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
PHILEX 75081R 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 [Philex part
no = 70543RE for the 3 meter length]. 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. 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.
.
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