Tech 2 Spark

Networking Switch is a awesome device, if you want to connect multiple computers to each other, thereby creating your own LAN Network. After this file transfers and chatting between all these computers becomes a piece of cake.

Requirements

1. Networking Switch. A basic switch of ₹300 to ₹600 should do the job. I am using D-Link 10/100Mbps 5 Ethernet Port Switch.
2. Few computers. Be it Mac OS X, Windows or Linux.
3. Ethernet cables. One for each computer. A Fast Ethernet cable (CAT5 and Untwisted pair) should be good enough.
4. Applications likeIPMessenger or Dukto. Both are cross platform softwares.

Procedure

Read the instructions and then see the video for a better understanding.

1. Connect the Networking Switch to a power supply and Turn it on.
2. Connect all the computers you want on the LAN Network to the switch via Ethernet cables.
3. Now download an application like IPMessenger or Dukto. Both are cross platform softwares. However IPMessenger doesn’t work well with linux, so I would suggest Dukto.
4. Once you have installed the application on all your computers, the next step is the IP Configuration. This is the most important step. All computers will get an IP in sequential order.
5. Turn off the Wi-fi if it is ON.
6. The PC connected to port 1 on the Networking Switch will get an IP – 10.0.0.1, Router/Gateway – 255.255.255.0, DNS – 10.0.0.10
7. The PC connected to port 2 on the Networking Switch will get an IP – 10.0.0.2, Router/Gateway – 255.255.255.0, DNS – 10.0.0.10
8. The PC connected to port 3 on the Networking Switch will get an IP – 10.0.0.3, Router/Gateway – 255.255.255.0, DNS – 10.0.0.10
9. Do this till the IP Configuration is complete on all the computers.
10. Now open IPMessenger/Dukto.
11. All the computers connected to the switch should show up. Now go ahead and do some file transfers and chatting on your own LAN Network.