New computer how to transfer old system across 436

On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 03:16:11 GMT, "Bazzer Smith"

A router becomes the host "computer" which the typical ISP buttigns a IP # to, so the router is the "computer" on the internet. Systems then make the internet requests and have been told the router is their gateway, that they send the requests to it, then the router does network address translation, to make the requests to and from internet look like they come from this router "computer".

For the most part the modern operating systems are set up to use one already, the router comes out of it's retail box set to use DHCP, which means when the computers are connected, networked with cabling, they receive the information they need to use the router for internet access. With a new windows installation for example, at most the computer needs to be told to use the existing network for access instead of "creating a new account" (or however it's worded, I seldom read all those windows dialogs anymore).

The router will need a minor bit of configuration too, but this is pretty basic and described in the owner's manual as well as several 'sites on the internet easily found with a Google search. They all set up pretty much the same except for special features which will also be described in the manual.

Why be surprised? That is, why would you buttume you could? USB is a host-client protocol, not a peer-peer protocol, it was never meant to be able to do something like this as it's only target was a cheap easy way to connect peripherals.

You can get what are essentially network adapters or bridges build with a USB cable on both ends, but it's just coincidence then that it's using USB to get the job done... and there is no need or good use for them if you already have the network adapters as that is exactly, precisely what the network adapter is designed to do, it's a misson specific designed piece of hardware to do this very thing.

Why kludge something inferior together instead of doing it the best way? Even if you didn't have network adapters, they'd about $5 each if not free.

In the US they've been free-after-rebate. You can spend up to $100 USD, even more for corporate and-or managed gear but for basic uses that's overkill, a typical price would be about $30 USD w-o rebate or $15 with rebates.

Once you have them networked and using a router, you will never want to do it any other way. It's just that much better you will hate yourself for not having done it already.

For transferring a lot of files, avoid wireless and just use wired CAT5 or CAT6 cables. Wireless is fine for internet access but even with the theoretical max bandwidth looks similar to wired ethernet, it's still significantly slower in actual use. However it is just as well to get a router that has the wireless features as that may not increase the cost of the router much if any, and then you have that feature should you ever need it, but if you don't need it now the feature is easily disabled.