OK I know one (or more) of you guys/girls out here in RC land can answer this one for me. I have two PC's sitting next to each other and each have network cards installed, can't I just make up a network cable that is pinned out differently on each end so I can avoid having to buy a hub? If not then any suggestions, and if so what is the correct pin out to make this happen.

Thanks in advance.

Hi mr2channel,

if its a 10Base-T then you just need to use a crossover cable placed directly between the two NICs

for pin layout try this link:

[Link: nullmodem.com]

Chris.

Thanks Chris,

I am not sure if it is a 10 or 100 Base-T card, but I will give it a try, its only Cat5E (.05 per ft). A/V has always been easy, but I tell you PC's are starting to consume the A/V industry (at least as far as integration goes). I now have to take courses on computer based technologies just to keep up.

swap the green and orange pairs. or go to staples and buy one for 5 bucks

Or go to Best Buy and overpay $15.00 for one.

what do you do next? I have thought this must be possible for a long time, but have never seen it described.

Once you have this connection, does the other computer just automatically show up as part of the network? You don't have to create an account like you do with a network?

Sorry, but I really need the step-by-step as I am totally dumb about this stuff.

Thanks.

This is the stupid thread of the month!

Basic Switches are available for less than $25.00 on more than 50 websites, and in some B&M Stores.

Why not do it right, and keep speeds at 100Mb for file transfers?

If you can't fork over $15-$30 bucks for a 10/100 switch, then you should NOT be in or considering our profession...

try some of these for BASIC 10/100 networking

www.ecost.com
www.newegg.com
www.pcconnection.com

etc...

all have four port switches for $15-$30 bucks, which is less $$$ than I just wasted in revenue generation to answer this thread...

sorry, little bitter, but good Lord!

This may seem a little harsh, but hey, Mr2Channel, do you have high speed internet? If so, then what are going to do if you gobble up your two nics talking peer-to-peer at 10 or 100Mb? You won't have the nic you need to talk to your high speed modem!

Spend $20, buy a switch!

AV Dude I appreciate what you have to say, but without knowing all the facts you were a bit harsh, but thats OK, you jumped the gun on the flame thrower, anyway I do not have a network or high speed acess at home, but do have both at work (which is where I really need them, technology is cool and I love what I do but, if you notice my handle it's MR2Channel I.E. no home theater but a nice high end 2 channel rig with over 3K slabs of vinyl and 500 or so cd's). The other computer that I am trying to network to my computer is my wifes computer and it is a old hump of sh**, it is a p II with less than 200MHZ and 16 megs of ram, but it would be nice to share one printer between the two pc's and this is the cheapest and easiest way to make it happen. but thanks for your input, as I normally think the same way you do, but in this case, I hope you can see its just not worth the extra $$, even if it is $15.

While I am with you in theory it is necessary to carry a crossover cable and use it occasionally. Lutron Homeworks has a built in NIC but they will not support networking---by they I refer to tech support. They want computer to computer connection via crossover cable. CD srevers: When you have a problem what is the last thing to do? Hook up crossover cable and see if you can communicate. So while purchasing an inexpensive switch--and when Lutron forced me back to Allentown for training I went to Best Buy and purchased a wireless G router for $79 to teach what they did not want taught ( I had to occupy myself while wasting 4 days learning what I already knew ) -- is the easy and correct apporach understanding crossover cables and how to setup each commuter so they can communicate is important and necessary.

Ernie:
Computers must be on the same sub-net to communicate
Router/switches have DHCP built into them so they will auto assign a IP address to each Mac address it finds, and part of the IP address is the sub-net. Without this feature, and with a crossover cable between 2 computers ( and it matters not if the second computer is an Integra receiver which has a NIC, a Crestron processor or an other computer ) you will have to go into both computers and manually assign them IP addresses. Hopefully you know how to do this and it differs a bit depending on the Windows OS. Essentially you want to go to your Network Places, locate the Networking device ( NIC, wireless, USB to NIC ), scroll down to TCP/IP and select properties. Enter 192.168.x.y on both computers making certain that x is the same integer but y is different. Once you have done this go to RUN and launch DOS and ping the device. At the DOS prompt, type pingspaceIPaddresscarrage return/Line feed

Everyone of us needs to know how to make a crossover cable and when to use it. It also helps when fighting with Dell's vaunted tech support. When they claim your NIC is not working because of the external equipment you can hook up a crossover cable and say, there, it is, as usual, your hardware/software driver that is the problem ( ture story ).

Alan

Thanks Allen,

I would say that bit of info should help out quite a few of us (and at least help me out)

Trey

avdude,
yes, this is the stupidest thread. Maybe EVER. But I have never needed to learn this stuff, and the people who act like you did end up not communicating...so I never have learned this stuff.

Chill.


I lost you right after the word "same." I really DO need step-by-step instructions!


Cool. But I'm not using a Mac. My newb is showing, but I see "Mac" every once in a while about network stuff; does this mean "Macintosh computer" of some variety? What DOES it mean? Do I care what DHCP is? Does it auto-assign once, or every time you turn on, or what? Is this just a Macintosh feature? If not, which versions of Windows do it?


How do I know if my computer has this feature? Is this something to do with Macs versus PCs? I truly wish I were spoofing you, but these are real honest questions.


I don't.


My computer now works by 802.something on a network at home. Does that mean it already has an IP address, and I need to look it up by exactly the same procedure as naming it, and make the other computer match it/differ from it as described?


I take it "address" means the IP address I found or assigned, right?
"return/Line feed" means what? Does it mean "Hit return," which could also mean line feed (but which does not show up on a PC so it is just a confusing detail here)?



Hook it up from what to what? Howwould that prove that the "hardware/software driver" is at fault? What is a hardware/software driver? I have heard of hardware, and I have heard of a driver, which implies it is software...did you mean "your hardware or your driver is at fault?"


Sorry to be so lost about this, but you know what you mean when you speak so concisely, while I see numerous things I don't understand, all strung together.

I am curious as to why this thread has been pegged as the stupid thread of the month. I have been installing gear for 10 years and have not had a need to make a network crossconnect, so it is something I have not learned, until now, and I am sure I am not the only one who has not encountered this need. I admit I am not the best or most experienced installer out their, but I am very confident in my A/V related skills, and as we move forward with the merging of computer based products and applications with the A/V world I am sure more questions will arise. I will be sure to ask AV Dude for help in the future. Thanks man.

Ernie,

There's probably a lot of installers out there in the same situation as yourself,

I'm sure there are many good websites out there detailing the basics of this stuff,

For the basics, try this one:

[Link: wown.com]


Chris.

First, this is in no way a stupid thread. We all asked these questions sometime and learned it somewhere. If you're spoofing... well, hopefully this will help someone, sometime and you got me. :) To answer the quick question on using a cable w/out a switch, yes - your pin-outs will be like this:

First end (from left to right with the clip on the bottom and the pins away from you...)

orange w/white stripe
Solid orange (or white with orange stripe)
Green w/white stripe
solid blue (or white with blue stripe)
blue w/white stripe
solid green or white w/green stripe
brown w/white stripe
solid brown or white with brown stripe

Other end:

Green w/white stripe
Green
Orange w/white stripe
blue
blue w/white stripe
orange
brown w/white stripe
brown

Hence, the statement above which indicates to "just swap the orange and green pairs". For the rest that follows, this is directed (hopefully to help you as well) towards the guy who wants to simply share a printer...



A MAC address is a unique identifier that every ethernet card has - he's trying to impress you and it doesn't really matter for your purposes. Don't confuse it with a Macintosh computer [shudder] or a mack daddy. ;-)



DHCP (in case you're curious) is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. In layman's terms - it assigns addresses to every device connected and set to receive one so they can all talk nice. In your case, Windows will do it for you - don't worry about it.


No - you don't have to manually assign the addresses - Windows does that for you when set to DHCP (the actual setting is "automatically assign IP address" and finding no DHCP server - again - don't sweat it for your application.


Nor do you need to


That makes things interesting - that's a wireless ethernet connection. Are you sure you have it up and running? Do you have a wireless access point or router?



This is a good troubleshooting tool, but I'd say only use it if you cannot see the other PC.


Forget about that, too.

To accomplish what you want, simply connect the cross-over cable and (just for kicks and grins) reboot your PC's. Click on start (maybe settings next, if you're running an older O/S) and choose "printers and faxes". Right click the printer you want to share and choose properties. Click the tab labeled "sharing". Share the printer. Click apply and then OK. Add the printer on the other PC. If you need more help, please feel free to e-mail me.

This message was edited by RC Geek on 12/22/04 16:59 ET.

sorry, I was having a really bad day, and put up with customer after customer who didn't give me the information I needed to answer their questions.

The same thing happened here, and Mr 2 Channel DID call me on it, and also admitted that all the information to answer his question was not given.

Again, I apologize.