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2 or more computers with Network Interface Cards (NICs)
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1 Hub
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Connecting Cables
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Driver Software
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Computer configuration
Computers
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HP 8380 with Netgear FA 310TX NIC card in PCI slot
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Sony VAIO PCG-Z505SX Laptop with built-in 10/100Base-T LAN
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Generic 486-DX66 with Netgear EA201c NIC in ISA slot
Hub
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Netgear DS106 auto select 10 or 100 Base-T, 6 ports
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If only 2 computers are to be connected a hub is not required.
Use
a crossover cable as described at the World
of Windows Networking
Cables
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For short runs between the Hub and Computers - off the shelf CAT5 RJ-45
cables with either T568A or T568B wiring will work fine.
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Note that for 100Base-T all 4 pairs are required.
Premises Wiring
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If CAT5 cable is installed in a building then you will need the
following:
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Spool of CAT5 cable. Typical size is 1000'. The cable has a
printed footage count and the first number should be written on the box
to help you know how much you are pulling. There are 4 pairs in
the
cable with color coding consisting of 4 solid colors (Orange, Blue,
Green
and Brown) and the same colors with a white stripe.
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Common single switch (or socket) type electtical box with 2 screw holes
on the vertical center line 3 1/4" apart. This is the standard
hole
pattern for a house wall switch or duplex socket. For adding the
box after the wallboard is already installed you can get boxes that
have
ears that rotate behind the wall board and do not need to be located
next
to a stud.
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A face plate to hold the Keystone
RJ-45 Jacks
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One to Six Jacks depending on the number of places the face plate
supports.
Note that the jacks can be chosen from a list that includes phone
jacks,
BNC(f) LAN jack or a fiber optic connection.
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The jack wiring is not in T-568A/B order because there are 2 rows of
IDC
contacts, you need to follow the color code on the jack.
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8P8C - Eight Position Eight Contact plugs (RJ-45 plugs) come in various
size bags. I got a bag of 50 each. These do NOT fit sockets
before the contacts are crimped onto the cable wires.
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Note that the plugs are NOT wired with 4 pairs in a row. Instead
they are wired:
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a pair on pins 1 & 2 [Wht/Grn & Grn
for T568A, Wht/Org & Org
for T568B]
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a pair split between pins 3 & 6 { Wht/Org
& Org for T568A, Wht/Grn
& Grn for T568B]
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a pair on pins 4 Blu & 5 Wht/Blu
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a pair on pins 7 Wht/Brn & 8 Brn
There are 8*7*6*5*4*3*2*1 ways to wire a plug but only 4*3*2*1*2 will
work
and only 2 of these are standards.
More information is at World of Windows
Networking.
If the two ends of a normal (not crossover) cable are held side by
side pointing up with the latch down
The colors of both will be the same. For T568B
they will be: w/O, O, w/G, Bl, w/Bl, G, w/Br, Br.
- If the two left colors on a plug are Green you have a
T568A. Note
that both the T568A and T568B work exactly the same, the only
difference
is which pairs are assigned to what pins. Note that the "Space
Shuttle
Verified" 3' cable that I got at Fry's has the T568B colors above
but is labeled "EIA/TIA-568A", so you see the A or B does not make any
difference.
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Crimp Tool for installing the 8P8C plugs. These are available in
cheap and professional versions. I got the Ideal "Telemaster
Crimp
Tool" Cat. No. 30-496 that is for RJ-11 (2, 4, or 6 position) [standard
telephone line connectors] and RJ-45 (8 position plugs) for
networks.
This model will cut cable, strip it (short or long stops built-in) and
crimp either 2 through 6 positions or in a separate hole 8
positions.
If when using the stripper function the handles are closed tightly, the
insulation on the wires may be nicked or a wire may be cut. It's
best to only very lightly nick the outer sheath and then pull it off by
hand.
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In order to route the CAT5 cable through walls you can get an alarm
installer's
long drill bit. These come up to 72" long and have a hole in the
point of the bit so that after the drill is through you can attach a
lead
pull and as the drill is pulled our of the hole it pulls the lead
out.
Then the cable and be attached to the lead and pulled back. There
are a lot of gimmicks to aid in installing cable after a building has
been
built. See Mike Sandman's web page
for more on this topic.
Driver Software
This comes with the NIC cards. I had some trouble getting the
FA310tx
driver to stick. The 24 hour support line at Netgear helped solve
what turned out to be dirty connectors on the card. This phone
support
is a very valuable thing to have when setting up networks.
Protocol
NetBEUI - This
is
the simplest to use in a peer to peer network like what I am doing
here.
If a separate server computer is being used then TCP/IP or some other
protocol
will be used. In my case the Sony must be configured with
TCP/IPfor
my work usage. I also prefer TCP/IP because LabVIEW has features
that support TCP/IP.
BOTH NetBEUI and TCP/IP can be installed at the same time. I
needed
to install NetBEUI on the laptop and desktop machines so that I can see
the old 486 in the garage. As of 3/12/00 I have three computers
all
talking to each other!
Netgear phone support implemented TCP/IP and to get it to work set
the
IP address of the TCP/IP Netgear adapter to:
192.168.0.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 on the laptop and
192.168.0.2,
with the same subnet mask on my desktop.
Networking Home PCs for Dummies
ISBN 0-7645-0491-6
This book has the basics but you will need the Netgear 24/7 phone
support or an equavilent quality phone support system to get the
network
up and running.
This is a product made by Quantum.
It is a box containing 1, 2 or 4 drives (the first digit of their model
number is the number of drives).
The model 2000 can be configured for RAID level 0 (one big drive) or
RAID level 1 (2 drives that are mirrored). Miroring gives full
redundance,
or backup.
The model 4000 can be configured for AID levels 0, 1 or 5. With
level 5 you get full backup but only loose one drive or about 25%
instead
of loosing 50% as in a two drive setup.
My concern is that the disk drive business is very high
technology.
In a couple of years the drives in the Network Attached Server (NAS)
should
be replaced with ones with more capacity, faster and lower cost. Can
this
be done line in a PC, or are the drives customized with firmware for
this
application.
RAID - Redundant Array of Independant Disks
The early (high performance and price) RAID systems were high end, used
Ultra wide-fast SCSI and were mounted in a box sererate from the
computer.
Since SCSI is supported on many types of computers (not just the PC) it
is a univrsal solution.
A newer version of RAID is is a PCI card that connects to disk
drives
in a PC. This is a much more affordable solution and offers all
of
the advantages of RAID - Speed and real time redundancy.
RAID Overview -
Levels
0, 1, 3, 4 and 5 (but not
0+1)
Promise - FastTrak66
- this PCI card uses IDE ultra ATA/66 drives to implement RAID
technology
inside your PC for little cost. $140
@ Egghead, FastTrak66 Pro has two hot swappable drive bays (less
drives).
White
Paper
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Tom's Hardware Guide - Storage
Guide - Make
your own FastTrack66 out of an Ultra66 & good description of
the
capabilities of FT66
Dell - Raid
Technology White Paper -
