[davidg47]

Hello everyone... I hope you will be patient with me if this is too basic of a question. I have searched a few sites looking for a diagram instructing on how to do this, but my search has not been fruitful. I have the opportunity to set up a small network of 8 computers running Windows XP SP1. 4 of the computers are connected to one 5 port switch, and the other 4 computers are connected to another 5 port switch. One of the switches has a CAT5 cable running to a DSL modem, and the switches are connected to each other via a cross-over cable. All of the computers connect to the internet without too much of a problem, although the connection is slow when all of them are connecting at the same time. But now the client wants all of the computers to connect to each other and see each other so they can play networked games. Now I know how to set IP addresses so computers can see each other, but when I get away from "Obtain IP Address Automatically", I am lost as to how to get the computers to connect to the internet with static IP addresses.
Can someone please tell me how to set up TCP/IP so they can all see each other, and connect to the internet?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Dave

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Hello there, well, if all of the machines are already connecting to the internet, then you are already the majority of the way there. Here is what you do, on one of the computers (doesn't matter which), click Start>Run, type; cmd press enter. Once the command prompt opens up, type; ipconfig /all. You will get quite a bit of info there. We are only mainly looking for 4 things:
IP Address = ?
Subnet mask = ?
Default Gateway = ?
DNS Servers = ?

Then go to the link in my signature and select the "Static IP Address Tutorial". Hopefully it will help you enough to understand what to enter in the fields. Please repost with status or questions.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[Greazy]

Hello there, well, if all of the machines are already connecting to the internet, then you are already the majority of the way there. Here is what you do, on one of the computers (doesn't matter which), click Start>Run, type; cmd press enter. Once the command prompt opens up, type; ipconfig /all. You will get quite a bit of info there. We are only mainly looking for 4 things:
IP Address = ?
Subnet mask = ?
Default Gateway = ?
DNS Servers = ?

Then go to the link in my signature and select the "Static IP Address Tutorial". Hopefully it will help you enough to understand what to enter in the fields. Please repost with status or questions.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[davidg47]

Hi Greazy,
Thanks for your reply, and your advice. But, before I totally screw things up, I need a little more advice.
When I run ipconfig /all, I get the following info back from one of the computers:
IP Address: 10.32.11.43
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.248
Default Gateway: 10.32.11.41
Preferred DNS Server: 10.32.11.41

I know you said in your tutorial that if we get anything other than 255.255.255.0 that we should ask what to do in the forum, so here I am.

Once again, I think I should describe the setup here. There are 8 computers all connected with Cat 5 cable to a switch. The switch has a Cat 5 cable connecting directly to a DSL modem. (there is no router in the configuration) If all of the computers are set to Obtain IP Address Automatically and Obtain DNS Automatically, then they all connect to the internet just fine, BUT they cannot see each other within the workgroup.
Also, if I change each of their addresses to the address provided when I run ipconfig /all, they all connect to the internet just fine. But, if I change the IP addresses to say 192.168.0.1, .2, .3, .4 etc on up to .8, then they do not connect to the internet anymore. I followed your tutorial to the letter a couple of times, and even tried some creative stuff after that failed, so now I need more advice.
Thanks again for your help and advice.
David

[Greazy]

First off, I am very surprised that they all connect and speak to the default gateway. The way your subnet mask is set, you should only have 8 IPs on your network, that's including the gateway. The range that the machine you showed the configuration for should be able to speak to, is: 10.32.11.40-10.32.11.47. However, with this configuration, .40 is the network address, and .47 is the broadcast address, that leaves you with 6 hosts, one of which is the default gateway, .41, this leaves you with only room for 5 hosts to communicate. Your modem is giving out the IP addresses, which means it's information is 10.32.11.41, with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.248. Somehow you are getting lucky by this not causing a conflict of IP address assignment.

To fix:
Cross our fingers that we can reconfigure the address that your modem is using, and the addresses it is giving out. (DHCP) I'm not sure what model your modem is or the features it carries. You may have information as to how to access the configuration in the modem that your ISP could have possibly given you. If you have no access to the Modem, I recommend the second option.

OR

You purchase a small router, doesn't need to be anything fancy, and insert it between the modem and the switches. I would recommend a simple router. The ports it would need is a WAN port, and AT LEAST 2 switch ports, if it has more that's fine but the UPLINK port(if any) doesn't count for a switch port.

What we are trying to accomplish, is to establish a network that can have all of your hosts connected at once. If all of them are able to connect to the internet at one time as is, I am very surprised, and do not see how that is possible. The IP scheme that you are using internally is too small for 8 computers. If we can change the subnet mask in the modem, we may have a shot at not spending anything.

The thing is, by using only the switches, we can set up the internal network to do what you want, but there would be no internet.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[peterm]

Hi Greazy
should David be checking the settings on the internal network
and make sure they are all on the same workgroup ?
It sounds like some may be members of a different group if they can talk to one another 1st then the rest should be easy. I used to have 1 server 1 modem and 20 computers all talking to one another and to the internet with no routers.
Just a thought.

[Greazy]

Yes, no doubt, you can connect lots of computers together without a router, but with the IP addresses the modem is handing out, there arent enough to support 8 hosts besides the router. I'm only suggesting the purchase of a router if he cannot configure the modem. Using the subnet mask that his machines are using, they are only capable of speaking to the range of 8 addresses mentioned in my last post. Since 3 of them are "used", that only leaves 5 open IP addresses left on the 10.32.11.40 network.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[davidg47]

Hi Greazy and PeterM,
Thanks for your advice. Actually Greazy, I am getting conflict messages every now and then. So I think I should go the Router route. (LOL) But, the problem is that I live in a third world country, and any technology at all is extremely expensive, and if I order it from out of the country, I pay huge shipping fees, and then huge taxes when it gets here to the country.
Anyway, I will try your suggestion, and get back to you when I recieve it.
Thanks for adding your wisdom PeterM... I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.
Thanks again,
David in Central America

[Greazy]

Hey there Peter, just curious, when you had that setup, I'm assuming that you were connected as: modem ------>server ----->hub/switch --------> 20 computers, ? If so, then you were using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), which actually turns your PC into a router of sorts. Turning one public IP address, into another IP scheme and distributing multiple internal addresses to the network. All goes back through one PC that is directly connected, routing packets to the internet using a technology known as NAT/PAT. If this is not correct, I would love to know how you did it.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[davidg47]

Hey Peter,
Yeah... I second that request... I'd like to know how you did that too!
David

[peterm]

Sorry for the delay guys internet has been down for nearly a week
Yes Greazy as you put it modem> server(using ICS)hub/switch> 20 computers
Had changed the modem to have static IP and the server was running as DHCP but will also work if all are static.

[Greazy]

Right, either way, using ICS, the computer does turn into a router. You HAVE to have a router in order to connect two unlike networks. Cannot be done with out. Unless you use NetBIOS and then only have a network that will not route. (NetBIOS is a non-routable protocol). Not tryin to bust your chops or anything, just inform is all.

Greazy Mcgeezy

[peterm]

I use tcpip

[davidg47]

Hey Guys,
Interesting conversation here... but I need to drop back and run in another direction now. geeze!
Anyway, as I said, the place here has 8 computers. And now they have decided they only want 4 of them to access the internet, and the other 4 to be strictly for game playing. But, they want all 8 of the computers to be able to see each other, and for all 8 of the computers to be able to play network playable games. So, the current setup is 4 of the computers are on one switch, the other 4 computers are on another switch. There is a cross-over cable between the switches. And, one of the switches has a CAT5 that connects to the DSL modem. The 4 computers that are connected to the switch with the cable to the modem have internet access. How can I set up the TCP/IP so that all 8 computers can see each other and allow network capable games to be played between them?
Thanks again for all of your help and advice.
Dave

[Greazy]

Hello David, man, I wish I could work for a company that changed their minds that much. I BET YOU ARE MAKING A FORTUNE!!! LOL, but seriously, there are a couple of ways that you can do this. I am in the process of making you a diagram of the easiest solution.

EDIT: In the process of making the diagram, something you said doesn't work out quite right. In your very first post you said,

4 of the computers are connected to one 5 port switch, and the other 4 computers are connected to another 5 port switch. One of the switches has a CAT5 cable running to a DSL modem, and the switches are connected to each other via a cross-over cable.

This only gives you 10 ports to play with total. If you have 4 computers on each switch, that only leaves you with one open one on each. How are you connecting the switches with a crossover cable, AND connecting one switch to the modem?


Greazy Mcgeezy

Edited by Greazy, 05 July 2005 - 02:26 AM.

[peterm]

8 computers = 8 ports 1 to modem =9 1 to crossover =10
to 5 port hubs = 10