The below is bit of an epic, but to cut it short, can BNC & RJ45 networks cooperate/communicate?

>>>THE EPIC:

As I'm finding it impossible to find a PCI BNC network card, I'm wondering if it is possible to have a mixed BNC & RJ45 network?

The current setup is all BNC, like this:

DAV(ISA)---Zippy(ISA)---Duron(PCI)---Athlon(PCI)
..........................................|
..........................................|
...................................Internet
..............................(56k, or ADSL*)

* ADSL not yet available here, but may be in the next year or so, hence if we got ADSL, I'd like to have the linux router as a firewall.

Also have separate laptop, but I have to switch the phone connection from 'Duron' to it, which obviously disconnects all the others from the internet, which isn't great.

Although all the cards also have RJ45 sockets, I don't want to have to rewire the house for RJ45 to a fancy central router.

'Duron' is going to be upgraded and its new motherboard will have an RJ45 socket. I would take its PCI BNC card and put it in Zippy_2 (well zippy is just getting the old duron internals so can't use the ISA NIC). So here's my new network setup idea:

.....................................................Internet
...........................................................|
...........................................................|
DAV(ISA)---Zippy_2(PCI)---LinuxRouterP166(2xISA+1xPCI**)---Athlon(PCI)
...................................................|...................|
...................................................|...................|
.....................................Andrew(RJ45)....... Laptop(RJ45)

** One ISA for BNC, one ISA for RJ45 for 'Andrew' & one PCI for RJ45.

I'd like all the computers to be on the same network and be able to get on the internet, play actionQ2, and share files & printers. Could someone let me know if this is possible or is it a crazy thinking?

If I can find a PCI BNC card, I could maybe do this:

...............................................Internet
.....................................................|
.....................................................|
DAV(ISA)---Zippy_2(PCI)---LinuxRouterP166(2xISA***)---Andrew(PCI)---Athlon(PCI)
.....................................................|
.....................................................|
............................................Laptop(RJ45)


*** One ISA for BNC, one ISA for RJ45 'Laptop'.

Or even just this:

............................................Internet
..................................................|
..................................................|
DAV(ISA)---Zippy_2(PCI)---Andrew(****)---Athlon(PCI)
..................................................|
..................................................|
..........................................Laptop(RJ45)

**** 'Andrew' would have RJ45 on the motherboard to connect to 'Laptop', and an PCI card for the BNC line network.

EDIT: NOTE THE DOTS "........" I HAD TO PUT IN BECAUSE AFTER I POSTED IT SPACES WERE REMOVED. THE LINES OF DOTS ARE JUST THERE TO PUSH THE "|" THINGS INTO THE RIGHT PLACE TO SHOW THE NETWORK CONNECTIONS.

I think it would be much easier (and simpler- possibly also cheaper)to buy a cheap hub/switch and rewire for RJ-45. It will be also make your network MUCH faster.

To mix RJ45 and BNC you would have to use one box as a bridge (read: router) between the two networks. It is possible, but its asking for trouble really.

If you hunt around you can still buy a hub with a BNC connection.

>As I'm finding it impossible to find a PCI BNC network card
You can get them on ebay.

thanks, i'm looking into rewiring for rj45, i found a hub/switch for £12 , just need to cost the cables now...