Personal computing discussed

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madgun
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Problems in gaming through network!

Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:06 am

Please i need some help related to networks.
When all my friends come to my house for gaming on the network. I have to add separate ethernet cards and i have to give them dedicated connections from my PC. But when we run stratergy games such as zero hour, during the game an error comes in all five PC's "out of synchronization". Do you guys think that is there any problem in the network setup or should i buy a hub. Cause i have already got some ethernet cards. please i do need some help. : :(
Last edited by madgun on Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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madgun
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:15 am

Please i need urgent help : :roll:
Last edited by madgun on Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Despite
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:26 am

dude, this is not your personal tech support site. 9 minutes between posts? tsk tsk
 
madgun
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:44 am

sorry
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Kevin
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:56 am

I'm not sure I understand your network setup. How are the 5 computers connected to each other? You mention adding seperate ethernet cards, are you doing this on each computer? Did those computers not have ethernet cards in the first place?

The easiest setup would be to have each computer with one network card, each network card is then connected to a hub or a switch with some CAT5 cable. In Windows on each computer, you would then just manually assign an IP address. Something like 192.168.0.1 for the first computer, 192.168.0.2 for the second computer, and so on.
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idchafee
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:05 pm

You also ask if you should get a hub? If you don't already have one, how are you connecting multiple PC's? Kevin is right though, if all you're looking to do is connect for gaming, assign IP's and go.
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Forge
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:08 pm

I think he's saying that he tosses multiple NICs into his machine, and crossovers EVERYONE.


If so, dude, get a switch! Fast!
 
idchafee
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:20 pm

Forge wrote:
I think he's saying that he tosses multiple NICs into his machine, and crossovers EVERYONE.


Ugh, inefficient. Man, if you're doing that do what Forge says and get a switch, like yesterday. I can't even imagine what kind of packet loss you'd get with that. But then again, I've had some bad experience with crossovers.
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madgun
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:49 pm

Actually i was using a pretty simple case where i connected five ethernet crds to my PCI slots and then i made a bridge through the network set up in windows . then each of my friend's computer had an ethernet card connected to their PC so i provided link to each via utp cable. I couldnt think of a better thing since i didnt have a hub or a switch.
Last edited by madgun on Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Despite
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:51 pm

isn't that what Forge just said?
 
madgun
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:54 pm

ya its exactly that. But i dont know how to instal a hub, if i get one what would i do?
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Canuckle
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 2:54 pm

madgun wrote:
ya its exactly that. But i dont know how to instal a hub, if i get one what would i do?


I'd recommend a switch over a hub anyday first of all. Physically to look at it, you won't know the difference, but the impact on the network is phenominally different.

In addition to getting a hub (or switch), you will require normal/straight-through cables. Crossover cables are wired so they transfer a signal as though it were being sent via a hub/switch, so there is a definite difference in cable types you need to watch for.

Once you have the hub/switch and cabling, ALL of the cables run will be straight-throughs/normal, and looks like this:

your computer
|
straight-through cable
|
hub/switch
|
straight-through cable
|
[other computer]

Repeat as often as necessary the final leg, where the straight-through cable is run to connect the hub/switch to the other computer.

Once that step is done, you will have physically setup the network - now you have to logically set it up by administering an IP and subnet to yourself and the other computers to allow for traffic to occur. This can be done by statically assigning IPs & subnet - means you setting this information yourself - or you can look into setting up a DHCP server which will mean all the computers just need to set themselves to automatically look when they detect a network connection.
 
cass
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:36 pm

Canuckle, not that I am an expert, but If he has the crossover cables made, and gets one of the newer router/switches that take either straight through or crossover cables, couldn't he use his existing crossover cables without loss of performance, or loss of money and time rigging new cables.?
 
Captain Ned
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:11 pm

cass wrote:
Canuckle, not that I am an expert, but If he has the crossover cables made, and gets one of the newer router/switches that take either straight through or crossover cables, couldn't he use his existing crossover cables without loss of performance, or loss of money and time rigging new cables.?


I'm not Canuckle, though I play him on TV.

Modern consumer-grade routers/hubs/switches can auto-sense the cable type (crossover vs. straight), so there's no need to worry.

Of course, I'm just baselessly extrapolating from my experience with my Linksys BEFSX41, so YMMV. :wink:
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madgun
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:20 pm

Actually as i am using xp pro do i need to instal any sort of application in order to use a hub/switch or should i simply use the xp setup.
Another question is while assigning static IP's what should i do.
for example if i have and ip address of
192.168.0.1
should i assign the same ip to all other pc's or
should i assign the other computers as
192.168.0.2
192.168.0.3
etc...

something like that.
Last edited by madgun on Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Captain Ned
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:25 pm

madgun wrote:
Actually as i am using xp pro do i need to instal any sort of application in order to use a hub/switch or should i simply use the xp setup.
Another question is while assigning static IP's what should i do.
for example if i have and ip address of
192.168.0.1
should i assign the other computers as
192.168.0.2
192.168.0.3
etc...

something like that.


If the hub/switch has a DHCP server function, there's no need to manually assign IP addresses. Otherwise, invert 180 degrees.
What we have today is way too much pluribus and not enough unum.
 
SpotTheCat
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Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:53 pm

wow... ok... get a router with 4 port switch built in. have fun. XP will accpet auto assign of IP's
 
Canuckle
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:51 am

Captain Ned wrote:
If the hub/switch has a DHCP server function, there's no need to manually assign IP addresses.


No such animal, at least not on an unmanaged hub/switch which is what consumer grade is.
 
Canuckle
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:55 am

cass wrote:
Canuckle, not that I am an expert, but If he has the crossover cables made, and gets one of the newer router/switches that take either straight through or crossover cables, couldn't he use his existing crossover cables without loss of performance, or loss of money and time rigging new cables.?


I'm no expert either - I wasn't aware that such was available.

My experience is such that a crossover cable is used when you want to daisy chain hubs/switches that do not have an uplink port that allows for a straight-through rather then crossover cable to be used. Of those uplink ports, only one was available and in some cases disabled the port next to it as such on the Linksys 4 port router when they first came out.

If such is available, by all means use it.
 
Canuckle
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:04 am

madgun wrote:
do i need to instal any sort of application in order to use a hub/switch...


No - no software is needed to use an unmanaged hub or switch.

Unmanaged is what you find on consumer shelves - they are simply ports you plug into and go from there. Managed hubs/switches allow you to log into them and configure various things - SNMP, bandwidth, VLANs, etc. That's why managed hubs/switches run couple grand; unmanaged can be had for under $100...

Another question is while assigning static IP's what should i do.
for example if i have and ip address of
192.168.0.1
should i assign the same ip to all other pc's or
should i assign the other computers as
192.168.0.2
192.168.0.3
etc...


An IP address is unique to the computer you are putting it on.

That means that computer #1 will get 192.168.0.1, #2 will get 192.168.0.2, #3 will get 192.168.0.3, etc.

But the other part to an IP address is the subnet. The subnet is the same one for all the computers you are giving an IP to. If you use 255.255.255.0 as a subnet, I'm sure you'll agree you'll be fine with the 254 addresses it provides ;):)
 
Canuckle
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:17 am

Captain Ned wrote:
I'm not Canuckle, though I play him on TV.


That's Canuckle™...
 
madgun
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 9:41 am

thanks Canuckle , you cleared my concepts regarding IP's and subnets

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just brew it!
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:05 am

Man, this really got out of control in a hurry, didn't it? :wink:

The Cliff Notes version:

1. Get a 10/100 Ethernet switch.

2. Plug the NIC from each PC into the switch. (Ideally using straight-thru cables, but if you already have crossover cables, those should work provided you've got a newer switch that automatically detects signal polarity.)

3. Turn switch on.

4. If you're not using DHCP, manually assign each PC a unique IP addresses on the same subnet (e.g. IP=192.168.0.x where x is a unique small positive integer, and subnet mask=255.255.255.0).

5. Done.

I'm rather amazed that you were trying to do this by filling your own PC with NICs to connect to each of the other PCs individually. Talk about doing things the hard way! :o (A switch is both cheaper and easier...)
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Canuckle
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Thu Dec 04, 2003 9:13 pm

just brew it! wrote:
Man, this really got out of control in a hurry, didn't it? :wink:


Oh, you're no fun :P

I'm rather amazed that you were trying to do this by filling your own PC with NICs to connect to each of the other PCs individually. Talk about doing things the hard way! :o (A switch is both cheaper and easier...)


Indeed.
But necessity is the mother of invention...

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