The Answer Gang

10BaseT Connection

From mercdragon on Mon, 28 Aug 2000

Answered by: Don Marti

Why did you send the connect a laptop "off round the barn"???? It is far cheaper and much simpler to connect a hub up to the desk unit and then plug into the hub. A small four or five port hub can be found at most computer stores for $50(US) and the cables are not that expensive. The advantage of the hub is the visual connection, data transfer indicators. Tells you they are programmed correctly and communucating with the hub.

This is the way I have my system set up.

The original questioner had only old-fashioned 10Base2 network cards, and needed to get the appropriate coax cable and accessories. After I made sure this is what he had, he ended up getting it working just fine.

I suggested the crossover cable for connecting two 10BaseT systems without a hub, which works. You can use the link lights to make sure you're hooked up correctly. Just be sure to label your crossover cables clearly so you don't try to use them where a straight-through cable is more appropriate.

I have four systems connected this way and it is much less hassle than trying to work through the crossover cable blues when I forget to set up a connection properly. A quick glance at the hub says it needs to be setup.

One advantage of a crossover cable over a hub: you don't need to rig up a battery for the hub if you want to play two-player deathmatch video games on airplanes.

Copyright © 2000, James T. Dennis
Published in the Linux Gazette Issue 57 September 2000

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