I finally broke down and got a cable connection. Sure did solve all the DUN problems I had been trying to get around. However 2 or 3 problems have shown up that suggest I need some advice.

My box runs XP Pro, one box runs Win2000 (Pro? - I don't have the source disks for this one) and the other box runs Win 98.

Currently I have a router and can provide Internet connections to the others, however my printer will not support any network other than one driven by the XP box. Hence the question.

What is the impact if I put 2 LAN cards in the XP box and just run the network through the 5 port switch rather than through the 4 port cable router? I am sure I can provide printer services to all that way but am not sure about parental controls (which I can set on the cable router by ip number).

Advice please.

Fred, can you post more details about the 4 port cable router ?
I'm thinking it is probably a switch/hub as well as router and you should be able to share the printer through it (as a locally installed printer on one of the PC's)
For simplicity's sake you may want to install and share the printer on the Win98 PC.

Also, for your info, Windows 2000 comes in 4 flavours; Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server. There is no "Home" version like there is with Windows XP (probably windows ME is closest, but not really that similar really)

Let me do this one backwards so it makes some sense.

The printer is an HP 1000 which cannot be upgraded to any network protocol other than that provided by 'Doz. I checked when no machine on the network could see the printer hung off the XP box. It is possible I configured the network improperly since printer services used to be available to all users.

After making sure the cable modem (which hooked up to the network card on the XP box) properly, I moved its connection to the WAN port on the router. I then put a cat 5 cable (NOT A PASS THROUGH CABLE) from the router to the network card on the XP box.

Logistically the printer needs to stay on the XP box.

The answer to your quesion is Windows 2000 Professional and a D-Link DI-604 running firmware 3.38

QUOTE

What is the impact if I put 2 LAN cards in the XP box and just run the network through the 5 port switch rather than through the 4 port cable router?

The impact is that you would need to leave the XP Box on any time that any other computer wanted to use the internet. The LAN would be available through the switch.

If you can make it work through the switch, it will work through the Cable/DSL router because the 4 LAN ports are a switch (if you unplug the Cable/DSL modem from it, it becomes a switch).

QUOTE

I then put a cat 5 cable (NOT A PASS THROUGH CABLE) from the router to the network card on the XP box.

If you have access to the Internet with this configuration, then you have a "Straight-Thru", or "Pass-Thru" cable, which is what you should have. The other is a "Crossover" which crosses the transmit pair from one side to the receive pair on the other. When you use a router, switch, hub, etc, they do this cross-over aspect internally.

I suspect that you don't have your network settings selected properly - how about posting what you have, including Computer Names, Workgroup Name, Protocols, Sharing, etc. ?

In addition, it may help to get your router settings.

if you want to make it real simple get a print server!

http://www.linksys.com/products/group.asp?...grid=34&scid=32

Neojd78,
Thanks for that suggestion, but (in case you missed the clues) I a cheapskate. The real answer was to turn off both firewalls ('Doz and Norton) and reset the printer addresses on the 98 and 2000 system. Once the printer services were tested I then (FINALLY) properly configured both firewalls.

Alfons, thanks for your comments because that was what drove me to break it down in parts and stumble on the problem. Duh....

Anyway, thanks guys.

Wonder if anyone knows how to switch OS from one box (that is being retired) to another without the source disks. I will ask on the OS forum.