Hi from Birmingham - a struggling newbie network admin

Birmingham · 11-29-2006, 12:47 PM

Hi, I just joined this forum on the off-chance of getting some excellent support from some pro networkers.

Basically, I've been doing some voluntary work for a couple of years and I've became in charge of a few computers at work. One has the internet, and I'm planning on routing them all up with the internet somehow, if i can get a huge mega-multi-way adaptor for my router. I recently saw at my college that they had a nice desktop monitoring system where from their admin computer they could view the screen of any other terminal inside some virtual program thing - and they could type on their keyboard and move their mouse as if they're sitting at the other terminal. Amazing!

Do we have any experts or anyone with a bit of advice on helping me to set something like this up? Anything free would be cool, and I might have a couple of hundred pounds (that's a few hundred dollars for those outside the UK) to spend on something that someone highly recommends, but free is much preferred of course.

I'm not a complete tech newbie, indeed I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but anything beyond the basic drives in My Computer (hard disk, flobby, usb) is very much unfamilair to me. I would experiment at home but I don't have the internet, not a computer to hook up to it, nor even electricity to power it

Any advice would be much appreciated (on sorting out some cool networking stuff at work for minimal cost).

**carsey** · 11-29-2006, 01:18 PM

Welcome to the forum. Glad you could join us.

To get those computers linked you could use a 4 or 8 port switch and that will allow them to be networked together.

A good program that lets you take control is VNC Viewer. Its free and easy to use. All that needs doing is installing the server on the PCs and then installing the 'virtual program' to monitor and control.

**Glaswegian** · 11-29-2006, 02:21 PM

Hi Brum and welcome to the TSF family - glad to have you on board.

Zazula · 11-29-2006, 04:18 PM

Hello, Birmingham, and welcome to TSF!

**Doby** · 11-29-2006, 09:21 PM

Hi Birmingham and welcome to TSF

**kodi** · 11-29-2006, 10:53 PM

Welcome to Tech Support Forum, hope you enjoy it here

Birmingham · 11-30-2006, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carsey

To get those computers linked you could use a 4 or 8 port switch and that will allow them to be networked together.

A good program that lets you take control is VNC Viewer. Its free and easy to use. All that needs doing is installing the server on the PCs and then installing the 'virtual program' to monitor and control.

thanks for the welcomes, everyone.

I've done a google search for 8 port switch, and i get somethings at £500 called power-over-ethernet switch and some at £50 called unmanaged ...then some at a few grand. i could hazard a guess at what the difference between managed and unmanaged is (the ability to turn on and off specific ports? maybe even some on-screen stats?)

what would you recommend or not recommend from this page (if anything at all): http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/pr...dt1&l=en&s=bsd

Tumbleweed36 · 11-30-2006, 04:34 AM

Hi Birmingham,

Nice to see you here. Jump right in and enjoy your stay with us.

dai · 11-30-2006, 07:56 AM

hi and welcome to the forum
villa or blues

Birmingham · 11-30-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dai

villa or blues

neither

dai · 11-30-2006, 08:42 AM

things must have changed over the years as a brummie you were either a aston villa or birmingham city fan
i am a one eyed blues fan

Birmingham · 11-30-2006, 08:48 AM

i'll support the one that supports me

11-29-2006, 12:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Birmingham Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Birmingham, England, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP at work, nothing at home	Hi from Birmingham - a struggling newbie network admin Hi, I just joined this forum on the off-chance of getting some excellent support from some pro networkers. Basically, I've been doing some voluntary work for a couple of years and I've became in charge of a few computers at work. One has the internet, and I'm planning on routing them all up with the internet somehow, if i can get a huge mega-multi-way adaptor for my router. I recently saw at my college that they had a nice desktop monitoring system where from their admin computer they could view the screen of any other terminal inside some virtual program thing - and they could type on their keyboard and move their mouse as if they're sitting at the other terminal. Amazing! Do we have any experts or anyone with a bit of advice on helping me to set something like this up? Anything free would be cool, and I might have a couple of hundred pounds (that's a few hundred dollars for those outside the UK) to spend on something that someone highly recommends, but free is much preferred of course. I'm not a complete tech newbie, indeed I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but anything beyond the basic drives in My Computer (hard disk, flobby, usb) is very much unfamilair to me. I would experiment at home but I don't have the internet, not a computer to hook up to it, nor even electricity to power it Any advice would be much appreciated (on sorting out some cool networking stuff at work for minimal cost). __________________ IP://Birmingham Last edited by Birmingham; 11-29-2006 at 12:49 PM.

11-29-2006, 02:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Glaswegian Moderator/ Rangemaster TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team; Oor Wullie; TSF Surgeon and Resident Comic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 25,427 OS: Win XP Pro SP3 / Win 7 Pro My System Blog Entries: 10	Hi Brum and welcome to the TSF family - glad to have you on board. __________________ Iain - Defender of the Haggis and all things Scottish. I don't help by PM - post in the Forums. PC Safety & Security::PC running a bit slow?::Donate::Photographers Corner

11-29-2006, 04:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Hello, Birmingham, and welcome to TSF! __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

11-29-2006, 09:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,082 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Hi Birmingham and welcome to TSF __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

11-29-2006, 10:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
kodi Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 7,397 OS: Windows 7-Ultimate 64 Bit My System	Welcome to Tech Support Forum, hope you enjoy it here __________________ Brian

11-29-2006, 01:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
carsey Moderator, TSF Articles Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hunwick, Co. Durham England Posts: 10,678 OS: XP Pro SP3 My System	Welcome to the forum. Glad you could join us. To get those computers linked you could use a 4 or 8 port switch and that will allow them to be networked together. A good program that lets you take control is VNC Viewer. Its free and easy to use. All that needs doing is installing the server on the PCs and then installing the 'virtual program' to monitor and control.

11-30-2006, 04:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,650 OS: XP Professional	Hi Birmingham, Nice to see you here. Jump right in and enjoy your stay with us. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

11-30-2006, 07:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,575 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	hi and welcome to the forum villa or blues __________________

11-30-2006, 08:42 AM	#11 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,575 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	things must have changed over the years as a brummie you were either a aston villa or birmingham city fan i am a one eyed blues fan __________________

11-30-2006, 08:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
Birmingham Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Birmingham, England, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP at work, nothing at home	i'll support the one that supports me __________________ IP://Birmingham