[Gllug] Ethernetworking

[john.hearns at framestore.co.uk]

Paul Brazier wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the advice, luckily my brother has a spare 1GB HD and an
> ethernet card.
> 
> Am I right in thinking that to network two machines over ethernet I just
> need a "crossed over" cable?
Yes - but try to avoid paying lots of money for one in
a Tottenham Court Road shop.
Either scrounge one, or get one at a computer fair or something.
Or get a kind soul with a crimp tool and a length of cable
to build you one.


> But to link more than two I need either an ethernet "hub" or to have one
> machine with multiple ethernet cards?
> How much are these hubs? (Is this the proper name for them?)

Hubs can be very cheap.
A small 5port hub can be 20-30 pounds.
http://www.corega.co.uk/corega-network-prod/hubs/hub5pl.html

You will hear people talking about switches, and 10 and 100Mbps also.

Basically, Ethernet run over twisted pair cabling can run at 10Mbps
or 100Mbps.
Mbps stands for Mega bits per second.
The cheaper kit runs at 10Mbps - which will be just fine for your use.
Really.
If you want to splash some cash, more expensive network cards run at
100Mbps,
and more expensive hubs can automatically sense this and run at 10 or
100Mbps.

Being slightly technical now, a switch is not faster than a bridge.
Switches run at 10 or 100Mbps too - however they are really multiport
bridges,
and separate busy networks into separate 'collision domains'
Don't worry if this is meaningless - what I'm saying is that switches
are
only slightly more expensive these days, and are better for a busy
network.

So if you are learning, get a cheap 5 port hub.
Then in the future you may consider going to 100Mbps and a switch.
Switches ar ludicrously cheap these days too - we saw a small one
at Linux Expo for around 70 pounds.





> Can anyone recommend a link for an introduction to ethernet networking
> under Linux?
Well, you've come to the right group here!
We will give you plenty of advice.

Start maybe with the networking overview
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Networking-Overview-HOWTO.html

and when you feel confident try the
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Ethernet-HOWTO.html
But please don't feel put off - there is a lot of technical stuff in 
the howtos.

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