Step by step procedure for creating

LAN [Solved/Closed]
joy - Oct 26, 2008 at 11:24 AM - Latest reply:  Vinayak - Jan 20, 2018 at 05:10 AM
hello sir, I work in a office where I have to make a LAN connection within 15 machines by using
broadband connection. please guide me step by step procedure for creating the LAN connection.
the office has provided me one switch having 10 ports. And the operating system inthe machines
are windows XP and windows Vista. So please tell me the step by step procedure for making the
LAN connection.

 Lan configuration steps

 Lan installation and configuration
 How to connect lan
 Lan configuration bitween 10 computers [Solved] (Solved) » Forum - Network
 How to configure a joystick on your PC » How-To - Hardware
 I need LAN configuration » Forum - Network
 2 LAN configuration on 1 PC [Solved] » Forum - Network
 CONFIGURING OF LAN [Solved] (Solved) » Forum - Network

15 replies
Best answer
Respond to Muneer Mubashir
Muneer Mubashir Jul 2, 2010 at 05:04 PM
170
Thank you
instead of the switch...if u wud have been provided a router that wud have been more better.
switch can even work but you need one extra LAN card in one Computer and that Computer will
be called as server.

1. take the computer for which you are making server, insert the second LAN in that computer.
2. connect your internet connection into the first LAN (inbuilt) on that computer.
3. enter the IP address which you got from your ISP and check whether you can able to use
internet on that system.
4. Now make sure that the second LAN is detected and is showing Unplugged.
5. open properties of the first LAN (inbuilt LAN) and then go to "Advanced" option which is
available on the top, then check both the boxes and say ok. and close everything.
6. now take an Internet cable which is crimped on both the sides with same colors of wires.
7.connect one end to the second LAN and the other end to the switch.
8. Now open your second LAN properties and go to the TCP/IP properties and there enter IP
address as (192.168.0.1) or anything you wish Subnet Mask (255.255.255.0) and the gateway as
(192.168.0.1).
NOTE :- THE GATEWAY SHOULD BE SAME AS THE IP ADDRESS ONLY FOR THE
SERVER.
9. Now open click on the switch and you will get a notification on your server saying that "Local
Area Connection 2" is connected.
10. Now take an another Internet cable and one end of that cable should be in any one port of the
Switch and the other should be in the second computer.
11. Now you will get a notification that you are connected to internet, open the LAN properties
and enter the IP address as (192.168.0.2) subnet mask and gateway should be same as server. say
ok
12. You will now be able to browse Internet on that particular system now.
13. do the same with the rest of the systems.
NOTE :- THE IP ADDRESSES SHOULD NOT BE USED SAME FOR TWO SYSTEMS. SO
BETTER GO WITH 192.168.0.1 (FOR SERVER) 192.168.0.2 (1ST CLIENT)
192.168.0.3(SECOND CLIENT) AND SO ON.......BUT THE SUBNET MASK AND
GATEWAYS SHOULD BE SAME FOR ALL THE CLIENT AND SERVER SYSTEM.

and one more thing should be kept in mind that is you wont be able to browse internet Unless or
Until your Server Pc is turned ON.

Thank you, Muneer Mubashir 170

has helped 1293 users this month

just - Oct 28, 2012 at 11:02 AM

great 1
gorav - Nov 23, 2012 at 02:14 AM
thanks sir

Shekharsouth - Jul 30, 2017 at 12:53 AM

Thank u so much sir...nw.i can start my career by the help of u.....thnx again
vivek - Oct 9, 2017 at 05:04 AM
Thanks...
Respond to Vinayak
Vinayak - Jan 20, 2018 at 05:10 AM
Thank you

Respond to rajib
rajib Nov 23, 2009 at 08:53 AM
32
Thank you
first u have to buy LAN ware, a router or a broad band modem, a switch and rj 45 connectors. if
you r creating a lan without using a LAn card then the connection chart will be as follows :
how to connect rj45 with a lan cable :
1. buy a crimpling tool
2. Cut the cable as ur need.
3. cut the cover.
4. then cut the wares equally using the tool
5 . color combi nation for the cable :
1. deep brown 2. white deep brown 3. blue 4. white blue 5. green 6. white green 7. light brown 8.
white light brown.
6. now insert it in the rj 45 connector.
7. use crimpling tool to crimp it
8. now do the same procedure with another end and other cables.
How to configure PC for internet connection:
1. Go to my network places
2. click on create a new connection
3. next --> next ---> set up my connection manually ----> next ----> using user name ---> connect
broad band ---> next ----> give an isp name ( ur operator will provide it) ----> give user name
and pass word ( ur operator will provide it) ---> next ----> finish.

how to configure server computer :1. connect phone cable in the modem.
2. if u have type 2 adsl modem, connect ur server pc in one of the ports.
3. go to 'my network' option.
4. right click on it.
5. go to 'property'
6. select local area network
7. right click on it
8. property
9. select 'general'
10. go to ' internet protocal'
11. select it
12. click on 'property' bottom in ur right side.
13. click on 'use the following ip adress'
14. ip adress : 192.168.0.1
sunet musk : 255.255.255.0
difault gate way : blank
15. select : 'use the folowing dns adresses'
keep all of it blank .
16. click on 'ok'
How to configure client computers :
3. go to 'my network' option.
4. right click on it.
5. go to 'property'
6. select local area network
7. right click on it
8. property
9. select 'general'
10. go to ' internet protocal'
11. select it
12. click on 'property' bottom in ur right side.
13. click on 'use the following ip adress'
14. ip adress : 192.168.0.2 ( u can use 2 to 254 in the last section)
sunet musk : 255.255.255.0
difault gate way : 192.168.0.1
15. select : 'use the folowing dns adresses'
Prefered dns server : 192.168.0.1
Alternative DNS server : Blank
16. click on 'ok'
Repeat the same procedure with other client computers.
How to connect a switch ;
connect a cable from router with server pc ----> conncect another cable from the routher to ur
Switch ----> connect other cables from switch to client computers.
How to Share internet :
after connceting cables with computers, do as follows:
1. Go to My network places
2.Single Click on the Internet Connection ( Having ur given ISP name )
3. right click
4. property
5. Click on "advanced" option
6. Click on the check box "allow other network................. "
now ur networking is complete to use. Connect power to Router Modem, switch, and
computers.............. enjoy.
from Rajib sadhu
asansol, w.b. india.
ikram - Feb 5, 2010 at 11:40 AM
hello sir.

please can u teach me how to install xp sp2 as server and and how to restrict user and at startup
Show press Alt+Ctrl+Del to Logon please guide me.

thanx lot

Ikramuddin
Bangalore
rana - Apr 23, 2011 at 02:28 AM
thanks I liked it it really helped me
raj - May 20, 2011 at 01:47 AM
Thanks, rajib

Respond to OWEN LETHABO

OWEN LETHABO Nov 3, 2008 at 05:54 AM
10
Thank you
hellos joys
i can understand that you have all the resources to get down to business that simple,if you have
switch I think you know how to Put the wires in order I think you have 10 cables because you
said you have 10 computers as well and I am pretty sure that you have RJ- 45 connectors and 10
network interface cards.RJ- 45 connectors must be 20 of them so that you can join them both
side of each an every cable

first step Put the wires in this order starting from the left(put them on RJ-45 connector and when
you finish use
a crimper to crimp a a connector )

o white orange
o orange
o white green
o blue
o white blue
o green
o white brown
o brown

second step

connect a cable starting from each of every computer's network card straight to the switch

third step

on xp click on start-double click on control panel- choose network places-double click on

network
connection-on network places box-double click it-double TC/IP Protocol-enter IP Address from
computer one
for exple 10.0.0.0.1 to the last one 10.0.0.0.10 am not sure about the zeros just fill the space and
put number at
the end
ustad - Apr 6, 2009 at 01:45 AM
sir,
i read these steps and know how to configure a lan, kindly tell me about ip configure in lan
Prima - Nov 21, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Sir,
are you sure about the color combination?
is it
- white orange
- orange
- white green
- blue
- white blue
- green
- white brown
- brown

what I am asking is, is right about the blue and green cable?
because I am also confuse about it, that's why I couldn't connect the computer LAN.
I appreciated for your help Sir,
Regards,
akashj > Prima - Feb 23, 2010 at 03:10 AM
ya it's correct combination.. it's for only stright over connection.. which means for different kind
of devices....
punitthakur - Apr 14, 2010 at 11:58 PM
when we attach pc with hub or seitch then ,why do n't we use t\following coding greenwhite

How to Create a Local Area Network (LAN)

Three Parts:Determining Your Network NeedsSetting Up a Basic LANCreating a Wireless
NetworkCommunity Q&A

This wikiHow teaches how to create a LAN (Local Area Network), which allows connected
computers and devices to talk to each other and access the internet.

Part 1
Determining Your Network Needs

1.
 1

Count the number of computers you need to hardwire. When setting up a LAN, you'll need to
know how many computers will be connecting to the network via Ethernet. This will determine
the number of ports you'll need.

o If you have four or less computers that you need to hardwire, you'll just need a router. If
you have more than four, you'll likely need to get a switch to extend the number of
ports available on your router.
2.
 2

Decide if you want to create a wireless network. If you want to allow devices to connect
wirelessly, you'll need a router that can broadcast a wireless network. Most routers you'll find at
the store or online have wireless capabilities.

o Network switches do not allow wireless devices to connect, and can only be used for
hardwired LANs or to extend the number of ports available to the router.
3.
 3

Determine if you want all network devices to have internet access. If you want all of the
connected devices to have access to the internet, you'll need a router to handle the
connections. If you don't need the devices to have a network connection, you can just use a
network switch.

4.
 4

Measure the distances for all hardwired devices. This isn't much of an issue in most homes, but
network cables cannot run longer than 100m (328 ft). If you have to run cable farther than this,
you'll need switches in between.

5.
 5

Consider your future needs. If you're filling all of the ports on your hardware, consider future-
proofing to allow for more devices in the future.

Part 2
Setting Up a Basic LAN

1.
 1

Gather your network hardware. To create a LAN, you'll need a router or switch, which will act
as the hub of your network. These devices route information to the correct computers.

o A router will automatically handle assigning IP addresses to each device on the network,
and is necessary if you intend to share your internet connection with all the connected
devices. It is highly recommended that you build your network with a router, even if
you're not sharing an internet connection.
o A network switch is like a simpler version of a router. It will allow connected devices to
talk to each other, but will not automatically assign IP addresses and will not share an
internet connection. Switches are best used to expand the number of LAN ports
available on the network, as they can be connected to the router.
2.
 2

Set up your router. You don't need to do much to set up a router for a basic LAN. Just plug it
into a power source, preferably close to your modem if you plan on sharing the internet
connection through it.

3.
 3

Connect your modem to your router (if necessary). If you're sharing the internet connection
from your modem, connect the modem to the WAN/INTERNET port on the router. This is usually
a different color from the other ports.

4.
 4

Connect your switch to your router (if necessary). If you're using a switch to expand the
number of ports available on the router, plug an Ethernet cable into any LAN port on the router
and any LAN port on the switch. This will expand the network to the rest of the LAN ports on the
switch.

5.
 5

Connect your computers to open LAN ports. Use Ethernet cables to connect each computer to
an open LAN port on your router or switch. It doesn't matter what order the ports are
connected in.

o Ethernet cables cannot reliably transfer data at lengths larger than 100m (328 ft).
6.
 6

Setup one PC as a DHCP server if you're just using a switch. If you're only using a switch as your
network hub, setting up one computer as a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server
will allow all of the connected computers to easily obtain IP addresses.

o You can quickly create a DHCP server on one of your computers by installing a third-
party utility.
o The rest of the computers on the network will obtain IP addresses automatically once
the server is running, as long as they are set to do so.
7.
 7

Verify the network connection on each computer. After each computer obtains an IP address,
they'll be able to talk to each other on the network. If you're using a router to share your
internet connection, each computer will be able to access the internet.

8.
 8

Set up file and printer sharing. Once your network is up, you won't see anything on other
computers unless that computer has shared files. You can designate files, folders, drives,
printers, and other devices as shared so that anyone on the network, or just specific users, can
access them.

Part 3
Creating a Wireless Network

1.
 1

Set up your router. When you're setting up a wireless router, you'll need to keep a few things in
mind:

o For easy troubleshooting, the router should usually be placed close to your modem.
o It should be located centrally to allow for maximum wireless coverage.
o You'll need to connect a computer to the router via Ethernet during the setup process.
2.
 2

Plug a computer into one of the router's LAN ports. You'll be using your computer's web
browser to configure the router's wireless network.

3.
 3

Open a web browser on your computer. You can use any web browser.

4.
 4

Type in the router's IP address. You can typically find this printed on the bottom of the router,
or in your router's documentation. If you can't find it, there are a couple things you can try:

o Windows - Right-click the Network button in the System Tray → click Open Network and
Sharing Center → click the Ethernet link → click Details → find the Default Gateway
entry for your router's IP address.
o Mac - Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences → click Network → click your
Ethernet connection → find the Router entry for your router's IP address.
5.
 5

Log in with the administrator account. You'll be prompted for the login information for your
router. The default login information varies depending on your router model, but the username
is often "admin" and the password is often "admin," "password," or blank.

o You can look up your router model at https://portforward.com/router-password/ to find

the default login information.
6.
 6

Open the Wireless section of the router settings. The exact location and wording of this
section varies from router to router.

7.
 7

Change the name of your network in the SSID field. This may also be called "Network name."
This is the name that appears in the list of available wireless networks.

8.
 8

Select WPA2-Personal as the Authentication or Security option. This is the most secure
option currently available on most routers. Avoid WPA and WEP except when explicitly required
by older, incompatible devices.

9.
 9

Create a strong password. This password will be required in order to connect to the network.
The field may be labeled "Pre-Shared Key."

10.
 10

Ensure the wireless network is enabled. Depending on the router, you may have to check a box
or click a button at the top of the Wireless menu to enable the wireless network.

11.
 11

Click the Save or Apply button. This will save the changes to your router.

12.
 12

Wait while your router restarts. It may take a minute for the router and network to come back
online.

13.
 13

Connect to the wireless network on your wireless devices. Once the network is back up, it will
appear on the available network list on any wireless devices in range. When connecting to the
network, users will be prompted to enter the password you created.

o Computers connected to the router via Ethernet will not require a password.

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How to Install Any Version of Windows from

Other Network Computers
Tutorial by Ciprian Adrian Rusen published on 03/14/2013
Talk about a complex thing to do: installing Windows over the network. Even installing it via a
USB drive is simpler. However, this doesn't mean it cannot be done. Using a free tool named
Serva and a bit of time and attention, anyone can set up his/her network environment so that
Windows installations are performed with ease, from one network computer. Here's how the
whole process works!

VERY IMPORTANT Prerequisites

There are many things you need to prepare beforehand, so that everything works smoothly.
Please don't skip any of these elements or the likelihood of failure will be high:

1. You need to download and extract a little tool named Serva. Download the appropriate
version for your operating system (32-bit or 64-bit). You will notice that there are a
"Non-Supporter" version and a "Supporter" version. The free one is the "Non-Supporter"
version. It includes a small annoyance when you start it, plus a few limitations that won't
impact you unless you are a network admin or IT professional who needs to install lots of
operating systems on many network computers. If you are such a professional, go ahead
and purchase the "Supporter" version which costs a fair $29.99.
2. This software is a bit finicky. It doesn't like long folder structures and installation folders,
spaces and special characters. Therefore, extract it in a folder with a short name, directly
on the root of one of your computer's partitions. For example, I extracted it at "D:\
SERVA". Choose a similar path on your computer.

3. You need the original installation files for the operating system(s) you want to install
over the network. Have them at hand as you will need to copy them to a special folder, as
they are, without modifications.
4. For the computers where you are about to install Windows over the network, identify
their exact network card model(s). Then, download the appropriate drivers for the
Windows version you are about to install on them. By default, Windows setup programs
support a limited number of network cards. If your system is rather new, then it is very
likely that it won't support its network card and the installation procedure will fail.
 5. Every time you run Serva, run it as administrator. This way it has the required
permissions to create files, save the settings you make, etc.
6. When you run Serva, make sure that it is not blocked by your firewall. The application
must be set as allowed on the computer where it runs, otherwise it won't be able to
transfer anything over the network.
7. The computer where the installation files are stored and the one where you want to install
Windows must be part of the same network. This means that you have a router on your
home network, managing network IP addresses and network traffic. If not, then you
should directly connect the two computers with a crossover cable.

Step 1 - Run Serva & Make Its Initial Configuration

Run Serva as administrator. The free version will ask you to wait for 7 seconds before you can
use it. Once the wait is over, click "Thanks, not today".

Its window is now open. Click Settings.

First, go to the DHCP tab. If your computers are part of the same network and the management
of IP Addresses is taken care of by your router, enable these settings: proxyDHCP and BINL.
BINL is a special add-on that acts as a DHCP protocol extension and it is used by Serva during
its preparation and maintenance procedures. proxyDHCP is a special setting that tells Serva that
it doesn't need to act as a DCHP server in order to provide IP addresses to the computers
connecting to it.

Even though Serva's developers don't recommending enabling this setting, we have learned in
our testing that it helps eliminate some issues. Therefore, also enable the box which says "Bind
DHCP to this address" and leave the default IP address that is provided.

There is no need to modify other settings in this tab. Next, go to the TFTP tab.

TFTP comes from Trivial File Transfer Protocol and it is the protocol used by Serva to transfer
files over the network. This protocol needs a bit of configuration as well.

First, check the box near TFTP Server. Then, you need to specify the so called "root" directory.
This is the directory where you plan to store the Windows installation files. This folder can be
the same folder where you extracted Serva or a new one. Keep in mind that you should use short
paths and avoid using spaces and special characters (*, &, ", etc) in the directory name or its
path.

To help eliminate problems in some networking environments, you might want to also check the
box near "Bind TFTP to this address" and leave the default IP address unchanged.

Press OK to save your settings. Then close Serva and start it again (as administrator). During the
restart, it will create a special folder structure in the root folder you specified.
Amongst those folders, you must find one named WIA_WDS and another named WIA_RIS. If
they are not found inside the root folder you specified, something went wrong with Serva's
configuration. If all is well, go ahead and read the next section in this article.

Step 2 - Copy the Windows Installation Files

Go to the root folder you specified. Here, you need to copy the Windows installation files, as
they are, without any modifications from your side.

If you want to install older versions of Windows like Windows XP or Windows 2000, you need
to copy those files in the WIA_RIS folder. Since these operating systems are very old and we
don't recommend using them, we won't provide specific instructions for them.

If you plan to install Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, then open the WIA_WDS folder.
There, create a new folder named according to the Windows version you want to copy. Use
simple folder names, with no spaces or special characters. For example, I used Windows_7.

Create separate folders, with different names for all the Windows versions you plan to install
over the network, using Serva.

Inside that folder, copy and paste all the installation files for the Windows version you want to
install over the network. Simply go to the root of the installation disc, and copy its entire file and
folder structure.

Step 3 - Start Serva

Start Serva again, as administrator and wait for it to detect the installation files you added. It will
create its special folder structure, required to distribute the installation files over the network.

Then, close Serva and go to the next step.

Step 4 - Copy the Network Card Driver(s)

Next, you need to copy the network card drivers for the computer(s) on which you want to install
Windows.
Go the folder where you copied the installation files. In my case it was "D:\serva" (both the root
and Serva installation folder), followed by "WIA_WDS\Windows_7".

There, go to "$OEM$\$1\Drivers\NIC". If you can't find these folders, create them yourself.

Then, extract the network card drivers and place them inside. If your drivers come as a setup.exe
or as a self-extractable archive, extract it first. Make sure the driver's ".inf" and ".cat" files are
stored directly in the NIC folder.

Step 5 - Share WIA_WDS Folder with the Network

In order for Serva to distribute the Windows installation files over the network, they need to be
shared with the network, so that other computers can access them. Unfortunately, Serva requires
you to share the WIA_WDS folder (and not its subfolders or other folders) using a very specific
share name: WIA_WDS_SHARE. Using any other share name means that the installation
procedure is likely to fail.
To share this folder with the name we mentioned, you first need to enable advanced sharing in
Windows and then share it. Here's how advanced sharing works in Windows: Share Libraries or
Folders Using Advanced Sharing.

You must give the user Everyone read-only permissions. You can also share this folder with
specific user accounts, whose login details you will use later on, during the network installation
process. Again, read-only permissions are enough.

Step 6 - Start Serva

Start Serva again, using administrator permissions. It will detect the network drivers you added
and make a few changes, so that the drivers are distributed correctly when you launch the
installation process on other computers. You can now leave it open and waiting for network
connections.

Next, go to the computer(s) where you want to install Windows.

Step 7 - On the Target PC - Enable Lan Booting & Boot

from the Network
Go to the computer where you want to install Windows and enter its BIOS. Make sure
networking booting is enabled. This setting can be named "Boot from the network" or "Boot
from PXE".
Then, start the computer and press the required key to bring up the Boot Menu. On most
computers, you need to press F12 or F8, depending on the BIOS version. Select Network or PXE
(again, this depends on your computer's BIOS), to boot from the network, using Serva.

If all is well, you should see a screen similar to the one below, where the computer's MAC is
displayed and the network card requests an IP address via DHCP.

When the computer is connected to the network, Serva loads and displays a screen with the
operating systems available for installation. Pick the one you want and press ENTER.
The installation files are loaded and a small window named ServaPENet is shown. At this step,
Serva installs the network driver you added earlier, loads network resources and connects to the
Windows installation folder. Depending on how you shared the WIA_WDS folder, it will ask you
to provide a username and password to access it. Type the details of the user account you shared
it with and connect.

If all went well, the Windows installation process is now started.

Step 8 - Install Windows Over the Network

Next, continue with the Windows installation, as usual. If you plan to install Windows 8, check
this installation guide: How to Install Windows 8 RTM on Your Computer.

If you plan to instal Windows 7, check this article: How to Install Windows 7 - Complete Round
of Installation Guides.

Troubleshooting Problems with Serva

If you don't pay attention to all the steps in this procedure, some things are likely to fail. Here are
some things we learned while experimenting with this tool:

 If ServaPENet returns this error: "Failed No NIC/Driver, Aborting!", it means that you
forgot to copy the network card drivers as instructed at Step 4. If you copied them and
you still get the error, double check that you have the correct driver for the network card
of the computer where you want to install Windows, for the Windows version you are
about to install. Also, double check that you copied it to the correct folder. Then, restart
Serva to make sure it detects the driver before the network installation procedure starts.
  If, on the target computer, Serva is not able to load at all over the network, consider
enabling the "Bind DHCP to this address" and "Bind TFTP to this address" settings in
the DHCP and TFTP tabs.
 If you connected two computers directly, with a crossover cable, you need to set Serva as
DHCP server, in order for everything to work. This means setting the 1st address
available in the IP pool, the pool size, and the subnet mask to be used when Serva assigns
IP addresses.

 One last piece of advice is to check the Serva logs. The messages shown there can help
you troubleshoot different problems.

Another good tip is to restart Serva every time you change any of its settings and every time you
add something to its root folder.

Since we are not the developers of this software, we cannot provide support for it and help you
with all the issues you might encounter. If our guide does not help you, then double check
Serva's documentation - Serva PXE/BINL - AN01: Windows Install and advanced configuration
guide - Advanced Topics on TFTP.
Conclusion
As you can see from this guide, setting things up with Serva requires quite a bit of time and
attention. However, it is the simplest way of installing any modern version of Windows over the
network. It works great both for home networks and small or medium sized business networks.

If you know other useful tools for installing Windows over the network, don't hesitate to share
them using the comments form below.

Discover more: Smarthome, Tutorials, Network and Internet, System and Security, Windows

Setting up a Local Area Network

Using Red Hat Linux to connect two or more computers

Darrick Addison
Published on February 01, 2001

FacebookTwitterLinked InGoogle+E-mail this page

Linux is increasingly popular in the computer networking/telecommunications industry.

Acquiring the Linux operating system is a relatively simple and inexpensive task since virtually
all of the source code can be downloaded from several different FTP or HTTP sites on the
Internet. In addition, the most recent version of Red Hat Linux can be purchased from computer
retail stores for between $25 and $50, depending on whether you purchase the standard or full
version. The retail brand is indeed a worthwhile investment (vs. the free FTP or HTTP versions)
since valuable technical support is included directly from the Red Hat Linux engineers for at
least a year. This can be very helpful if, for instance, you can not resolve an
installation/configuration problem after consulting the Red Hat Linux manuals.

This article describes how to put together a Local Area Network (LAN) consisting of two or
more computers using the Red Hat Linux 6.2 operating system. A LAN is a communications
network that interconnects a variety of devices and provides a means for exchanging information
among those devices. The size and scope of a LAN is usually small, covering a single building or
group of buildings. In a LAN, modems and phone lines are not required, and the computers
should be close enough to run a network cable between them.

For each computer that will participate in the LAN, you'll need a network interface card (NIC) to
which the network cable will be attached. You will also need to assign a unique hostname and IP
address to each computer in the LAN (described later in this article), but this requires a basic
understanding of TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).

Introduction to TCP/IP
TCP/IP is the suite of protocols used by the Internet and most LANs throughout the world. In
TCP/IP, every host (computer or other communications device) that is connected to the network
has a unique IP address. An IP address is composed of four octets (numbers in the range of 0 to
255) separated by decimal points. The IP address is used to uniquely identify a host or computer
on the LAN. For example, a computer with the hostname Morpheus could have an IP address of
192.168.7.127. You should avoid giving two or more computers the same IP address by using
the range of IP addresses that are reserved for private, local area networks; this range of IP
addresses usually begins with the octets 192.168.

LAN network address The first three octets of an IP address should be the same for all
computers in the LAN. For example, if a total of 128 hosts exist in a single LAN, the IP
addresses could be assigned starting with 192.168.1.x, where x represents a number in the range
of 1 to 128. You could create consecutive LANs within the same company in a similar manner
consisting of up to another 128 computers. Of course, you are not limited to 128 computers, as
there are other ranges of IP addresses that allow you to build even larger networks.

There are different classes of networks that determine the size and total possible unique IP
addresses of any given LAN. For example, a class A LAN can have over 16 million unique IP
addresses. A class B LAN can have over 65,000 unique IP addresses. The size of your LAN
depends on which reserved address range you use and the subnet mask (explained later in the
article) associated with that range (see Table 1.).

Table 1. Address ranges and LAN sizes

Address range Subnet mask Provides

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255.255 255.0.0.0 1 class A LAN 16

172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 255.255.0.0 16 class B LANs 65

192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 25.255.255.0 256 class C LANs 25

Network and broadcast addresses

Another important aspect of building a LAN is that the addresses at the two extreme ends of the
address range are reserved for use as the LAN's network address and broadcast address. The
network address is used by an application to represent the overall network. The broadcast
address is used by an application to send the same message to all other hosts in the network
simultaneously.

For example, if you use addresses in the range of 192.168.1.0 to 192.168.1.128, the first address
(192.168.1.0) is reserved as the network address, and the last address (192.168.1.128) is reserved
as the broadcast address. Therefore, you only assign individual computers on the LAN IP
addresses in the range of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.127:

Network address: 192.168.1.0

Individual hosts: 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.127

Broadcast address: 192.168.1.128

Subnet masks
Each host in a LAN has a subnet mask. The subnet mask is an octet that uses the number 255 to
represent the network address portion of the IP address and a zero to identify the host portion of
the address. For example, the subnet mask 255.255.255.0 is used by each host to determine
which LAN or class it belongs to. The zero at the end of the subnet mask represents a unique
host within that network.

Domain name
The domain name, or network name, is a unique name followed by a standard Internet suffixes
such as .com, .org, .mil, .net, etc. You can pretty much name your LAN anything if it has a
simple dial-up connection and your LAN is not a server providing some type of service to other
hosts directly. In addition, our sample network is considered private since it uses IP addresses in
the range of 192.168.1.x. Most importantly, the domain name of choice should not be accessible
from the Internet if the above constraints are strictly enforced. Lastly, to obtain an "official"
domain name you could register through InterNIC, Network Solutions or Register.com. See the
Related topics section later in this article for the Web sites with detailed instructions for
obtaining official domain names.

Hostnames
Another important step in setting up a LAN is assigning a unique hostname to each computer in
the LAN. A hostname is simply a unique name that can be made up and is used to identify a
unique computer in the LAN. Also, the name should not contain any blank spaces or
punctuation. For example, the following are valid hostnames that could be assigned to each
computer in a LAN consisting of 5 hosts: hostname 1 - Morpheus; hostname 2 - Trinity;
hostname 3 - Tank; hostname 4 - Oracle; and hostname 5 - Dozer. Each of these hostnames
conforms to the requirement that no blank spaces or punctuation marks are present. Use short
hostnames to eliminate excessive typing, and choose a name that is easy to remember.

Table 2 summarizes what we have covered so far in this article. Every host in the LAN will have
the same network address, broadcast address, subnet mask, and domain name because those
addresses identify the network in its entirety. Each computer in the LAN will have a hostname
and IP address that uniquely identifies that particular host. The network address is 192.168.1.0,
and the broadcast address is 192.168.1.128. Therefore, each host in the LAN must have an IP
address between 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.127.

Table 2. Sample IP addresses for a LAN with 127 or fewer interconnected computers
IP address Example

Network address 192.168.1.0 Same for all hosts

Domain name www.yourcompanyname.com Same for all hosts

Broadcast address 192.168.1.128 Same for all hosts

Subnet mask 255.255.255.0 Same for all hosts

Hostname Any valid name Unique to each host

Host addresses 192.168.1.x x must be unique to ea

Assigning IP addresses in a LAN

There are two ways to assign IP addresses in a LAN. You can manually assign a static IP address
to each computer in the LAN, or you can use a special type of server that automatically assigns a
dynamic IP address to each computer as it logs into the network.

Static IP addressing
Static IP addressing means manually assigning a unique IP address to each computer in the LAN.
The first three octets must be the same for each host, and the last digit must be a unique number
for each host. In addition, a unique hostname will need to be assigned to each computer. Each
host in the LAN will have the same network address (192.168.1.0), broadcast address
(192.168.1.128), subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and domain name (yourcompanyname.com). It's
a good idea to start by visiting each computer in the LAN and jotting down the hostname and IP
address for future reference.

Dynamic IP addressing
Dynamic IP addressing is accomplished via a server or host called DHCP (Dynamic Host
Configuration Program) that automatically assigns a unique IP address to each computer as it
connects to the LAN. A similar service called BootP can also automatically assign unique IP
addresses to each host in the network. The DHCP/ BootP service is a program or device that will
act as a host with a unique IP address. An example of a DHCP device is a router that acts as an
Ethernet hub (a communications device that allows multiple host to be connected via an Ethernet
jack and a specific port) on one end and allows a connection to the Internet on the opposite end.
Furthermore, the DHCP server will also assign the network and broadcast addresses. You will
not be required to manually assign hostnames and domain names in a dynamic IP addressing
scheme.
The LAN hardware
Assigning hostname and IP addresses will be useless if there is no hardware available to connect
all the computers together. There are several different types of hardware schemes such as
Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, Token Bus, etc. Since Ethernet is the most widely used hardware
scheme, we will focus our attention on it. Ethernet is available from several different computer
vendors, and it is relatively inexpensive. Ethernet is a 10-Mbps baseband LAN specification
developed by Xerox, Intel, and Digital Equipment. In order to build an Ethernet hub you need
the following: an Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) for each computer, an Ethernet
compatible hub with at least the same number of ports as there will be computers in the LAN,
and Ethernet cables (or 10BaseT cables) to connect each computer's NIC to the Ethernet hub.

Also make sure that the hardware of choice is compatible with the Red Hat Linux operating
system. This hardware/software compatibility information is usually found in the Requirements
section on the back of the box of each product. Alternatively, you could ask a computer sales
person about hardware/software requirements. You can usually save money by purchasing LAN
cards as a package vs. purchasing them individually.

When choosing an Ethernet hub ensure that it contains at least as many ports as there are
computers that will participate in the LAN. It is always best to choose a hub with additional ports
to allow for expansion.

If you plan to use all of the computers in the LAN to access the Internet via a local Internet
Service Provider (ISP), the router/Ethernet combo is an ideal choice. The router/Ethernet unit is
normally configured using any computer that is connected to the LAN. Assuming that all
computers in the LAN will be running the Red Hat Linux operating system, a router will be
required that can be configured using a Linux configuration program such as LinuxConf.

Finally, choose network cables to allow for expansion. Typically, most Ethernet networks use
10BaseT cables with RJ45 jacks at each end. It's always a good idea to purchase cables that are 1
or 2 times longer than the required length in case the structure (topology) of the LAN changes in
the future.

Installing the hardware

Assuming that all LAN hardware is available, the next step is to install it. First turn off all the
computers that will participate in the LAN. Next, open the case on each computer and install
each NIC in the appropriate slot on the motherboard, being careful to follow the manufacturer's
instructions.

Find a convenient but safe location for the Ethernet hub, preferably a centralized location in the
same building or room along with the computers. Next, run the cable from the NIC in each
computer to the Ethernet hub ensuring all cables are out of the way of users who will need
physical access to each computer in the LAN. Moreover, make sure you follow all instructions
provided with the LAN hardware before starting up any of the computers that will participate in
the LAN.
If you are using a router to connect the LAN to the Internet or using a DHCP server, you will
need to do some configuration as required by the user's manual. Lastly, assuming all computers
are attached to the Ethernet hub via the NIC and a specific port on the hub, you can now begin
the software configuration process using the Red Hat operating system.

Configuring the LAN

How you configure the computers on the LAN will depend on whether the Red Hat OS was
installed before or after the LAN hardware. If you installed the LAN hardware before installing
Red Hat you will be prompted for network configuration during the Red Hat installation process.
However, if you installed the Red Hat OS after the LAN hardware, a program called "Kudzu"
will detect the newly installed Ethernet card and initiate the configuration process automatically.
Follow these steps when configuring each Ethernet card using the "Kudzu" program:

1. During the bootup process look for a dialog box titled "Welcome to Kudzu." Press Enter to begin
the configuration process.
2. Next, you should see another dialog box that displays the brand name for the installed Ethernet
card. Press Enter again to continue.
3. After a brief delay you should see "Would You Like to Set up Networking".
4. Select the NO option using the Tab key and then press Enter. I will describe setting up
networking using a utility called LinuxConf later in this article.

At this point, the bootup process should continue normally and you will be required to log on to
the computer as the root user. You should have been given the opportunity to create a root
account during the initial installation of Red Hat.

Using LinuxConf to configure your Ethernet card

You can use an application program called LinuxConf to configure or reconfigure the NIC of
each computer in the LAN. You can launch the LinuxConf utility by typing linuxconf at the
command prompt of any terminal window in the KDE or GNOME desktop environment.
Another way to start the LinuxConf utility is to click the Main menu button, select System, then
LinuxConf. When the LinuxConf application is displayed, follow the steps below to configure
the Ethernet card:

1. From the LinuxConf tree structure, select Config, Networking, Client Tasks, Basic Host
Information.
2. Type the fully qualified hostname that you assigned to this computer on the Host name tab.
3. Next, click the Adaptor 1 tab, which displays your Ethernet card settings.
4. Verify that the Enabled button is selected to ensure that the Ethernet card will be accessible.
5. Choose the Manual option if you will not be using a DHCP or BootP server on your LAN and
continue to step 6. Otherwise, if you will be using a DHCP or BootP server, choose either DHCP
or BootP accordingly and continue to step 12.
6. Enter this computer's hostname followed by a period and the domain name of the LAN for the
Primary name + domain option.
7. Enter the computer's hostname in addition to any aliases separated by a blank space under the
Aliases option.
 8. Enter the IP address assigned to this computer next to IP Address (such as 192.168.1.1).
9. Type in 255.255.255.0 for the Netmask.
10. For net device, type eth0, which represents the first Ethernet card located inside the computer.
11. The driver or Kernel Module option for the Ethernet card should automatically be filled in upon
exiting LinuxConf.
12. Click the Accept button to activate all changes.
13. Repeat steps 1-12 for each computer in the LAN, verifying that you've entered the correct
hostname and the corresponding IP address.

Nameserver specification
Another important step in setting up LAN is to configure the Nameserver specification, which is
used by Linux to look up IP addresses when only the computer's hostname is given. There are
two methods that are used by Red Hat Linux to resolve hostnames into IP addresses. One method
is via Domain Name Services (DNS), and the other is by means of a local file at /etc/hosts.
Locate the hosts file by typing cd /etc to change to the /etc directory. The /etc directory is
where most system configuration files are found for each computer. Next, follow the steps below
to resolve hostnames into IP address using the /etc/hosts file:

1. In the left column of LinuxConf, open the Nameserver specification (DNS) category.
2. Left-click the DNS Usage option. (The button should be pushed in.)
3. Enter localdomain next to the Search Domain 1 category.
4. If you know the primary and secondary IP addresses for the nameserver, which should be
available for this Ethernet card, enter those in the IP of nameserver 1 and IP of nameserver 2
categories. Otherwise, you can leave those categories blank.
5. Left-click the Accept button to activate all changes.

Hostname search path

The hostname search path is used by Red Hat Linux to search for IP addresses assigned to
hostnames. To configure the hostname search path so that the local host (/etc/hosts) file is used
to resolve local hostnames, and the ISP domain services to resolve Internet domain services,
follow these steps:

1. In the left column of LinuxConf, open the Routing and Gateways category.
2. Select the Host Name Search path option.
3. In the right column of LinuxConf, select the Multiple IPs for One Host option.
4. Select the hosts, dns option in the right portion of LinuxConf.
5. Left-click the Accept button to activate all changes.

Setting up /etc/hosts
The Red Hat Linux OS needs some way to find IP addresses within the LAN based on the each
computer's hostname. I described earlier in the article that the Domain Name Service (DNS) is
one method of resolving hostnames into IP addresses. In a DNS configuration the hostnames and
IP addresses should already be listed in a pre-existing nameserver. Consult your local ISP to
obtain those IP addresses. On the other hand, if there is a centralized nameserver, as with small
LANs, a host file will need to be configured on each computer that was assigned a hostname, IP
address, and any aliases. This configuration process involves editing a text file located at
/etc/host. You will need to go to one of the computers in the LAN and follow the below steps in
order to create and configure the /etc/hosts file:

1. In the left column of LinuxConf, open the Misc category.

2. Open the Information about hosts category. You should see an entry for this computer that
includes the IP address, hostname, and any aliases.
3. Left-click the Add button once to add an entry for another host in the LAN.
4. Type the Primary + Domain Name for another host in the LAN in the dialog box that appears
(such as trinity.yourcompanyname.com).
5. Type one or more aliases for this computer next to the Alias option (such as tank).
6. Enter the IP address for the hostname that you've assigned for this computer next to IP number.
7. Left-click the Accept button to activate all changes.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for each computer in your LAN.

After you have done steps 1-7 for all computers, the /etc/hosts tab of LinuxConf should list one
entry for every computer in your LAN, in addition to the local host's loopback interface. The
local host name should appear as localhost. Finally, you can save all changes and exit the
LinuxConf application by following the steps below:

1. Left-click the Quit button in the /etc/host screen after all hostnames and IP addresses have been
entered.
2. To exit the LinuxConf application, left-click the Quit button at the bottom-left corner.
3. Left-click the Activate the Changes button to activate all changes and exit LinuxConf.

Repeat for every host

Now that you have configured one computer in you LAN, you will need to go back and repeat all
the above steps for each computer starting with the section "Configuring the LAN". If you would
prefer a less time-consuming procedure of configuring each computer, you can modify the
/etc/hosts file on each computer manually using a copy method.

You can copy the /etc/hosts file that you have just created to a floppy disk or CD-ROM (if you
have a writeable CD-ROM drive) and copy that file to the /etc directory of each computer in
your LAN. To copy the /etc/hosts file to a floppy disk, type the command cp /etc/hosts
/mnt/floppy at the command prompt. Do this on the computer where you configured the
initial /etc/hosts file using the LinuxConf utility.

Next, take the floppy to each computer in the LAN and type the command cp /mnt/floppy
hosts /etc/host in a terminal window. This will copy the hosts file to the /etc directory on
each host. If you are using a CD-ROM, replace the /mnt/floppy/ in the above commands with
//mnt/cdrom/ to copy files to and from a writeable CD-ROM. The /etc/hosts file, as you
probably noticed, is just a text file with a list of hostnames and IP addresses separated into three
columns. Lastly, make sure that the local computer and its associated IP address are listed twice
and all the other computers in the LAN are listed only once.

Testing the LAN

To test the completely configured LAN, make sure that the computers are able to communicate
with each other after the bootup process. You can start by typing reboot at the command prompt
at a command terminal on each computer. This allows you to monitor the testing information that
scrolls down the screen as a standard procedure during the Linux boot process. Look for the
following information:

Setting hostname: <hostname you assigned to this com

Bringing up Interface lo: <OK> or <FAILED>

Bringing up interface eth0 <OK> or <FAILED>

The Setting hostname field should display the hostname that you assigned for this computer. The
lo and eth0 interfaces should display [OK] to indicate that both tests were successful.

To determine whether each computer can communicate with every other computer in the LAN,
use the ping command. Open any terminal window on the current host and type the command
ping <IP address> or <hostname>, where <IP address> or <hostname> is the IP address
and/or the hostname that you assigned to this computer. Note that you must type either the IP
address or the hostname in order for the ping command to work properly.

If you have configured the DNS nameserver specification properly, the ping <hostname>
command should resolve the hostname into a corresponding IP address. Otherwise, you will need
to use the IP address that you should currently already have listed for all computers in the LAN.
The ping command will send messages across the LAN to the designated IP address or computer.
You should see several messages or packets (consisting of bytes of information) if the computers
are "talking" or communicating with each other. These packets look similar to the following:

164 bytes from 192.168.1.x : icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=0.8ms

264 bytes from 192.168.1.x : icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=0.8ms

364 bytes from 192.168.1.x : icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=0.8ms

Note that the "192.168.1" represents the LAN that this particular host is a member of and the x
indicates the specific host number that you are attempting to ping (e.g. such as Oracle) which
jointly makes up the IP address. You can press the Ctrl+C to terminate the test and you should
see the following basic information about the entire ping test:

1    hostname.yourcompanyname.com ping statistics   

24 packets transmitted, 4 packets received, 0% packet loss

3round-trip min/avg/max = 0.3/0.4/0.8 ms

Verify that the packet loss is 0%, which is an immediate indication that the test was successful.
However, there is a problem if the ping command results in the following message:

1From hostname.comanyname.com (192.168.1.1): Destination Host Unreachable

This is an immediate indication that the two computers are not communicating at all. If the
computers are not communicating, see the next section, "Troubleshooting the LAN". Otherwise,
when you can successfully ping all other computers in the LAN from one designated computer,
the overall basic communications functionality is indeed a success. At this point, you can
consider this LAN to be a fully functional network that you can install and on which you can
configure various network services as desired.

Troubleshooting the LAN

If you are unable to ping another computer in the LAN, here's how to get to the source of the
problem. First of all, it's a good idea to shut down every computer in the LAN using the halt
command. At the command prompt on each computer, type halt. The main reason for shutting
down all computers is to monitor feedback from the boot process when each computer is started
up again.

Check all cable connections between every computer, making sure that all RJ45 jacks are
connected properly. After verifying that all the cables are secured properly, start each computer
one at a time and look for the following response during the boot process:

1Setting hostname: hostname.networkname  [OK]

You can turn on the interactive mode by typing I at the LILO boot prompt during the initial
bootup process of Red Hat to get a closer view of the feedback. Ensure that the hostname and
network name that was assigned to this computer is spelled correctly. If this is not the case, you
will need to return to the Basic Host Information section of LinuxConf. In interactive mode you
will be prompted to start several services. Respond to each question with Yes and pay close
attention to results of various tests. If the Kudzu program detects an Ethernet card, then this an
indication that the card was not properly configured the first time around. Proceed to let Kudzu
configure the card. When you are prompted to configure the network, choose "Yes" and type the
correct IP address and other related information for this particular computer.

Another important response to examine carefully is the following:

1Bringing up interface eth0      [OK]

This line indicates whether the Ethernet card is working properly. If this test fails you should
check all network settings using LinuxConf to ensure that the card was configured properly. If
the network settings are correct, there is probably a defect in the Ethernet card itself. In order to
verify this, consult the manufacturer of the Ethernet card or a computer technician to determine
whether or not the card is defective. Repeat the preceding troubleshooting procedures on each
new Ethernet card installed.

Summary
The process of setting up a LAN using Red Hat Linux is a relatively straightforward task even
for users with little or no LAN background when the preceding steps are carefully understood
and performed. Moreover, there are vast resources available on the Web that describe in more
detail the topics covered in this article. A good start would be to feed keywords (like LANs,
configuring LANs, Linux network configuration, and TCP/IP) into your favorite Web search
engine. You will be amazed at the wealth of information that is available on configuring LANs,
building networks, Red Hat Linux network installation/configuration, the TCP/IP protocol suite,
and on and on. Good luck!

Downloadable resources

 PDF of this content

Related topics

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