Phoneline Networking

[squirellplaying]

I have a server, computer A, and an older computer, computer B. I would like Computer B to be able to get online by networking computer A and B together. Computer A is connected to my router by ethernet, has no usb port but has a port for phonelines. Computer B does not have an ethernet card, but does have a port for phone lines.

I would like to network them together with a phone line. I've read this is possible but they had computer A plugs into the wall jack, computer b plugs into the wall jack and uses the wiring to connect. But can I just connect both of them together, and have both get online? Both are running debian.

[sage45]

One would have to be setup as a RAS (Remote Access Server) using the Remote Access Service... You may need to install this from the network properties if you are using a Microsoft Operating System... Once you do this, then you simply start the RAS service on the computer (host) to be called and then call the host with the client pc...

HTH,

-sage-

[squirellplaying]

Hmm. Well then I have a problem. The server computer is running Linux. I can also can't call the host because I need the internet for set up/installation

[Unit]

I am pretty sure this cannot be done the way you describe. This is because a phone cable by itself is not going to have a carrier signal and the computers need it to even start dialing. As to solving the problem, someone must have written a driver for PPP over serial cable for linux. see if you can connect both the computers using a serial cable and then make a dialup connection from one to the other.

[Roy Sinclair]

Is it impossible to add a network card to the computer without one? That would make things a whole lot simpler and network cards are inexpensive.

[squirellplaying]

Serial cable seems the way I will go.

I would have to buy 2 nic cards then. One for both computers since one computer already uses the one port to connect to the internet.

[Unit]

If I were the one setting those up, I would buy 2 NICs. NICs are very cheap nowadays. besides 115.2 Kbps is the most you can get from a serial cable. The only thing going for serial cable is that its simpler to setup than configuring the IP forwarding correctly on the linux box :).

[Celtboy]

I vote 2 nics. Sites like PriceWatch (http://www.pricewatch.com) list nics as cheap as $1. 2 nics, 1 bridged connection, and 1 crossover cable later and you'll be good to go.

[squirellplaying]

The thing is that I just need it to install debian, it won't be online after that. But I will check into the NICS anyway.

[Roy Sinclair]

At $1 each, the cards will probably cost less than a serial cable.

If you only need the nic for the install though why not just "borrow" the existing nic from the one computer and hook the new one to the network for that install.

[squirellplaying]

At $1 each, the cards will probably cost less than a serial cable.

If you only need the nic for the install though why not just "borrow" the existing nic from the one computer and hook the new one to the network for that install.
.....it's so simple but yet genius. I think I'll do that. Why didn't I think of that?