Networking PCs with a Phone Cord (Rather than Ethernet)

H

HISRADEON9550

Posts: 16   +0
Hello,

I've recently been trying to get an older computer hooked up to the net somehow. It really is too old to have a built in Ethernet card and because of the age, I'm not willing to go out and buy one.

So I was wondering, is it possible to use a phonecord connection? The way I'd like it to be is to have my new PC hooked up to my Old one via phone cord, and the Old PC share the connection (Albeit dead slow) that the New one has. Pretty basic I believe, just not sure if it is possible.

Thanks for all the help!
 
Hi there,

If your Old PC has a PCI slot then the cheapest and easiest way to network it is to find a redundant network card (a visit to some friendly internet cafes often have old cards from old pcs stored somewhere).

Buy a CAT 5 CROSS-over cable and connect the two computers up. If your old and new computer has XP on it set up is easy by running network wizard on both.

To answer your initial question... telephone cable won't work (ie. modem to modem).... easily. ;)
 
It only has 1 (working) PCI slot sadly, and it's being used...

You mentioned that it would be possible to setup the computers via phonecord, but difficult... I'd rather not spend money on it, it really isn't worth it to me. But how could I go about networking with a phonecord?

Thanks for your help!
 
I traveled this route sometime back. I recall that I went the route using the old computers modem (56Kb) and used the new computer as a 'server'.

I remember researching it out and decided I would go the easier route for me (the one I described briefly for you).

Try Googling 'set up home internet network', I remember finding a Comp magazine tutorial on the matter. May have been UK's PC PLUS as I was an avid reader of their's until the cost of the mag in SA got ridiculous and was hard to get.

See if you can chase it out... may be your only solution. Good luck.

Interested why you would want to drive the Model T Ford on the supa-hiway nowadays?

;) Cheers from SA
 
XD, Love the analogy :p

But really, the thing is, the computer isn't capable of much really. I won't be doing much on it, maybe a word processor, and the only reason I really want the internet is say, so it becomes less blocked off from the outside world. A slow connection is better than no connection afterall ;)

The reason I didn't want to bother with geting the ethernet card, is because I'll be out some money, and really, this PC is worth 15$ max...

Thanks for the tips though, very much appreciated!
 
At first I thought this thread was going to be about making an ethernet cable out of a phone cord (I've seen that done, and work).

Network cards, so you could network them properly, are cheap. If you have a local computer store you should be able to pick one up for $5, or online for about $3. If only 1 PCI slot works, what is in it, is it more important than being able to get online? If you have a wireless router you could buy a USB wireless reciever, but then you are getting into more money than its worth.
 
The thing is, I have a spare Wireless card... Problem is, it doesn't seem to work anymore, with no real reason as to why

It hasn't been abused, and just ceases to work in either computer :\
 

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