Hi all,

If I'm connecting 2 computers using Ethernet crossover cables for file transfers, could that mess up my internet configuration? I saw that being discussed somewhere and they both agreed that it would. They didn't say, but my thought was that the person was also using Ethernet for an internet connection.

When I get set up, my intention is to use a modem dial up internet connection.

Do you think there would be any conflict between using Ethernet crossover cables for data transfer while using dial up for internet connection?

Kind regards,
stumpjumper

Wow.. There are several text-based browsers in linux, lynx and links are two good ones I use.

But I definitely think you would like the GUI's available for linux mate!

Fluxbox is nice and small.
Xfce is also small. (ie, uses bugger all resources but you still get to use GUI apps)

Gnome = Huge! (but can do anything)
Kde = Big, faster than Gnome, but more like windows.
X = Smallest, needed for all other window managers, hardest to use.. thats why you use a window manager to manage X for you. (Xfce = X + Xfce, Gnome = X + Gnome etc)

Anything you can imagine, has already been done on Linux, so I wouldn't worry about that, I would only worry about "HOW" to do it. There are a billion HOWTO's online, usually you just have to search for Linux + HOWTO + Item, where Item is anything. But thats not always perfect. If you are used to using DOS.. Linux might be a hard shift, however the paradigm is delightful once you make a commitment to learn it.

I would use Pidgin for YahooChat (it can do almost any type of chat, AIM, MSN, IRC etc)

This guy found a way to use serial between linux and win9x: http://linuxgazette.net/issue57/sipos.html

Personally, I have never used Parallel cables with linux.. (must be too young, sorry dude), but I know that they do work.

*EDIT:
Most linux computers are connected using some form of Ethernet.. be it wired or wireless. Fast Ethernet or Gigabit..
Frame-Relay and other Point-To-Point protocols are widely used as well. Serial data is what your on about here, so you need a single connection. I would just use Ethernet, its fast! (good for moving lots of data) Get yourself a switch, some Cat5e or Cat6 and plug em in, your PC's will need ethernet adapters for it to work, if you have older stuff, you might be using "Literal Ethernet" which is terminated and is also called coax.. either way, I'd have to say that is the most common..

Thank you very much, Grizly. I made text file of your answer and saved it for further reference. LOL I'm was born in 1934. Now I must leave for my grandson's baseball game.
stumpjumper

I use Debian 4.0, and I use both Yahoo e-mail and a Yahoo chat account.

For Yahoo e-mail, I use the graphical web browser "Iceweasel" (essentially Firefox), and go to http://mail.yahoo.com/ I've used it this way for years.

For my Yahoo chat account, I use the multi-format chat program "Gaim". Gaim can handle ICQ, AIM, and other chat accounts also. I use it for Yahoo and ICQ. Gaim has recently been renamed to "Pidgin", due to pressure from Aol. However, in the Debian 4.0 release, the program is still called Gaim.

Unfortunately, both Firefox and Gaim are graphical programs which require the X Window system. I don't know how old your computers are, but if they're connected by parallel cable instead of ethernet, I'm guessing they are OLD. As such, running the X Window system will be a strain--if it's possible at all. This depends on your specific hardware. Gaim doesn't require too much RAM, but Iceweasel is a RAM guzzler. I wouldn't attempt to run Iceweasel on a computer with less than 48megs of RAM.

What sort of graphics cards do you have? If you have graphics cards capable of at least 640x480 resolution with 8 bit color, then I'd at least give X a try. After doing a base Debian 4.0 install, log in as root and use the following to get X up and running:

This will install:

xorg:The X Window system

menu: Debian's "universal" menu system that automatically adds/removes software packages from the menus

aterm:A very lightweight terminal for X, about 2megs less RAM usage than xterm.

icewm:A fast and lightweight window manager for your X interface

icewm-lite:An even lighter and faster version of icewm, but with less features

icewm-themes:A bunch of themes for IceWM. The "IceCrack2" theme is lightweight and looks nice.

For reference, I have an old 120mhz Toshiba Libretto 70CT with 32megs of RAM. With IceWM-lite and aterm running, RAM consumption is 12,708k. With fluxbox and aterm running, RAM consumption is 15,100k.

In other words, fluxbox uses up over 2megs more RAM than icewm-lite.

My suggestion is to sacrifice one of the PC's as a test machine to get some experience with Linux, before going to all the hassle of setting up a non-ethernet window and browsing/chating on the command-line.
I can also recommend using Slackware Linux, if the focus is on command-line activity. They have quite reasonable documentation on their site to get started with Linux.

Linux Archive

I recommend that you use wvdial to establish the connection with your ISP.

http://support.real-time.com/linux/dialup/wvdial.html

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/...al_with_wvdial

You can use the wvdial connection with any web browser, GUI or CLI.

-------------------
Steve Stites

Thank you all for your contributions. It was better than I expected.
stumpjumper

FYI for communicating over the serial or parallel ports search for SLIP and PLIP.

For the ethernet route depending on the age of the computers for ISA I suggest any NE2000 compatible or 3Com 3C509 NICS, they are common NICs, well supported and you might find them in a surplus store or flea market. Trying to find 10Base2 i.e. coax ("Literal Ethernet") cards might be a tad difficult and not worth the bother.