Networking Help

[Laters]

I am wanting to connect both my PC's together.
My main PC has a ASUS P4C800-E deluxe mainboard with a onboard Intel 82547EI Gigabit Ethernet controller.
I am interested in what network card should I put in the other PC?
I plan to buy the network card from www.scan.co.uk as I have to order some other bits from there.
The one I was thinking of getting is:-
Intel PWLA 8391GT Pro/1000GT Desktop Gbit (Copper) Network Card

Does anyone have any idea if that card is compatible (and will work) with the gigabit LAN controller on my mainboard?
Any other suggestions/ideas for the card I should be using in the other PC?
I don’t want to have to use a hub so will need a cross over cable.
I am thinking that the cable I need to connect them will be a UTP CAT-5 Cable Cross Over (with rj45 plugs).
Is that correct?
Sorry but I have no networking experience (had you guessed)

Thanks
Paul

 

[wallingd]

Any standard RJ45 should be fine, though I think you'd need a gig cable for a gig connection - not sure. Are you after a cost-effective solution? Www.ebuyer.co.uk had/have 2 simple NICs + a cable all in for about £15 - that's what I've used - but they are 100Mbit. What gig cards are I'm not exactly sure but I imagine they're not a lot more now. You will also need to set up IPs e.g main machine fixed @ 192.168.0.1 with gateway 255.255.255.0 and the other machine obtain-IP-automatically (i.e without putting any IP address info in at all). Set up shared folders and maybe Internet Connection Sharing and away you go.

Hope that provides some level of help.

 

[scotth_uk]

Contrary to popular belief, the Gig connection will not get you 10 times the speed of the 100 meg connection. It will be an improvement though.

I would recommend any 100meg card for the second machine to save cost, or a 1 gig card if you are feeling generous.

Cable should be at least CAT5e or CAT6 crossover. Should cost around 2-5 quid.