Okay; my parents have finally considered getting DSL and I might setup a home network if we do....so; I am going to be hooking up 3 computers...a laptop; a newer pc w/ xp and a p4 processor; and an old win98SE which is , well, old...lol;;; anyway; I read that routers use and Ethernet interface and was wondering how do I tell if my old Win98 computer has a ethernet plugin??? (other than looking at the back of the computer) I've looked at the back of the computer already; but I go into my 'Network' feature in the control panel and it says under the 'configuration' tab that 'you have the following components installed:' it lists a few things; but then it says: 'HP EN1207D-TX PCI 10/100 fast ethernet adapter'...... so; I just wanna make sure if that means I have a ethernet port on my computer. 'Cause I don't wanna do sumthin' stupid and go buy a Ethernet PCI Card when I already got one...... Hopefully you can tell me if I've gotta ethernet plugin or not....TIA Fellow AD'ers!!!! Thanx; Halen5150
Sweet!; the only thing is; I can't seem to find the Ethernet jack on the back of my computer;;;;;;;the only spot that seems logical is on a PCI card that's in one of the slots.....there's one connector that's labeled 'phone'----which of course; you'd plug your phone in for dialup.....but then there's another plugin on the PCI Card that isn't labeled----which I was thinking is probably for ethernet since it tells me I have it installed when I go in the network settings....... Oh well; even if I don't; it wouldn't hurt anything to try it anyways, right?lol...... But as you said; boxwrench; that I must have it installed if it tells me i've got a pci 10/100 adapter;;; anyway; thanx to any and everyone's help; P.S. Boxwrench, as for the router, i just called my uncle yesterday and he says that he just brought home from work a ton of routers and switches with a bunch of Cat5 cable and the necessary connectors; so as for that; he said he can send us the router w/ necessary cables & connectors for FREE!!! *he chuckles*; now all I need is to get the ball rolling on gettin' the actual DSL line....
the cat 5 connector is a little larger than the telephone connector on the modem. the modem has 4 pins & the net card has 8.
