cheap network hub

[computer_tom]

i want to connect two of my computers together, one is a linux mandrake server/ win98se and the other is the main (win98 se). i was hoping to connect them with either a serial cable or a printer cable but someone in another forum told me that connection them with a serial or a printer cable is impossable, if so then i was hoping to use a network hub to connect the two and give them both the ability to go online. i was thinking about using This Hub any ideas or comments, any would help

 

[Natalya1]

You can go and buy a Cat 5 Ethernet cable. Make sure its what they call a "cross over" cable. It will have an RJ45 connector on each end that your gonna plug into the each network card you have on each of your pcs. If its only 2 computers that you are going to connect, there is no need for a hub. This cable does the trick and its easy. In australia its like 40c a meter!!

 

[computer_tom]

thanks!

 

[tractorboy]

you probably want to share files also so read this

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;150575

 

[computer_tom]

thanks

 

[Natalya1]

thanks!

no problem =)

 

[Rugmuncher]

Just to add;

A hub only replicates and sends the information to everything connected to the hub, Which causes a lot of traffic collisions and problems.

A switch sends the data to the correct device, Eliminating all the problems that hubs have. Switches can handle much more traffic. A simple way to describe the switch is a set of traffic lights, but pointing the traffic in the right direction.

Hubs are being slowly phased out, as they are definately not good for a network