There are a few ways to go about this. Most pc's these days have an ethernet card/skt built in so you can either connect them directly (you need a twisted ethernet cable to do it this way if I remember right) or grab a cheap ethernet hub and connect both pc's to that using standard cat5 ethernet cables. Set up both NICS to use IP address's (PC1 IP 10.0.0.1 .. subnet mask 255.255.255.0 // PC2 IP 10.0.0.2 subnet mask 255.255.255.0).
An easier way is to use a wireless network but you need a wireless router and both pc's connected to the network (not necessarily via wireless). The beauty of using a router rather than a hub is that the software sets everything up for you. You simply open flightsim at the same location on both pc's.. tell it you want to MP and you're in
Sounds quite easy and it is really.. unless of course you've never set up a network before in which case, it can be daunting. I never let Windows set a network up as generally, it knows less than I do and I never know what it's done The first way.. using a single twisted utp cable is the simplest though it can be unreliable. The second and third ways are more costly. It all depends on what gear you have to start with
DaveB hits the nail pretty much on the head, however don't go shopping for a twisted network cable or you'll get some funny looks, ask for a crossover cable and they will know what you mean. Once you've set up the TCP/IP properties make sure you run the windows network setup wizard on both PC's and describe how you are connecting them, it's a silly little thing but a lot of people forget to do that and sometimes Windows will have a hissy fit and stop communicating with your network if you don't. The Windows network setup wizard will ask you to enter a workgroup name, obviously make sure you use the same name on both PC's. Make sure the Windows firewall and any other firewall software is disabled as well as they may be blocking internal IP''s.
Ta for correcting that Chris I've always know it as a twisted cable but you're bang on.. crossover is the correct terminology
BTW Dyl.. WHEN you get it running.. you'll find out just how difficult it is to get two aircraft to stay in close proximity. Make sure at least one of em has AP engaged then go like stink in your chase jet I've done it with 3 pc's and it takes YONKS to get em all together. You'll also find that a given speed on one aircraft isn't the same on another one. This all add's to the fun
If I try to use the standard cat5 cable, will it work?
Reason I ask, is that I've just given it a try... I set up both using the given I.P an subnet information.
On both PC's I see pc1 & pc2 on the microsoft windows network screens, I can access both pc1 & pc2 on pc2, but I'm only able to access pc1's files & folders on pc1, and not pc2, without a password I hadn't set.
Hi Dyl, If its a modern network card it may have automatic crossover built in. The wires round the wrong way won't dictate what you can and can't see, if it was the wrong cable, it wouldn't work. Its probably a firewall or windows security issue.
I'm at the point now where I can connect to pc1 from pc2 in a localy hosted game.
The problem now is that I'm unable to connect pc2 flightsim session to my FSHost server via pc1, I've tried it using the 10.0.0.1 i.p setting as well as the session i.p, but no go.
I should say at this point, that pc2 has no active internet connection, should it have one if I'm connecting via pc1?
Concur with Ben's earlier statement mate. Sounds like the onboard ethernet will accept a standard cable out of the box so to speak. If it couldn't, you wouldn't see one or the other pc
You didn't say earlier you wanted to MP online using this method mate.. or if you did, I missed it. If PC2 doesn't have it's own internet connection, you need to activate windows own software to enable it to access via PC1.. at least I think you do :think: Just because PC1 is connected to a network AND the internet, it doesn't naturally follow that PC2 will be seen online or be able to access. I'm pretty certain you'll have to configure it as mentioned above.. eg, to access the internet via PC1.
Sri mate but it's been ages since I fiddled with my network (5 pc's.. each with their own internet connection) :think:
There is a thing called "Internet Connection Sharing" Dyl. As I recall, its a bugger to cofigure, but if you type that into the help it might allow you to configure it.
Basically, PC1 needs to behave like a router and route requests for internet traffic from PC2. This is not default network behavior. Thats why there is ICS. Yoiu should be able to get a game going between the two PC's though, just start one up as a host and the other as a guest and your away.
