Advice needed; Have two ISP, one home LAN

[PaulMedik]

Our home network consists of five PCs (three running Win 7, two running Win Vista) connected via router that has WAP also connected for one PC running Win 7, one MacBook, one iPhone, and four iPods. My three sons PCs, an extra PC, and my wife' PC all use the home network via Cat5 connection to the router and all share a 7GB DSL internet connection. My computer is running Win 7 and is connected directly to a 12GB cable internet modem.

What I want to do is connect my computer to our home LAN for file sharing and LAN games while maintaining my separate connection to Cable internet. Basically I do not wish to access their internet connection nor share mine, but I do want to share files and play LAN games with my sons.

What are my options?

• Dual NIC cards; one for internet and one for LAN?
• Install a router on my internet connection and bridge to our home LAN?
• Wireless connection is an option and I do have a USB wireless NIC adaptor, but I do not wish to use it; too many issues with file sharing when I used it in the past, plus I want LAN speed, not wireless speed.

Our home LAN with DSL also supports our VOIP phone service through CityNet via Cat5 connection.(similar to vonage for those not familiar with CityNet) Our phone is a 12 handset Vtech DECT 6.0 with Blue Tooth connection to our cell phones. It will also connect via Blue Tooth to headsets and other Blue Tooth devices. I realize it's a whole different question, but has anyone used a Vtech DECT 6.0 phone with their PC's bluetooth?

 

[aem]

Hi PaulMedik, your question, is made of many questions.

Sorry if i haven't read it all letter to letter, but the theory is this. If you want a LAN just for sharing files and printers, then one way is to setup manual IPs for each of the machines and get them all seeing each other and setup sharing. The other way is through Homegroup but this only applies to machines with w7s only.

If you don't want internet access for certain machines, this can be done in a couple of ways. Restrict the access using MAC addresses in your router setup. Some routers can go down to the day and time of the week that you disallow internet access. The other way is to applie a non working DNS IP.

My suggestions is you don't worry about internet accesses just yet, first thing is to get all the machines connected and sharing files.

 

[PaulMedik]

Hi PaulMedik, your question, is made of many questions.

Sorry if i haven't read it all letter to letter, but the theory is this. If you want a LAN just for sharing files and printers, then one way is to setup manual IPs for each of the machines and get them all seeing each other and setup sharing. The other way is through Homegroup but this only applies to machines with w7s only.

If you don't want internet access for certain machines, this can be done in a couple of ways. Restrict the access using MAC addresses in your router setup. Some routers can go down to the day and time of the week that you disallow internet access. The other way is to applie a non working DNS IP.

My suggestions is you don't worry about internet accesses just yet, first thing is to get all the machines connected and sharing files.

AEM,

All of the machines on our home LAN are set correctly for file sharing and for sharing their internet connection. They all share and connect fine. What I want to do is connect my PC to our home LAN for file sharing and LAN gaming only, while using my separate internet connection and not use their internet connection. I can connect directly via Cat5 to our home LAN router and share files and play games via LAN, but to do I must physically disconnect the wire from my cable internet and connect it to our home LAN router.
What I am looking for is an option other than physically disconnecting from my Cable modem to connect to our home LAN router.

 

[aem]

Everything is at home right, and not outside of the house? If you want two types of connections per machines, meaning two LAN connestions, you will need two NICs per machines, and even a separate switch to connect all the secondary LANs to. I'm sure this will require manual IP settings for these connections. I'm not a gamer so i can't advise on how to setup games or link them.

 

[RedBirdDad]

I think he needs just a second NIC on his PC if I read it correctly.

 

[computersplus]

NIC

I think he needs just a second NIC on his PC if I read it correctly.

I concur on that

 

[PaulMedik]

Everything is at home right, and not outside of the house? If you want two types of connections per machines, meaning two LAN connestions, you will need two NICs per machines, and even a separate switch to connect all the secondary LANs to. I'm sure this will require manual IP settings for these connections. I'm not a gamer so i can't advise on how to setup games or link them.

AEM,

Yes, everything is at home and not outside. I only need to connect my computer to the LAN that my wife and sons are connected to while maintaining my separate internet connection.

I think he needs just a second NIC on his PC if I read it correctly.

RedBirdDad,

Yes, I think you interpreted my jumbled question correctly. I guess I offered too many details initially.
Second NIC is one option I considered. Any setup tips for how to make it go smoothly would be appreciated. Current NIC is onboard. I have three open PCI slots. Should I disable on board NIC and get two PCI NIC cards? Do they make a dual NIC PCI card?

I think he needs just a second NIC on his PC if I read it correctly.

I concur on that

computersplus,

I've read several posts on various forums about setting up two NIC cards for two internet services, but in my case I do not plan to access their internet service nor give them access to mine. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[aem]

Well if you are't concerned about internet accesses, you won't even need a second NIC card. If you do decided to get internet connection, just plug Pc cable into the modem. For gaming you would need cable connections, i wouldn't think wireless is acceptable. Setup your network with cross-over cables. How does that sound?

 

[RedBirdDad]

If you use a second NIC there are some gotcha's. You can't have a default gateway on both. Windows can get confused and not know which NIC so send traffic to.

The new NIC can be connected to your cable modem and set up normally along with default gateway. You'll need to have the firewall running if you don't have a router for the cable modem. I'd suggest an inexpensive router anyway. It just makes life easier and provides another level of separation between you and the outside world. If you use a router, you can just let the new NIC do DHCP.

The existing NIC can go to your home network. This is the one that you'll need to leave off the default gateway. Since the home network is also on a router, don't use DHCP (automatic) on this connection. This prevents the NIC from getting a default gateway assignment. Set a static address on the NIC on the same subnet as the home network. Just leave out the default gate setting. You could probably leave out the DNS as well. The idea is to have the PC go to your new NIC for internet traffic and anything destined for the home network will go out the existing NIC.

Neither side will be able to access the other's internet connection.

 

[computersplus]

NIC

you need the second NIC for the home LAN connection that's it make sure that computer is in the same workgroup name

 

[RedBirdDad]

you need the second NIC for the home LAN connection that's it make sure that computer is in the same workgroup name

That's why I suggest using the existing NIC for the home connection. He already uses for that so it made sense to use the new NIC for his private connection.

 

[aem]

you need the second NIC for the home LAN connection that's it make sure that computer is in the same workgroup name

The NIC doesn't make sure that. It doesn't do anyting other than enable connections between machines in the true sense of networking. The cable is there for trasnfering data.

I agree now that he needs a second NIC for the Pc if he wants to use both the Pc as part of the gaming and internet access (and sharing). If he doesn't want internet for the other machines, then why can't he just use the single NIC on the Pc?

 

[computersplus]

right

you need the second NIC for the home LAN connection that's it make sure that computer is in the same workgroup name

That's why I suggest using the existing NIC for the home connection. He already uses for that so it made sense to use the new NIC for his private connection.

one NIC for WAN the other for LAN

 

[RedBirdDad]

Exactly!

 

[PaulMedik]

you need the second NIC for the home LAN connection that's it make sure that computer is in the same workgroup name

That's why I suggest using the existing NIC for the home connection. He already uses for that so it made sense to use the new NIC for his private connection.

one NIC for WAN the other for LAN

computersplus,

Gotcha. I'll post back after I obtain and install another NIC card. I'll be working the next six days and won't be able to install until after then.

Exactly!

RedBirdDad,

TYVM.

 

[RedBirdDad]

Good Luck!

We're all anxious to hear how it goes.