[SOLVED] Second Computer (Server): Network or Separate Internet Cable?

[sokolich]

Hi!
Not sure if this post is in the right place. So excuse me if it needs to go somewhere else.
I currently have a 2.4 Ghz desktop set up in my upstairs study. I use Charter Communications 5mb broadband service for my internet, e-mail and gaming (Call of Duty 2-Multi-Player). I run Win XP Professional (SP2). 1Gb of ram, 250 Gb internal hard drive. I use a Linksys broadband Cable Modem (BEFCMU10) hooked up to a D-Link (DI-524) Wireless Router. (I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 Laptop that I wi-fi into the system).

I am rebuilding a used server that someone gave me. I am putting a new motherboard (Foxconn) (Old one died), and a new processor (2.4 ghz) and video card in the server. I will reuse the DDR400 of 1Gb Ram and add another gig of ram to that. I am reusing, 2 – 200 Gb hard drives and hopefully have a pretty good gaming computer (or true server) to run COD 2 and other games, store music and videos.

What I intend to do is to put the rebuilt server downstairs in my family room and hook it up to a 52” Samsung DLP television. The TV has VGA capability and works great when I hook my laptop up to it. I want have a workstation there where the kids and I can log on and play games and/or surf the net. So far……..no problem.

My question is: What is the best way to access the internet from the downstairs server? Charter told me that all I needed to do was put a splitter on the cable that runs into my DLP downstairs, hook up a modem off of that and then connect it to my new “gaming PC”. Sounds too easy! They told me that for an extra $12.00 per month, I could have a second broadband internet connection if I wanted. I would rather save the $12.00 per month.

Or, is it better to install the game or game(s) that I want to run from downstairs on the server that will reside downstairs, run XP Pro and add a wireless card to the PC that will interface with my D-link upstairs (in order to access the internet)?

Or , put the server upstairs and move my desktop (mentioned above) downstairs and run a “real server environment” (I could even hard wire the server to my downstairs PC).

Or, am I totally wasting my time on this project and end up with a huge paperweight after I rebuild it.
Hope someone can help me figure this out. I am not sure what is the most efficient way to achieve this.

Thanks again for a great forum!

Scott Sokolich

[johnwill]

I'd just run an Ethernet cable from the router to the new machine. I can't imagine paying for a second cable account, and that would not solve one basic issue, accessing that server from other machines. If it's on it's own cable account, you won't have file/print sharing to it from the other machines in your network.

[sokolich]

Thanks for the quick reply! Is it possible to use the wireless router and an add on card to do the same thing or would performance be degraded?

Thanks!
Scott

[johnwill]

Wireless router and an add-on card? Are you talking wired and wireless connections to a single router? If so, that's a normal configuration.

[sokolich]

Thanks John!
I appreciate the help!
Scott

[johnwill]

You're welcome.