On Sat, 27 Nov 1999, Brian R. Thacker wrote:
> I am a graduate student and in my office I have
> access to one RJ-45 network port. I have two computers
> I would like to use a simple web server, and my own
> workstation), and was trying to figure out how to
> share the single port.
This all depends what is pouring out of the RJ-45
jack!
There are two possibilities here.
(1) This jack goes to a regular hub or switch, part
of the school network, and there are no IP restrictions.
(2) Only ONE IP address can come out of that port.
If it is situation (2), then you will either have to
use IP Masquerade or Network Address Translation to
enable more than one computer on this jack, or talk to
the school's computing administration to ease off.
In the case of situation (1), just use a HUB to split
off.
When connecting a hub, like the Encore mini-hub, you
need to remember that Hub jacks are either "inlet" or
"outlet". You cannot connect an outlet to an outlet
or it will not work. The RJ-45 in your room is an
"outlet" type. Your Encore hub may have one of its
ports labeled as "IN", "LINK" or "REVERSE". If so,
then a regular RJ-45 ethernet cord from that port to
the room's outlet will work fine. The other 7 ports
connect to your computers.
If there is no special port on the hub (read the docs
often the first or last port is like that, or there is
a switch to convert one of the ports to the other
variety), then you have to use a CROSSOVER cable. with
such a cable you can connect two jacks of the "outlet"
type. Crossover cables are sold, but they are not
a bit ticket item, and you will have to look a bit to
find one. All major computer stores and catalogs have
them.
A computer that presently works directly off the wall
jack will work via the hub regardless of whether your
wall jack is type 1 or type 2. Once you have gotten
to this point, you know your hub and wiring are okay.
Now you plug in your SECOND computer to the hub and see
what happens.
Most school networks use DHCP to assign your computer
your IP address. Make sure that your computers can
connect properly one at a time. Linux, in particular,
has been a bit hostile to setting up DHCP.
For a web server to work, its IP address must be visible
and routable to the computers that need to access it.
You need to get such an IP if you expect the web server
to be visible to other networks.
For instance, many schools use IP addresses in the 10.x.x.x
range. None of those, or the 172.x or 192.168.x.x.
addresses will be visible outside the school. Depending
on the school's internal routing, using those IP
addresses may even make the server invisible to parts
of the school.
In Linux, use the ifconfig command to find out yor IP
address. In Windows 95/98, use the winipcfg command
to see your network info (START, RUN, type "winipcfg"
without the quotes).
What you want to do may not be possible unless you have
the cooperation of the schools MIS department. Most of
them are protective of their network and paranoid, or
simply do not want to be bothered. Check out what comes
out of your jack before you contact them. You may well
find a policy that prohibits "servers" from operating
within their student network. This policy is in effect
in most major Universities. In the past, Linux machines
were considered "servers" and were banned; however, in
recent months this policy has eased and now most schools
allow Linux computers on their networks as long as they
are not explicitly set up as servers.
--
Ramon Gandia ============= Sysadmin ============== Nook Net
http://www.nook.net [EMAIL PROTECTED]
285 West First Avenue tel. 907-443-7575
P.O. Box 970 fax. 907-443-2487
Nome, Alaska 99762-0970 ==== Alaska Toll Free. 888-443-7525
