Networking Three Computers, Can You Help?.

Someone has asked me to see if i can network three computers together, i sincerely would have given it to a friend who knows a lot about networking but since i want to learn myself, i want to ask if there is anybody who can give me infromation as to how to network the PC's together. I also want to put it on broadband so that they can all share internet connection. The major aim is to make the computer work as a Voice over IP "computer phone". I don't have a problem with downloading skype or fixing the headsets, but i just want to know how to network the PC's together and enable a situation where i can add more computer to the network in the nearest future as well as enable a network chat facility.

First of all you must decide on your communication protocol i.e. TCP/IT most popular for home networking.  These are equipments you would need:

1. ADSL Modem Router (You could buy either wireless or both combined together)
2. ISP account
3. Hub 4 ports (If you are planning for migration in the future buy more ports)
4. RJ45 (These are cables, buy the terminated ones)
5. RJ11 (Normally telephone cable, probably from your ISP)

Now, you PC or computers must have Ethernet card, one on each PC.  Normally they come installed but if you don't have it ask a computer shop that you want Network card they will understand.  You need one for each PC.


Now plug the RJ11 to the telephone jack on the house wall and the other end to the ADSL modem Router.  Take one of you RJ45 and plug it into the ADSL modem Router and the other end to a PC.  The manually that came with the Router should tell you the default IP address of the router. Normally in this form 192.168.0.2, type this on the PC browser to access the router.

Edit the router to add your ISP information, save and reboot.   While inside your router change the default passwd.  The router will now connect to your ISP and the hub could be plugged into the router and the rest of the PC into the hub and there you have it.

If you have a network printer you could plug it into the hub too.  Your VOIP buy the phone with RJ45 and plug it into the hub and register for a carrier terminator i.e. vounge.com the would give you your SIP (An application-layer control protocol, a Signalling protocol for Internet Telephony. SIP can establish sessions for features such as audio/videoconferencing, interactive gaming, and call forwarding to be deployed over IP networks thus enabling service providers to integrate basic IP telephony services with Web, e-mail, and chat services.) Number and you can start making cheap internet call around the world

You do NOT need a server.  Definition of server, A process that runs on a host that relays information to a client upon the client sending it a request. Servers come in many forms: application servers, web servers, database servers, and so forth. All IP-based servers can be load balanced.


Reference

1. http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/hmnetwk1.html
2. http://www.howstuffworks.com/search.php

If you plan to use a network printer and it does not have an ethernet card, just use one of your PC as a print server.

Server cost money especially Windows products.  You would need to get a client licence ranging from 5 users for like $1000.  The more user the more money.  If you plan to host any server resource i.e. webs server, application server, database server, game server, document server etc.  consider using open source, these are free. i.e Fedora, Linus, Suse, Mandrake etc.


Reference

1. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pricing.mspx