Setting up a network and sharing internet

[Scott Allen]

On Thu Aug 18,2005 12:34:27 PM Henry Spencer wrote:
> Ethernet hubs (switches, etc.) have built-in crossovers, so you use
> straight cables to connect hosts to hubs.  You can avoid needing a
> crossover cable by buying a hub instead, and using two straight
> cables to connect the two hosts to the hub.  If you're going to
> have more than two machines eventually, that's what you should do,
> because a crossover cable works only for exactly two machines --
> there is no cable-only method for larger numbers.  However, if
> you're only concerned about two, a crossover cable will be cheaper
> than a hub plus two straight cables.

Points below mosly for educational purposes:

Actually, there are cable-only methods for more than two machines, 
called
10-base2 or 10-base5. They link 10M ethernet over a coaxial cable 
without
hubs.

The are small differences between using a crossover cable or a 
hub/switch, which can slighty affect the way the systems behave.
1) With a hub you will get a half-duplex connection. With a switch or 
crossover it will likely be full-duplex. As already noted in another 
posting in this thread, the difference is generally insignificant.
2) The hub/switch will usually always be powered up. Therefore when 
one machine is powered off or disconnected, the network connection on 
the other machine will still be "alive". With a crossover, when one 
machine is powered off or disconnected, the other may see a dead 
ethernet link. (I say "may" because some machines will keep the 
ethernet active using standby power when "off" to allow for power up 
control via ethernet). This may result in more or different error 
messages, logs, etc. between one or the other method.


-- 
** Scott Allen   scotta-cpI+UMyWUv9BDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org **
**     Toronto, Ontario, Canada     **
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