What type of cable is needed?

TheOne · 18-02-2009, 21:39

What kind of cable is needed to connect 2 Windows XP desktop PC's, which have network cards in.

PC 1 - is connected to virgin media broadband (via ethernet) and it also has a 2nd network card

PC 2 - has a network card

I used to have them connected with a cable about 2 years ago, but it got damaged whilst the carpets were being changed and haven't replaced the cable as the 2nd PC isn't used that much. So don't want a router of any sort.
If i remember correctly, the cable cost in the region of Â£5-10

Anyone know which kind of cable it is? and any good online retailers?

Many Thanks

Axegrinder · 18-02-2009, 21:40

Standard cat5e ethernet will do.

Halcyon · 19-02-2009, 00:53

A CrossOver Ethernet cable is the one you want.

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catal...h-15metre.html

TheOne · 19-02-2009, 09:46

I've been looking on the internet and some have the words "UTP" and "RJ45" , are these type suitable for what i'm trying to do?

Thanks guys

bw41101 · 19-02-2009, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheOne

Just to clarify, a crossover ethernet cable is the same as a cat5e ethernet cable?

Thanks guys

No it is wired differently, see this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_crossover_cable

If you're networking two PC's then you'll need one of these.

Si thee

Halcyon · 19-02-2009, 11:21

RJ45 is the name of the connector plug. For example RJ11 is the smaller dial up modem sized plug.

UTP stands for Unshielded Twisted Pair. It is a way of how the cable is produced.
See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_pair

PaulyG · 21-02-2009, 21:59

Hi There,

This is my first post on this forum...

I have ntl world (Virgin) cable. I want to renew my network cables from Cat 5 to Cat 6. This includes the one from the modem to the Netgear router and the one from the router to my MAC. I also want another to connect to my work laptop.

It's my understanding that Cat 6 will give me a better connection - is this correct? Also I'm not sure which one to choose from there seems to be different types.

Could you guys guide me in the right direction here please?

Many thanks
PaulyG

Kymmy · 21-02-2009, 22:03

Cat6 will not really improve a 100Mbps ethernet connection but is used for gigabit (1000Mbps) connections. You'll see no difference whatsoever in making the change unless you're looking at runs of 100meters..

What's the current problem with your cat5 cables??? Perhaps there might be other suggestions..

PS///Welcome to the forum

PaulyG · 21-02-2009, 22:10

Thanks Kymmy,

Well I just need to get another network cable so I thought I'd get a Cat6 and while I was at it renew the others.

So do you suggest sticking with Cat5 then? If so which one?

Cheers

PaulyG

TheOne · 22-02-2009, 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheOne

What kind of cable is needed to connect 2 Windows XP desktop PC's, which have network cards in.

PC 1 - is connected to virgin media broadband (via ethernet) and it also has a 2nd network card

PC 2 - has a network card

I used to have them connected with a cable about 2 years ago, but it got damaged whilst the carpets were being changed and haven't replaced the cable as the 2nd PC isn't used that much. So don't want a router of any sort.
If i remember correctly, the cable cost in the region of Â£5-10

Anyone know which kind of cable it is? and any good online retailers?

Many Thanks

I bought an ethernet crossover cable today and it doesnt work. Looks like i'll have to return it!

Do i need a cat5e cable ?

Im very confused now

Noggo · 22-02-2009, 09:14

It's a cross over cable you need to network two PC's together. Look at section `How Do I Connect Two PCs Together?' from here:http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ussel_hni.mspx

Are you sure it's a cross cable, just place both ends together and the same way up and look at the colour coding:

from Yahoo answer:

Quote:

firstly you'll need to make sure that you have a Crossover cable and not a straight through cable.

to check which cable you have, check the connectors at both ends, the straight through cable will have all 8 wires in same sequence at both ends, and the crossover cable will have 1 interchanged with 3 and 2 interchanged with 6 on one end.

after resolving the crossover cable issue, connect the cable to both PC's ethernet socket. and start up windows. in both PCs go to Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > "Ur Network Card's Properties", and then double click 'TCP/IP settings', then in the addresses field, type 192.168.1.xx (xx can be any number from 1 to 254, both PCs must have different xx numbers), enter the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0, and then click OK/FINISH/CLOSE/whatever the window has, and then go to the properties of 'My Computer' and in one the tabs you'll see your computer's Group name, type in your group name (can be anything, i.e. homeLAN, myLAN, WORKGROUP, MSHOME) and make sure the other PC has the same group name.

then open My Network places and click Show Computers in my Work Group. at this point (after waiting for a few seconds) you should see the computer name of your PC and the other PC which you configured.

make shared folders on both PCs, and you'll be able to see those shared folders in the my network places > 'that pcs name'

any file in that shared folder will be accessable to the other PC. in order to make shared folder's writable, you'll have to write the 'write access' check box when sharing a folder (from folder's properties)

Kymmy · 22-02-2009, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulyG

Thanks Kymmy,

Well I just need to get another network cable so I thought I'd get a Cat6 and while I was at it renew the others.

So do you suggest sticking with Cat5 then? If so which one?

Cheers

PaulyG

You'll find that most these days are CAT5E, they're all made upto a certain standard but some can be better than others...I tend to just buy them from screwfix or make them up myself...Screwfix do a 10m for less than Â£4..ebay is also another good source...

KingDaveRa · 22-02-2009, 18:57

Only real reason for having Cat6 is if you are going to be running gigabit ethernet over it at full horizontal length (100m) or 10gig ethernet (I think has a maximum of 40m iirc). But you'd probably run 10-gig over fibre anyway, unless you were really desperate.

Anyway, cat 5e is still perfectly sufficient. Even at nearly full lengths, Gig-e runs perfectly happily.

PaulyG · 22-02-2009, 20:03

Thanks everyone for your advice. I've now ordered Cat5e cables.

Paul