 & win98 first, then (if successful) do it with NT and 98.
(WILL THIS WORK?)

Second, I plan on setting up a four system workgroup using NT Server 4.0, BackOffice and Win98. Plan on using an - 8 port 10 Base T Ethernet Hub and 100Base T Cat 5 Patch Cables.
(WILL THIS WORK?)

Also, what is the difference between Cat 5 patch cables and Cat 5 twisted pair cables?

All help will be appreciated!! This will be my first attempt in setting up. I have repaired units in networks but never set them up. THANKS.

[jrobinson]

I've suggested this before, it is a very useful site:
http://hdallen.home.mindspring.com

[shawnMt]

Dude, you have the knowlege - I've seen it many times in your posts. Networking is easy as hell. I was a bench tech for 3 yrs and scared of this thing called networking - untill I started screwing with it. The first thing you need to do is get yourself a hub! Screw crossover cable, peer-to-peer crap.Get a Linksys or D-Link 10/100 hub and a few cables - at first don't rely on DHCP to give machines an IP#. Specify your own #s using the 192.168.0.X format. Specify your subnet mask as 255.255.255.0 (the zero is your variable in the IP#.) Go to www.timhiggins.com to learn everything you want to know about internet connection sharing the cheap and easy way.

You can also go to http://ipprimer.2ndlevel.net/ to learn everything (and more) about TCPIP.

A good bench tech can make a killer network guy!! It's all about hardware with a little software thrown in to give it flavor...

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I ripped the head assembly out - it spins up fine now...

[RGK01]

I checked out all the sites and found more than enough info to get me going. Thanks, I really appreaciate it. Been spending my time last few days reading thru it all, and it doesn't seem as complicated as it's cracked up to be.

again, many thanks to both of you!

[oldman]

basic networking isn't hard
it is making 30 machines read the same software at the same time and not crash/burn
or use a different printer for every different software package on a single machine with people that can't figure out to get the bag off their head