Setting up IP Addresses

[d3ano]

I need some help on setting up a "static IP Address" on my home PCs.
This is my set up:
One PC (with 2 NICs)that is connected straight to the NTL SetTopBox and this has automatic IP addresing.
This PC also has another NIC that is connected to a HUB, into this hub is a XBOX, PS2 and another free CAT5 cable for the laptop if i use it downstairs.
This hub is connected to another hub upstairs via a CAT5 cable. In the upstairs hub i have the following plugged in.
Laptop
PC
HP Jetdirect adaptor
and a Cat5 cable that goes through the wall into the main bedroom (if i ever want to use the laptop in there)

What i want to do is have a setup where each machine has its own IP address. I have been told that this better than using automatically assigned IP Addresses as the PCs can "sometimes get confused"?
Is it as simple as going into the config of each PC and saying that the IP address will be 192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.2 etc?
Also is it relitivly straight forward to put all machines at 100mbps connectivity?

Thanks all
D3

[DontLift]

Yep it is exactly that simple

use a range 192.168.0.1 - 254

As these are local non-routable addresses

[sqwib]

DontLift said:

Yep it is exactly that simple use a range 192.168.0.1 - 254 As these are local non-routable addresses

Possibly missing the point here, but doesn't this only apply to the LAN? And doesn't a LAN set these addresses up automatically?

I don't really understand this, but I thought IP addresses in this range can't be used as internet URI's - i.e. static IP's can only be set up by the ISP.

[Marshy]

Don't worry about it

On your main PC (the dual-interfaced one) you'll be using internet connection sharing, right? If so, that will "just handle" the fact that ordinarily you can't use addresses like 192.168.x.y on the Internet.

And there's nothing automatic about LANs I'm afraid: in the setup you have, there's no way to do automatic addressing without some extra software. It's easier to explain how to do it by hand than it is to explain how to set up automatic addressing.

Assuming your main PCs internal network card is 192.168.0.1, you will need to set the "default route" or "default gateway" on all the others to that address. You will also need to make sure the DNS resolver settings on your internal machines match the settings on your main PC. For NTL, these DNS server addresses are 194.168.8.100 and 194.168.4.100

>> Edited by Marshy on Thursday 30th October 20:41

[d3ano]

Thats great guys, its all working well now, many thanks for your help

D3

[JonRB]

One thing I'd add is that with two hubs like that you'll not be getting the best performance out of your network.

When finances allow you might want to swap those hubs for switches. Switches are as cheap as hubs now and well worth the money for the performance increase.

(You'll recall that on a 5 port 100M hub you'll get 20M per port when all 5 are in use whereas on a switch you'll get 200M per port in duplex mode)

[pdV6]

Wouldn't have thought that was much of a restriction for a few PCs kicking around at home...

[JonRB]

pdV6 said:

Wouldn't have thought that was much of a restriction for a few PCs kicking around at home...

If was setting up a new network I'd choose a switch in preference to a hub since there is only a few quid difference between the two these days.

But, no, you're right. For an existing home network then I guess there is no reason to swap out a perfectly good hub for a switch.

[agent006]

You'll only get about 40mb out of any 100mb ethernet network, switched or otehrwise.