Networking

[Skeithex]

How much knowledge do you have when it comes to networking? Such as connecting PC A to PC B, setting up routers, configure them, ect.

[froggyboy604]

I mainly just know how to connect my computers together to a router to share the internet. I haven't setup a computers in years to share files between computers, and servers, but I probably setup file and folder, and printer sharing after reading my networking books.

[Skeithex]

I get people all the time saying setting up a simple router is too hard, which since I took a few networking classes, it is nothing comped setting up a router to a whole network setup.

[froggyboy604]

I wonder how many of the people who say setting up a router is hard have taken the time to read the instruction manual booklet, or use the bundled router setup CD which come inside the box with some routers.

In the past, I used the setup CD for routers, and it was not hard to use the CD for setting up my Wi-Fi router. I just need to make a password for my Wi-Fi, and change the default SSID if I don't like the default SSID for wi-fi.

The router setup CD is less useful these days because most cheap Windows Laptops and bare bones desktop PC don't come with a disc drive to use the setup CD for routers.

If you only use wired networking, you just need to plug the modem into the modem port, and the rest of the PC networking cables into the other LAN ports. The default wired networking settings are usually good enough for most people.

[Skeithex]

Usually, sometimes though the router and PC don't want to make the handshake (the term for them communicating with one another), and just don't get internet.

[froggyboy604]

Restarting the modem, router, and PCs sometimes fix handshake problems. Reinstalling the network card or wi-fi adapter driver, or changing the router's IP to the old wi-fi router can fix handshake problems.

The Router setup CD may fix handshake problems if the router setup CD have troubleshooting tools related to handshake problems.

[Skeithex]

I remember once trying to setup a router, the cd and constant power cycles wasn't making it work out (it eventually did for some reason), though I think I had the issue first because I didn't power cycle the modem before hooking up the new router.