• Why would you want a network?
• What can you do with a network?
• How did you install your network?
• How much did your network cost?
• Minimum system requirements.
• I want to know something else!

I wanted a network, because :

1. I have three computers and it's a shame to let the old ones go to waste. They are not that old.
2. My sister uses the computer regularly and her data is on the newest computer.
3. Playing computergames together is more fun then waiting for turns.
4. I only have one Iomega ZIP drive (internal).
5. It is really cool to tell people that you OWN a entire network (in a nerdy kind of way :).

1. You can share everything :
   • Your CD-ROM players. You don't have to swap CD's. (sorry, the only advantage I could think of)
   • Your harddisks. This is cool, you don't have to use stupid 1.44 Mb disks for 30 Mb or more datatransfers. Save diskspace, you don't have to install programs double. You can start a program which is on the other computer. Though that might not always work.
   • Your printers. I didn't realize this when I bought the network, but it is very practical (this is an understatement)
   • Your Iomega ZIP drive. You try to transfer 100 Mb of data with 1.44 Mb disks! (equals 72 disks!)
   • Other equipment, though I haven't really figured out how to use the Logitech PageScan® on the other computer.
2. You can surf the Internet together on only one modem! But you'll need Sygate   to do that.
   • Now you can also play internet-games together, but you'll (probably) need a fast modem for that.
3. You can play multiplayer games.
   • Playing computer games is fun, but playing multiplayer games against real people is even more fun. Especially when they are sitting next to you (you can see them get nervous). You can race against eachother, you can fight eachother, you can kill eachother (usually not in real live), you can play lots of mulitplayer games.
   • It's even more fun to participate in a LAN-party. You can even organize your own LAN-party if you go to this link, http://www.gameparty.net . They will provide you with a real server so every game will run smoothly. You can also see where LAN-parties are held.
   • For a list of mulitplayer shareware, click here.
4. And there is probably more stuff, I haven't even heard about.

1. First I opened my computers up and plugged in my networkcard. Make sure you still have room in your computer!
2. In case of COAX connect the T-splitters to the networkcards
3. Connect the networkcards together with the cable. I used 50 Ohm COAX cable , but you can also use UTP or STP. In case of COAX make sure you have terminators. Terminators are resistants, which you connect to the T-splitter of the computers on the edge.
4. My networkcard was Plug and Play, so the first time you fire your computers up, the card should be detected in Windows 95.  I only had one installation disk, which I barely used. Most of the software is on the W95 CD-ROM. When asked, install all transfer protocols, NetBEUI, IPX, TCP/IP.
   NetBEUI isn't really necessary, but I personally use it for firesharing.
5. While doing that you have to come up with names. I called my computers Cow, Chicken and Weasel.
6. Reboot your computers and there you are!
7. It is time to share your disks, printers and stuff. Rightclick on the "Network Neighbourhood"-icon on your desk en select properties. Then click on the "Share files and printers"-button and enable the appropriate checkboxes.
8. In "My computer" or Windows explorer: Right click on any drive and select 'Share ...'. Then click full access. Now you can share your drives. CD-ROM drives should be read-only, though that doesn't matter that much. You will get a error message anyway if you want to write a file to a CD-ROM player.
9. And yet again you have to restart your computers.
10. If everything went right, you can now enjoy your network.

1. I got three ethernet-cards
2. I got 10 m COAX cable and one of 2 meter
3. I got two terminators
4. I got three T-splitters.

These are the minimum sytem requirement :

1. Two IBM 386 compatibles
2. One free ISA-slots on each computer. (well mine is ISA, there probably are PCI-cards too)
3. RAM, I don't know. But if it can operate on a 386, then it can't be much. (My lowest RAM is 15 Mb)