How to Network Two Windows 95/98
Computers
Last updated: 1/17/2000
OBTAIN AND INSTALL THE HARDWARE
 Step
1... Purchase two network interface cards. If you have a computer
with a PCI bus, I recommend that you purchase PCI, Plug 'n Play, 100 Mhz
Fast Ethernet adapters. The AOpen ALN-320 and ALN-315, and
the D-Link
DFE-530TX are good examples.
Network Interface Cards are also known as network
adapter cards and Ethernet adapters.
Measure
for, and make or buy a CAT 5 crossover cable. Detailed instructions
and installation tips are available in How
To Make Your Own Network Cables.
I recommend using solid-core CAT 5 cable. It
can be up to 100 Meters long, about the length of a football field. If
you use stranded-wire, the maximum allowed length is
3 meters or about 10 feet. Stranded wire cables are handy for carrying
around with notebook computers with PCMCIA Ethernet cards installed.
When buying a cable... if
the sequence of the color of the wires is identical, when holding the
two RJ-45 plugs alongside each other, with the clips away from you, it
is a straight-through cable, not a crossover cable, and it won't work.
Do not run your network cable above ground
outside of a building. It presents a very dangerous lightning hazard.
(Please)
read the instructions that came with your network adapters.
Install
the network adapters. Network adapters install pretty much the
same way; however, installation steps do vary from adapter to adapter. See
my article on Installing the AOpen
ALN-320 and my review of the DFE-530TX for
examples. In general, you would follow these steps:
- Shut-down Windows and turn-off the computer.
- Unplug the power cord.
- Remove the cover.
- Locate a free PCI expansion-board slot (they are usually
white).
- Unscrew and remove an expansion board dust cover in
back of the slot.
- Insert the network adapter into the slot and secure
with the screw.
- Push down on the top front of the network adapter to
make sure it is fully seated in its socket.
- Plug-in the power cord and boot-up the computer.
- Windows should detect the adapter and install one of
it's drivers or ask for the floppy disk or CD-ROM that came with the adapter. It
should find a configuration or .inf file on the floppy or CD if it is located
in the root directory. If not you will have to point Windows to the
appropriate directory; i.e., specify a location and browse to it. Do
not skip files. They should be somewhere on the media that came with
the adapter or on the Windows CD/floppies.
- Repeat for the other computer.
Firmly
plug the crossover cable into the RJ-45 jacks on back of the adapters
in each PC.
Do not bend the cable tighter than four
times it's diameter.
.
< Previous Page | Contents | Top | Next
- Install the software >
|
