Resources

I am trying to setup a LAN network in my house. I pay for one regular cable ISP for downstairs and pay for another same one but with static IP upstairs. I’m trying to setup a LAN network between the two without any of them sharing either internet connection.

Your question prompted a lot of discussion around here in an attempt to answer it. I consulted with my very own tech support, and his main question was why would you want the system set up this way? The only reason we can guess is that you are in a roommate situation and for some reason each of you needs to pay for your own Internet connection. After mulling it over for a while and drawing a bunch of diagrams, we’ve decided that it can be done if you really insist on paying for two ISP connections and don’t want to share.

LAN Setups

The usual reasons for setting up a LAN (Local Area Network) in the home are to allow two or more computers to share data, share printers, scanners and other networked devices, play music or games together, video conferencing and most of all, to share an Internet connection. There are ways to set up the LAN so that areas of one hard disk are not accessible by others on the network.

Setting Up Your LAN

First off, you are going to need a fair amount of cable and a switch. Luckily both of these are pretty inexpensive to get. You also won’t need routers for your computers, assuming that each one is connected to the Internet directly through its own modem. You will then need a switch that is connected to each computer via cable and you need to set up TCP/IP filesharing on each machine. Each computer also needs to have its own name, but be in the same work group.

There may be a way to do it wirelessly - it’s much easier and cheaper to run cable if you can - and the best way to explain the process is to point you to an article in Wikipedia on how to set up a Wireless Distribution System.

Hopefully, this set up will work for your needs, depending on what you are looking to share between computers. If not, you might want to consider a conventional LAN setup and opt for ISP sharing.

How to Setup a Local Area Network in your Home or Office

A local area network (LAN) is used to connect computers or devices to each other and to the Internet. It is usually used for computers that are located near each other in the same building. While it is not difficult to set up a network, it takes a little preparation.

• First, decide whether you want a wired network or a wireless network. In the past, most homes have had wired networks, but new technology has made wireless access easy and affordable. Ethernet networks use special cables to transfer information between computers and devices. HPNA networks use the existing telephone lines in your home or office to send information between computers. If you want to use the Internet from your laptop while you are lounging in your backyard hammock, opt for a wireless network.

You need to get some hardware in order to set up the network:

•  Your computers will be connected using Network Interface Cards (NICs) that can either be plugged into the USB port on the computer or in an available Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion slot that is installed in the computer itself.
• You will need a hub or a switch that will connect the computers to an Ethernet network. A switch is faster than a hub for accessing information.
• A router or an access point will connect your network to the Internet and allow you to share one connection for several computers. You will need a wireless router or access point for wireless networking.
• You will need a modem to connect to the Internet, either over telephone lines or cables.
• Cables are needed if you are setting up an Ethernet or dial up network to connect the devices and to the Internet. If you are going wireless, you will need a wireless network adapter, but you will not need cables.
• Install the hardware. You don’t have to have an Internet connection to set up a network, but most people want to use their network to access the Internet.

If you want Internet connection, you can get two types from your Internet Service Provider (ISP):

• Dial up, which is accessed through a standard phone line. It is slower, but is less expensive.
• Broadband, which is either cable or a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL).

After you have set up your internet service, Windows has easy access to a Connect to the Internet wizard which is on the Control Panel.

• Connect the cables and plug them into the jacks, depending on whether you are using a dial-up, Ethernet or wireless system.
• Turn on all of the computers, printers and other devices you want on your network. If you are running Ethernet or dial-up, your devices should be networked and ready to use.
• If you are networking wirelessly, you can run the Set Up Wizard in Windows on the computer that is attached to the router. Click on Start, then Control Panel, then Network and Internet. Click on the Network & Sharing Center. On the left, click on Set Up a Connection or Network then Click on Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point. The wizard should walk you through the rest of the set up.
• If you want to share files and printers between computers, you need to be sure that your network location is set to Private. You also need to be sure that file sharing, printer sharing and network discovery are turned on.