networking question

Router firewalls are a great bonus as well. We use a linksys at work and have never had a problem with it.

yup, i use linksys. works great except that if your on AIM and want to send files to someone else who is behind a router, it won't work. :(

PSquid: is the prob with one person in particular, or anyone who's behind a router? You might need to find out what port AIM is using to DCC or however they send the find and open a rule on your/their firewall.

Deker,
You can connect your two computers with crossover directly. And what Malibu is offering is nice. But I run many networks for testing purposes all the time. A Hub is pretty slow even if it is 100mbps. A switch on the other hand, doesn't have any collision. See, when you request somethign from a computer, it sends that two every port on a hub. Which causes collisions and results in a pretty big speed decreasment. Yet a switch sends the request sepretly so its faster. I would suggest a Netgear Switch if your interested in a switch. They are pretty cheap on eBay.
-Jason

the problem is with anyone who's behind an NAT router according to what i've read on other forums from people who have the same exact problem.

i/we have tried opening ports, changing the port in AIM, and almost everything i/we could think of with no luck. i say i/we because sometimes i try things alone and then sometimes me and my friend try things out together because we are both behind the same exact router.

just use a crossover cable its easy to make you can find the instructions on the net (http://www.makeitsimple.com/how-to/dyi_crossover.htm) and your set, just install windows internet connection sharing or something, or if you have an old computer laying around and a hub go to http://www.coyotelinux.com
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and as far as I know coyote linux has ip forwarding, so that way one computer ALWAYS has nat access, unlike windows sharing, cept who browses in windows?.. so go to http://www.sygate.com, and I'm sure you can prevent it from having to be re'gd every 30days my dad just sets the clock back on the computer heh