Stupid question I know, but ??? [NETWORKING]

[theonlytazman]

Sorry guys & gals this is going to be a stupid thread I know but we're not so bright down here (ie can't figure out how to do). SO please can someone send us a kids version of how to do it PLEASE?

What we want to do?

Allow all computers in our peer-to-peer network to be able to log onto the Internet via our wireless & wired router.

Hardware information ...

11 PC's running a mixture of Win 98, ME & XP (HE & Pro)
All on a peer-to-peer network
Main machine which we use to store our data is running Win ME
Router is a Netgear DG824M (ie wireless & wired (4 LAN ports)) connected to PC3 via a standard CAT5 cable
PC3 is connected other machines wirelessly using a Netgear MA111 via a wireless access point (Netgear ME102) connected to our network via a wired CAT5 cable.
Router & other pc connection on PC3 is perfect - no problems
Other machines can see the other pc's again with no problem
The data machine (or what we call the main/server machine) has an IP address of 192.168.0.1 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
The router also has a default IP address of 192.168.0.1
No conflicts occur on PC3 though
PC3 cannot see the network & the router wirelessly, a wired connection to the network is needed - can you not have more than 1 wireless AP - and then it has no problems
As soon as we connect the router to the main pc or onto the main network (ie take out the WAP and use the Wireless WAP of the router instead) we get an IP conflict on the main PC (as it too has an IP address of 192.168.0.1)
Someone has mentioned we should use DHCP but we still don't have a clue

What we want?

What is the best hardware structure for us (ie where is it best to connect the router and do we need the other WAP then?)
How do we then get the other pc's to log onto the internet using it - is it wired or wirelessly?
Is it secure?

BASICALLY WE NEED HELP!!!

So please someone show us a BABY way of doing this that works & is safe

We have tried ICS but to no avail at the moment!!!

HELP! WE NEED ASSISTANCE

 

[bcastner]

I would be happy to help if you told me how PC3 accesses the internet. Or more generally, are you using broadband or a dial-up connection?

 

[theonlytazman]

Sorry about that

We've currently got ADSL 1MB connection using the Netgear DG824M Router/Modem/WAP/Network Hub etc...

It works brilliantly on PC3

PC3 is connected to the rest of the network via a wireless USB card onto the network via a WAP connected to the network itself via a CAT5 cable

PC3 connects to the router via a CAT 5 cable

PC3 can be seen by all the pc's in the office

The main server has an IP address of 192.168.0.1

All pc's linked on a peer to peer network

Router is giving out an address of 192.168.0.1 also (so conflicts with main pc if connected to main network)

With 2 wireless AP's in the office, laptops (centrino) & wireless devices seem to act funny (ie on one occasion a laptop was able to log onto the net (via the wireless broadband router) but couldn't then log onto our network so we had to change the settings)

Hope that helps?

 

[bcastner]

Remove the usb device from PC3.

All clients should be set in TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automaticly"

The Access Points should be given static IP addresses 192.168.0.250, and 192.168.0.251 or some other non-conflicting IP with the DHCP scope of the router. The access points should have DHCP disabled; all DHCP services should come from the wired ethernet router.

ICS is not needed in this setting. Each client PC will obtain from the router DHCP server a non-conflicting IP, a Gateway address (the router IP) and a DNS address (again, the router IP).

The router is the key: it offers NAT local private LAN addresses that do not conflict; it offers DNS address resolution for your local LAN, and forwarding to the internet for non-local addresses.

You do not need to "multihome" PC3 or use ICS. The router can handle all of this easily. PC3 should use only a wired connection to the router, or a wireless connection, but not both. It has no special status if you setup everything correctly. It has no server role. It is just a regular client on the network and the internet.

 

[theonlytazman]

Thanks for that but it still seems like a foreign language to me : DHCP settings etc...

Without the USB device how do I "log" onto the network?

1 Wireless AP is connected direct to the network hub and the other is part of the router which is then connected wirelessly to PC3

Can you post me a babies guide on how to set up an internet sharing system under our present system. (ie where do I go to change settings or whatever)

By babies guide I DO mean as simple as possible so that a novice could do it (ie a walkthrough of sorts?)

Hope you can oblige?

 

[bcastner]

You do not need ICS, "Internet Connection Sharing."

You do not want this either.

Quote: "Router is a Netgear DG824M (ie wireless & wired (4 LAN ports)) connected to PC3 via a standard CAT5 cable"

There is no reason for PC3 to have both a wireless and a wired connection in this instance. Leave the wired connection, and follow the advice above.