learning networking, questions!

hi i am trying to learn more about networks and how they work and how to set them up, basically get a better understanding, can anyone reccommend a site that explains how they work and what everything does like the subnet mask and DNS and all that stuff.

for example i have 1 computer wirelessly connected to a router currently, i would like to link my laptop to that computer and share that internet connection using crossover cable(believe thats a proxy ryt?), ive tried and they network fine but when the laptop and the computer are connected(crossover) the internet goes down on the computer, in other words something happens to the wireless link between the computer and the router or my setting are getting messed.
any suggestions?

i will be asking a few questions once this one has been answered to help me get a beter insite of networking.

thanks

 

It is hard to find an Online methodical material; you would need a book for it.

Online info is usually done by topics.

This site has a lot of pages dealing with basic issues of Networking.

http://www.ezlan.net

 

why are you connecting the laptop and computer directly together. if it is to share files? just creat a workgroup on the computers and they will talk to eachother.

as for actuallly connecting the two with a cable you need to tell the desktop to allow internet connection sharing. it slows down the network considralbly as well as the computer.

www.technet.com and look under network+ its a comptia networking cert but it has some good info.

and you can always ask here.

if your not working in the field then subnet are easy because you have no need to subnet. you just need to know the ip to subnet range.

dns= domain name service. all this is is a server that you connect to that takes the name of a website for example and translates it to its corisponding ip address and allows you to connect. this also works in reverse.

 

well thanks, i will be reading through the websites soon. i am still having this problem that i mentioned before. il explain again:

i have a laptop linked to a desktop using a crossover cable. set the workgroup to the same on both machines and sharing files works perfectly.

my desktop is connected to a wireless router and i access the internet through that. what i am looking to do is sharing the internet on the desktop with the laptop, i have tried selecting the internet connection sharing tickbox on the Local Area Network on the desktop and still not working.

when the crossover cable from the laptop to the desktop is plugged in the internet does not work on either computer, but it works fine on the desktop when unplugged. could this be that the IE setting r wrong?

i really appreciate the help you are giving me and i know u love solvig these problems, once again thanks

 

And the Laptop can not use the Router too because of?

 

thats what i want to know

 

sorry i should have said before, the laptop isnt equipped with wireless, problably will do in the future but not for now, it never moves so a direct cable to the desktop is fine. also as i said before, i am keen on learning about this sort of thing and thought it would be a great oppertunity to find out how this stuff works and how to comfugure it all. thats probably the main reason i set up this thread.
by achieving these little goals it gives me a better insight into how it all works, i am also begining to learn about networking in 6th form

thanks

 

the whole internet sharing thing is a thing of the past. it doesnt work well. and it has flaws. you would be better of if you get a router wireless or otherwise. and if you go wirless get a wirless pcmia or usb device for the laptop. those are alot more practical. and if you are going to leearn about ntworking thats probaly the best way to go

 

You are degrading your System because of few $$$.

You can find a USB thumb Wireless for less then $20 (as low as $10 if 802.11b is OK).

However if you do want to share through the desktop, since you already have a NAT in the Router, you can use WinXP Pro Bridging capacity, and you do not need ICS.

The principle can be found here (the example is with USB but it works with any type of Network connection), http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/wxpbrdge.htm

:sun;

 

6th form?

 

huh what you mean

 

sorry guys, im english... "6th form" means higher education, like college sorta. dunno what the equivelen is out there in US.

anyway ive done the bridging using that excellent site that Cat5e recommended, many thanks. and ivbe messed around with the settings, the network between the laptop and desktop works fine however, i cant get to the internet, with or without the laptop connected(to the desktop as i said before,crossover). using wireless zero, says its not connected but i still have the buttin to disconnect. with way i cant ping the router. thought id give some ipaddresses to see if i am doing anything wrong

laptop Local area connection = 192.168.1.12
desktop local area connection = 192.168.1.13 > disappeared once bridge was made

desktop wireless = 192.168.1.3 > disappeared once bridge was made
roouter = 192.168.1.1

i also set the bridge to the IPaddress 192.168.1.4, but i have no idea

assuming my IPaddresses are set correctly why wouldnt i be able to connect to the router from the desktop? if i delete the bridge, internet works fine on desktop, but no internet or filesharing on laptop