My first networking experience

Being an inexperienced user of networks and the like, I sought the easiest way to network my old PC (a Celeron 1.2 Ghz) and my new rig (an AMD Athlox XP 2000+). I thought it was as simple as plugging in a cable to connect them, and thus, my journey began from there.

There are a host of concepts when dealing with networking. I didn’t understand the differences between router, gateway, switch and hub. I looked at all the pictures and read all the diagrams. They don’t really help until you get your own hands on the hardware.

So as I continued to build my computer, I kept hiding the thought that I knew I would screw up the networking aspect later. And when my new box was finally done, I bought a switch and some CAT5 cables.

I hooked everything up like they had in the pictures, and I thought everything was running smooth. Windows XP’s ICS system is so simple to use you can do it with your eyes closed. It’s only when you try to get fancy that you get yourself into trouble. Perhaps it’s just me, but every time I try to improve ICS, it gets worse.

Up to now the connection on my new box is not perfect. I can’t check some email accounts, and some pages don’t ever load. Since it is summer I am too lazy to repair it, or spend time thinking about how to repair it.

I just have to find a place for all these extra NICs I happened to amass.