Windows networking / wireless router???

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Gambit37
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Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Gambit37 »

When I get my new PC finally setup, I need to copy all the data from the old PC to the new.

I don't currently have any kind of router, so what's the simplest (and cheapest) way of linking these two machines together? The old one is on XP, the new will be on Win 7. Reading around it seems like I could get a basic ethernet switch and then set both machines to have static IPs to build a simple home network group.

Is this enough? Or should I invest in a router anyway -- since at some point in the future I'll be getting a laptop and will want to share the internet connection? If a router is a better option, can anyone recommend a good wireless router that will work with Virgin Cable Broadband. I've just spent several hours looking at reviews of routers and it seems like everything sucks!!!
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beowuuf
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by beowuuf »

Cross over cable. My motherboard has an ethernet port built in, thank god, because the wireless card decided not to play nice with win7 (or mechanically failed)

I'd invest in a router anyway. And shouldn't you get a router with the broadband package? If not, the one my previous house had supplied was a sitecom. I personally have used netgear. My current one is a Thomson. None of these wowed me, nor concerned me really.
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Gambit37
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Gambit37 »

Funny that, I've never received a router from Virgin in any of three properties where I've been their customer. Looks like they have been dissling me all these years! I've always just plugged my PC directly into the cable modem. I mentioned this on another forum and someone had a go at me for poor security. I've never had any problems -- anything weird coming in has been caught by my software firewall and I deny it. *shrug*.
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Bit
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Bit »

Maybe they just assumed that you have those devices already.
I got a wireless router from - erm - linksys I think. I just lately used it the first time wireless having a notebook now. If the cable is still enough, use the cable. I'd say, having 128-bit-encryption on the wlan is safe enough. (hope so!).
With the notebook there came a Win7-starter edition. This does not allow to set up a new 'homenetwork', but participate on existing Win7-network. Now... my old main computer has still Win98, and not really a high-level 'homenetwork'... Took me a while to configure the stuff, can only r/w from the notebook, but, somehow there's a way now to move datas.
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Chaos-Shaman
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

Gambit37 wrote:When I get my new PC finally setup, I need to copy all the data from the old PC to the new.


I don't currently have any kind of router, so what's the simplest (and cheapest) way of linking these two machines together? The old one is on XP, the new will be on Win 7. Reading around it seems like I could get a basic ethernet switch and then set both machines to have static IPs to build a simple home network group.

Is this enough? Or should I invest in a router anyway -- since at some point in the future I'll be getting a laptop and will want to share the internet connection? If a router is a better option, can anyone recommend a good wireless router that will work with Virgin Cable Broadband. I've just spent several hours looking at reviews of routers and it seems like everything sucks!!!

why not just place the new drive in the old computer, file transfer, or vice versa. you might be better off doing a complete new reinstall and backing it up. it will probably boost the computers speed if it's a clean install.

nothing beats a WIRED router, unless you can't run the cable, use a WIRED router. faster/safer, and cheaper. they are getting harder to find. my son loves it. he plays WOW and all those shoot em up games, they accuse him of cheating, but it's cause he has a faster connection with a wired router. he also now has dual lan that he does not even know about yet, hehehehe...
keep your gor coin handy
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Gambit37
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Gambit37 »

My old drives are IDE, new machine is SATA so I can't put the old drives in the new machine. Anyway, I don't want to mess around pulling the old machine apart.

Most modern wireless routers also have ports for wired connections. All the ones I've looked at have 4 ethernet ports, so I could buy a wireless router for future proofing but still use it right now as a network hub for connecting the two machines by using cat5 cables.

However, I think the crossover cable is the simplest solution in the short-term. I'll try it that way.
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

that's good. heh, the crossover reminds me of the old twin program for the amiga. it's probably the cheapest way to go gambit37. if it's under 64 gig, grab a pen drive and just put it on that, or even a blueray copier will do. you could also look for a ide\sata converter connector. you'll probably need the blueray drive, and the pen drives have gone down considerably in price. real cheap to buy converter, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822998001
i do not have one, there are so many, so shop around gambit37
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Gambit37
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Gambit37 »

Cheers, maybe a big pen drive is just as good :-) And call me Gambit :-)
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Re: Windows networking / wireless router???

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

my pleasure gambit
keep your gor coin handy
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