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Is it possible to easily conenct two computers through one dial up connection, i have seen several programs that do it, but they are immensly complicated, i have no problem doing that but i don't want to have to configure it if i can find a simpler alternative

Thanks in advance

No program is needed actually, win2k and xp handle this pretty good, just enable internet connection sharing on the dial-up connection.

I e-mailed someone concerning this and this is the reply I got.

Well, you could network the one computer to the other and share the connection, but then you have to have a NAT (network address translator) and/or a router to give the computers individual IP's. NAT's and routers are fairly easy to configure, but they are extra money. If you're thinking of doing this using Win 98 I believe you could use a peer-to-peer type of network setup (directly connect the one computer to the other with a Cat 5 RJ-45 cable). But, you could not be on the Internet at the same time unless you had a NAT.


Hope it helps.

If you don't need each computer to have a different IP then internet connection sharing will work fine, assuming that the 2 computers are connected with a network card

Originally posted by Demis
No program is needed actually, win2k and xp handle this pretty good, just enable internet connection sharing on the dial-up connection.

Well i am not moving over to XP, i just wont do it Win2k however i have been considering for a while, perhaps it is time to take the leap

@Itldrgn1 i would need a twisted pair network cable for that i assume, i was under the impression that one requires a twisted pair to directly connect two computers, unless i was to use BNC, which seems unlikey, although i still have the cable and necessary terminators

I actually wanted it to update some virus protection on the other computer, so i wouldn't need them both to be online at the same time

Originally posted by Mr Sleep


Well i am not moving over to XP, i just wont do it Win2k however i have been considering for a while, perhaps it is time to take the leap

I definitely suggest that you take that leap, actually microsoft managed to develop a decent and stable OS with win2k , even though i'm using xp just for the more colourful enviroment.

It would be much easier then to use the dial-up connection on both PCs.

Originally posted by Demis


I definitely suggest that you take that leap, actually microsoft managed to develop a decent and stable OS with win2k , even though i'm using xp just for the more colourful enviroment.

It would be much easier then to use the dial-up connection on both PCs.

I have added it to a few PC's for customers, but i have never actually used it myself for a length of time. Just getting hold of it now, thanks for the advice

@Xp, isn't it always the way

@Mr Sleep I've used win2k for quite some time but i wanted a change and XP seemed to appealing for that.

Originally posted by Demis
@Mr Sleep I've used win2k for quite some time but i wanted a change and XP seemed to appealing for that.

Are both of them stable, which is the better?

Is it true that you have to purchase XP every 3 years?

Originally posted by Mr Sleep


Are both of them stable, which is the better?

Yes both are very stable, you can also have your old win2k style on XP, but XP seem to have a little trouble with some USB devices(drivers).

Is it true that you have to purchase XP every 3 years?

I don't know i never heard anything like that.

Sorry Mr. Sleep, I just got back from school and am in the midst of homework. My sister is a network admin. and I ave been referring to her for the details. I'll try to have more specific information for you tomorrow night (here), if you like.

Originally posted by ltldrgn1
Sorry Mr. Sleep, I just got back from school and am in the midst of homework. My sister is a network admin. and I ave been referring to her for the details. I'll try to have more specific information for you tomorrow night (here), if you like.

That would be helpful, either i pay out for 2k or i find an alternative Thankyou

Where did you hear about buying windows xp every three years. Within that time, they'll come out with a new OS.

I believe what you are referring to is Microsoft's new open licensing program with software assurance and/or upgrade advantage. Essentially Microsoft is doing away with their upgrade packages. Now, Microsoft is requiring you to pay up front for software they will sell later. If you don't do this, you'll have to buy a full version every time you want a new OS instead of upgrading your current one.

What the UA (upgrade advantage) and/or SA (software assurance) does is that it gets you a new version of the software for approximately 50% less on the price (of a new version) except you have to pay now and receive later. Also, you may pay the ultimate price by purchasing UA/SA (which lasts for two years and must be renewed) and deal with the chance they don't come out with an upgrade within your grace period. Statistics show with MS and development and release that scenario is most unlikely. MS needs to keep cranking out new version of software as Bill Gates doesn't have a lot of cash to work with. Times are tight, even for Willy (we're close).

Anyway, that's the deal, does it make sense. I have made a second career out of trying to comprehend the licensing changes MS invokes from year to year since it is essentially my responsiblity at my workplace.

For UA/SA in the home editions of softwares, I'm not sure what they will offer. Side note: I'd recommend staying away from upgrades anyway, a full install is always a safer, more thorough, more secure approach in getting a new OS on your machine. Back up your data, fdisk and reformat and reinstall. Your HDD will thank you later.

Thanks for the info

Originally posted by Ned Flanders
Where did you hear about buying windows xp every three years. Within that time, they'll come out with a new OS.

At an Actinic conference on e-commerce, it is linked to their java virtual machine or lack thereof. I shall digress if needs be

For UA/SA in the home editions of softwares, I'm not sure what they will offer. Side note: I'd recommend staying away from upgrades anyway, a full install is always a safer, more thorough, more secure approach in getting a new OS on your machine. Back up your data, fdisk and reformat and reinstall. Your HDD will thank you later.

Yep i always do that where possible, upgrades are notoriously bad Although in Xp's case Java VM (refered to earlier) is not installed when doing a clean install, only afterwards using a 5 meg download, if however you upgrade it is still resident on one's machine.

Thanks for the info Ned, i will take it under advisement

Yes indeed, with respect to Java VM. Don't forget to backup all the numerous security updates you've downloaded for MS's buggy software. You have to reapply all those updates.

Originally posted by Demis
No program is needed actually, win2k and xp handle this pretty good, just enable internet connection sharing on the dial-up connection.

Win98SE also has Internet Connection Sharing, I believe.

Originally posted by Sailor Saturn


Win98SE also has Internet Connection Sharing, I believe.

Yes it has SS , but works better IMO with win2k or XP.

Originally posted by Demis


Yes it has SS , but works better IMO with win2k or XP.

Hmm....well, I don't like Win2k and WinXP. My dad had Win2K, but it was highly unstable. Now he has WinXP. It's more stable, but it makes it ten times more difficult to find anything and I had to completely redo our home network stuff after he installed it, which was a real pain. I told him to upgrade to Win98SE, but he wouldn't listen to me.

@SS, I have win98se almost always on a different partition as a secondary OS. My roomate and i have a home network and i noticed that is much harder to connect two PCs with different MS OS than when both have win98 or win2k.

@ Mr. Sleep, sorry that it has been so long but it has been hectic the last week or two. The answer I got is " So far as I know, a twisted pair cable is what you would need." I hope that this helps, if not I'll try to get a better answer if you could give me a few more specifics about what you want.