Preparation

We will start this forum discussion by discussing how to setup and configure a simple Peer to Peer network.

The first thing we should talk about is what devices you need and they do.

You need at least two Computers in good working condition.

You need two Network Interface Cards, commonly known as NICs. The most common are 10/100 and for most people these will do just fine.

You will also need what they call patch cords, which are cables with RJ45 connectors on each end.

You may need a switch or hub, they are pretty much the same thing except how they work inside. This device handles all the communications between the devices.

A simple network is one in which you install a NIC in all machines and then you place the machines in their location and you connect a patch cord from each machine to switch. The lights should be on each port that you have connect to a machine as long as the machine is on.

The next step is to configure each machine to work with each other and the last step is to create a login script on each machine so you can use a workstation as a server.

Neal Johnson
Partner
Top Notch Networks