Can I make a network between two computers without a switch and 3 network cards?

Question

I have a local area network. I want to put two netkowork cards in 1 PC, and 1 in another. I want to use the first computer in LAN, and use the first computer as a bridge with the second network adapter. Can I connect the second NIC to the other PCs network card directly? (without using a switch or a hub). I have windows 98 in the first computer, and XP or 2000 on the second.

Answer 1

Why use a machine in as a bridge? By the time you have fiddled with this to get it running and had to buy 3 cards and a cross-over cable, and then suffered the usual unreliability of this you would be better off buying a router (assuming you are after a shared internet connection) and 2 cards with standard cables, which will then configure the whole thing for you.

Answer 2

Make sure your network cable should direct crimp (PC to PC on NIC 2) not for broadband router to NIC 1.

NIC 1. integrated NIC used for DSL connection, FTP, all public internet needs, etc.

NIC 2. PCI NIC used for PC2.

The NIC's should configured as follows:

1. Integrated using DHCP for DSL with the DHCP using the Subnet of 192.168.x.x

2. PCI NIC using public IP like 192.x.x.x

Now you run the Home networking wizard.

Thanks

Answer 3

Yes, it's possible, but you need a special cable to connect the two computers directly, without switch or hub in between. It's called an "Ethernet crossover cable".

For more information, see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_cr...