Setting up the simplest of Networks?

Hey all,

Firstly, when it comes to Networks, I am an absolute category III, 100% unqualified and uneducated newbie ! :roll::D

I have always seen the potential of setting up a very simple network between 2 x PCs but I have avoided it like the plague as any help I have tried to get from the 'net always assumes this is for shared internet use, rather than file sharing and more straightforward connection of the PCs.

I even bought a Crossover Cable but have not yet known where to start with trying to set up a simple network.

A couple of questions that I hope you may be able to help me with:-

• Is anyone able to give some really basic, straightforward pointers in the first steps of connecting 2 PCs that both have network cards built in (I think!), using a crossover cable ?
• As an alternative, does WIDEFS provide any help / instructions in setting up a basic network ?

All I want to achieve from the 2 networked PCs is using one for the FS 'exterior view' and the other for all other aspects (panel gauges, etc).

Thank you to anyone who helps me get to 1st base !! :D

Here is the best way to learn.

Take two pc's. Plug your cross over cable into one and into the other.

Goto the network properties of each maching and select specify Ip address.

Set one up like this....

IP 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway 192.168.0.1


Set the other up like this
IP 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway 192.168.0.1

Your all set. On both computers goto My Computer, right click on your c:\ and click Sharing. Fill in the information. Goto my network places and add a network place search (browse) for the other computers c:\

when your ready to connect that machine back to the internet, change the address to (obtain automatically and reconnect your modem)

Hope that helps.

Trev

To add to that, no WIDEFS does not really have anything to do with the basic setup of a network. It assumes that you have a network set up correctly to start with.

best,

.................john

PS: Are you sure that only two computers will serve your simpit needs? Most of us are running a lot more than that.

PPS: Get a copy of "Home Networking For Dummies".... I did when I first started ;).

Wow - thanks Trevor! I had heard about these standard IP numbers but had trouble finding them - thanks so much for giving me exactly what I was after - no nonsense help it getting started.

I'll let you know how I get on :-)

Perfect Buddy. I hope it works for you.

If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to come back and ask.

Trev

Thanks Trevor for that great response

I wanted to reply to this thread earlier, but the simple fact is that I have 2 really good people that help me with these aspects of the project and so I am not qualified yet to answer these types of questions since I am just now getting an idea of how the network operates. Thankfully my father in law is great at this stuff and also a good friend from church who actually got my PMRJ software off the ground.

Best of luck to David Rogers!

Hi David. One thing I want to warn you about is, a standard FS and FSUPIC with WieFS running will not allow you to put the outside views on one computer and your gauges on the other. This requires special software to to this. But get your network working and we can go from there.

Thanks John, Trevor, Eric & Bob for those great pointers.

I will certainly look at picking up the 'for dummies' book!

Bob - as soon as I placed the post above and then done some research on WideFS, I found out that you can't 'seperate' FS across a network using only WideFS (as you said above). Shame but I would still like to network a couple of PCs to use for some additional applications. (Or even just to try out the PM demos to see what all the fuss is about!).

Thanks again for the help all.

Now if your main sim computer is strong enough you can use a program like the PMDG to place your gauges on different monitors like Westozy has. He is using 1 computer for his sim right now. PMDG will do it and I am not sure if any of the others will. You just need a computer with more then one video out and a strong enough computer to do it. Do a search for westozy's pics. ANd you can get an idea what is possible with 1 computer.

David,

To run two separate copies of FS and have them linked up so that they both "see" the same flight data, you need the payware WideView program. Many people use this to create different outside views driven by different computers.

best,

.................john

Can you explain just what you meant?

Why can't he put outside view on the main fs2004 PC and have the outside up by min the default MIP and then have 2 PCs with lets say PM capt and MCP/engines on the other client.

Or are you saying that to have 3 PCs going and be able to drag the default MIP panel(s) to the other 2 PCs (not project magenta), while being able to min the default MIP on the main thus seeing the whole outside front view, you need Wideview.

Now if so, you don't need Wideview for the same situation with fs2004 outside view on the main PC server, and Magenta on the 2 clients for displays. Right?

Randy

With PM yes he can but not with just FS. He states he is not going to us PM. So putting your gauges on another PC over a network will not work without some other program like WideView or PM or some other program that is designed to do this.

[EDIT: Just beat me to it Bob!]

Hi Randy,

You're right but that scenario only works with Project Magenda, as it's gauges run outside of FS2004. So yes, it's perfectly doable to have one PC running the exterior view (FS2004), and to have all gauges, PM Sound, etc on another PC across a network.

But unfortunately, Magenta is out of my financial reach for at least a year (probably longer). So the challenge is running a set-up that uses the benefits of networked PCs, where everying is happening 'inside' the sim.

At present I am running everything out of one PC (everything being a PMDG 737 based set-up across a projector (video output 1), and 2 monitors (dualhead2go - video outout 2). The PC is a Core2Duo E6600 with 2Gb DDR, with a ATI 1950 Pro 512Mb graphics card - so performance is pretty good but as I expand that may change. I also get some stutters when I use the hat switch to look at 'side views' on the projector display (don't get these when I test on a single monitor).

Wideview sounds very interesting - folks, is there any latency or problems when the 2 versions of FS are running or does it run perfectly fluently ?

Thanks,

D.

Hi David it runs very well. Just keep in mind you need a second computer capable of running FS. If you search here and hunt around a little there are a number of places that still offer free or reasonable prices on there network able software.

Hi,

Try to work out a deal with them or don' buy everything at once. Just get PFD for the capt and engines. Save MCP and if you want CDU for later.

Its the best and why bother setting up with Wideview? Go with PM and learn all of there stuff.

Randy

www.EllieSystems.com.

They are in late beta for the 777 PFD with other elements to follow as the year wraps up... hopefully 8)

Hey folks - I bought a cross over cable today and will be attempting to set up the network this evening - I'll post back and let you know whether the great help works and I get set up!

cheers,

Perfect David.

Let us know how you make out.

Best regards,

Trev

I got there!

You know, I tried networking 2 of my PCs about 2 years ago and got so messed up and frustrated that I gave up and forgot about it .... I am so pleased that with some good pointed tips I got there this time!

The 1st PC (main FS unit) was no problem and I could see it within the MSHOME workgroup in "entire network".

Had problems with the 2nd PC - it kept asking for the Win XP disk (which I was happily feeding it) but I just couldn't get it correctly configured, and it was not showing in the network workgroup. There were no IP details showing in the properties, and I wasn't able to set any.....

.....I then realised with some embarrassment that this particular old Dell does not have a Network / Ethernet card in it !!! (oops). I put a Firewire adaptor in it some time ago, in order to connect some music production hardware, and that ("1394 Adaptor") was what I was messing with in the "Network settings", not the "VIA compatible Ethernet Network Adaptor" that was correctly set up in the 1st PC.

But luckily I have a 3rd PC downstairs that is the main family internet unit - I whipped it upstairs, made the settings and within 5 minutes I could access each PC from the other via the MSHOME network !! (Yeeeha!).

I can't use this PC long term though, so I need to pick up a 4th (the wife will kill me), as even the 3rd unit can't be used in the cockpit long term as it is used for music production and mastering.

So I will pick up a cheapish Pentium 4 with a Ethernet Network Adaptor (now I know it works) and use that as my 2nd FS 'puter.

All this of course leads me to the expensive conclusion that I will likely get Project Magenta now that I can see hte possibilities of having the main PC running just the FS exterior world, and all the PM gauges on a networked PC.

Trevor and all - thanks so much for the network help, this really is a special forum. I hope I can repay the help some day.

The only concern I noticed is that there was a long 'egg timer' pause each time I clicked on the icon for one of the PCs, from the respective PC on the network. Was just a tad worried that this would lead to problems when WideFS is sending the FSUIPC data back and forth? (Hopefully the delay only occurs on first accessing the respective PC, and doesn't impact subsequent data passing).

Cheers from England,

Well David, this is why we started this site. We where all in your shoes once and it would have been so nice if I had a place like this to come all those years back when I started. And you will get to help someone at some point I am sure!

Yes that is when your accessing the pc throught the network places in the windows environment.

Now keep in mind you will want to buy yourself a Router, or Switch to be able to connect more then just the 2 computers together.

at that point you will remove the crossover cable and put it away until you need it one day, because from each PC to the router or switch you will need a standard network cable.

We are here for you when you get that far. Get yourself some computers and your all set.

Best regards,

Trev

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trevor Hale

at that point you will remove the crossover cable and put it away until you need it one day, because from each PC to the router or switch you will need a standard network cable.

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Most routers theese days could sense if You're using a crossover cable and will work perfectly with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by David Rogers

I got there!

The only concern I noticed is that there was a long 'egg timer' pause each time I clicked on the icon for one of the PCs, from the respective PC on the network. Was just a tad worried that this would lead to problems when WideFS is sending the FSUIPC data back and forth? (Hopefully the delay only occurs on first accessing the respective PC, and doesn't impact subsequent data passing).

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Dave,

Was there more than 5 min difference when clicking on the icons ?
IF so you could turn off power management for the Nic card, this will keep the card wake. Nic's differer on drivers so check for keep alive setting and TTL (time to live) settings if there set the first to a high # and the second to a lower #

Dee

Excellent, thanks Dee, I will check these out. I suspect this is the reason behind the pauses. :)