Hi Strum, long time no hear (on here).

You can network two PC's via a single ethernet cable, both will need an ethernet card fitted. the one with the modem connected would share the Internet connection with the other. This is using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). The downside of ICS is that the main PC must be on for it to work.

The other way is to use a router, each PC can be connected via ethernet to the router andeach one can connect independentlyof the other.

Third option is to use a wireless router. you will need a wireless adapter on the PC that is using the wireless connection the main PC being connected via ethernet.

Configuration will depend on which method you choose.

Is this what you wanted to know?

Hi Dave and thanks for that. Exactly what I needed to know, yes they both have the ethernet cards and my main pc is always on anyway. Is there much configuration to be done so the pc's recognise each other?
So 2 different OS's being XP and Win98 won't clash then?

Maybe theres some more answers in Fleas topic underneath...havn't checked out his links yet..thanks as always! Hope you're well mate! :) 

I don't think you can get a cable like you suggest Strum. You could possibly make one, but then you may have problems with the modem.

A router is your best option as, so I understand, Win 98 can be a bit fussy when using ICS. I've never done it that way, would have to 'Google' for the methods. I seem to remember more than one topic at CA that dealt with XP and 98 networked with ICS - the expert there is mgmcc. Try a search on the topics there too.

Something I saved some time ago from a CA post:

OK, you need to enable "Internet Connection Sharing" on the Dialup connection in the PC whose modem connects to the phone line. This should automatically allocate the IP address 192.168.0.1 subnet 255.255.255.0 to the Local Area Connection (network adapter) in that PC. If it doesn't, enter these settings.

The other PCs should be set to get their IP addresses automatically and they will get addresses in the 192.168.0.xxx range from the 'host' PC.

Any firewall software needs to be configured to allow access to the IP addresses of all PCs. You can find the IP addresses of the 'client' PCs by going to "Start > Run" typing cmd (for Win XP) or command (for Win 98/ME) and clicking OK. In the Command Prompt box that opens, type ipconfig /all and press Enter. Although the 'client' PCs get their IP address automatically, once allocated the address shouldn't normally change.

For all of this to work, the 'host' PC should be running before booting the 'client' PCs, so that it can allocate IP addresses to the 'clients'.


AND THIS (Firewall details)

What you need to establish from IPCONFIG is the first three "octets" of the IP address, e.g. 192.168.0 or 192.168.1 or 192.168.2 etc.

Configuring Zone Alarm with a Subnet, i.e. entering the first three octets of your network address and "0" as the final octet allows access to all IP address in the subnet.

For example, 192.168.2.0 will allow access to all addresses from 192.168.2.1 to 192.168.2.254

However, after clicking "Add" in Zone Alarm's Trusted Zone, you must select "Subnet" (not IP Address or IP Range).

The "free" version of Zone Alarm works OK if it is configured correctly, i.e. the "Internet Zone Security" level in the host PC must be reduced from High to Medium, or "ICS" traffic will be blocked, and in the Trusted Zone the subnet used by ICS should be entered in both computers:

Click "Add", select "Subnet" and enter:

IP address - 192.168.0.0

Subnet mask - 255.255.255.0

Description - {anything} but it needs an entry.

Click OK then, in the main window, click Apply.

I did at one time try the "Pro" version of Zone Alarm, but found it to be total pain in the neck and very quickly dumped it in favour of the free version.


If you are connecting the two computers directly and have enabled "Internet Connection Sharing" on the actual internet (modem) connection in the "host" PC, open Zone Alarm, select the Firewall tab at the left and then the Zones tab at the top.

Click the "Add" button and select "Subnet", enter:

IP address - 192.168.0.0

Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0

Description - {anything} but it needs an entry.

Click "OK" and then, back in the main window, click "Apply" and close Zone Alarm.

Using a "Subnet" in conjunction with the IP address 192.168.0.0 means that Zone Alarm will allow access to all IP addresses from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.254 so it won't matter if the client PC's IP address, which it gets from the "host" PC, changes.

In Zone Alarm in the host PC, the "Internet Zone Security" level must be reduced from High to Medium or ICS traffic will be blocked and the "client" PC won't get online.

Stum,

Dont forget you cant get updates from microsoft anymore for 98 so if you did hit troule via virus wise or driver needs updating then that is where you could run in a problem.

Strum,

The PC isn't a high enough spec for XP. Memory and hard drive are both too small.

I wouldn't use it for Internet either - there's a lot of content that wouldn't perform too well on it.  The best use would be for your kids to use (older games etc), word processing and other office tasks, maybe to back up some data too.

If you were to keep it as stand alone, no web access, you wouldn't have any security issues to worry about. Any files/programs added to it could be checked with your main PC for viruses or nasties first.