Should be easy question

[Monster1]

Is it possible to network with out hub or router..resond I ask is I have tryed to do this on my two computers and I get no indication of any activity (no lights)..

I was convinced that my nics were fried but when I hooked them up to a cable modem individully (using the same cat5 to hook the two together) they both worked great..my guess is a hub would gives that little extra power to let them communicate?

[BipolarBill]

Heh. Wrong! :p

You are in full collision with a standard patch cable between 2 NICs. You need a crossover (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=28&pcount=&Product_Id=9395&Section.Section_Path=%2FCables%2FNetworking%2F) cable. You can get one at CompUSA for about $15 or your favorite local transistor shop for $7.99. These cables are usually clearly labeled as crossover - either on the package or on the cable insulation itself.

[Monster1]

Man ..you ROCK..ThankYou..even gave me link

Can you tell me what the difference is?

[BipolarBill]

Standard patch cables are for connection to a hub and are straight through color to color. The hub handles re-routing and matches wires.

In the case of a PC to PC connection, the data lines actually collide because the proper colors do not coincide with the pins on one NIC. Picture these as different color lines:

red ________________________ red
green ________________________ green
yellow________________________ yellow
blue________________________ blue

Let's say the right end matches the NIC pins correctly. Now imagine the left end being a matching PC. Uh-oh...they're now reversed! This won't work. Here's a link. (http://www.whcs.com.au/services/network/xover.htm)

[Monster1]

Like I said ,you ROCK...I followed your first link and made my own..its not quite what they said but it works..I just choppped my cat 5 about a foot from one side of the connection and stripped and twisted them together..I was really surprised that it even worked

Once again..thanks..I LOVE THIS FORUM

[BipolarBill]

Iraq! Iran! Hehe... :D

I know this sh*t because I've screwed it up enough times to remember it. :rolleyes:

People will tell you that they are smart when they really are just daring. "Oh sure...this is how I would cast a broken leg..." Although we are loath to take advice from such sources, they are often the best ones because they had hands-on (or legs-on!) experience.

;)

[Monster1]

Yep..Thats the best way to learn...I fought with this problem for 3 days now..I will NEVER forget how to fix the problem now