Point to point network btw laptop and desktop

I am constructing a basic network between a laptop (133mhz) and a desktop (1ghz) to share files, internet. This will serve as a primary platform for a small business environment, with hope of expansion to approximately 5 to 8 clients in the network. The configuration for now will be point to point. I have decided to use the 100base T network platform and the 32bit pcmcia cards. The main problem is one of choice of product, of the many manufactures which one in your opinion delivers the best performance (netgear, linksys, 3com, d link systems,xir com, belkin components, intel, multitech, and dell).

I'd appreciate your opinions.

Jason

have u considered you might overflow the buffer of the computer woth lesser speed or do you have any measure to comtrol flow of data
Keep me posted anyway on your experiment and make sure if you are not using a repeater any where make sure u take care of your wiring so that the transmit from the laptop goes to the recieve of the PC

Assuming I'm reading the original question correctly, you want to share files and/or printers between a few machines? All you need is a suitable hub (say £40 for a 4-port 10/100bT) and network card in each machine (say £10 for 100bT PCI card; rather more for a PCMCIA card for the laptop) plus a cable for each. Assuming you're running some version of Windows (95 or later) pretty much any card ought to do as they all come with drivers. My most recent purchase was a 'dabs value' card at £7+VAT which has been fine, though the instructions were less than helpful.

If you're only using two machines you can dispense with the hub but you need a crossover cable between the two machines; I've never tried this though as it's a pain as soon as you get another machine.

Hope that helps.

John Joyce

will u'r project involve point - point wireless connectivity .....
are u working on wlan somehow...
please tell me , as i also doing the same job..

m. imran...Text

For a simple network between 2 pcs you need a network card in each and a crossover cable in between. Any network card will suffice, though some are easier to load than others.
If yo intend to connect any further PCs to the network you simply get rid of the crossover able, buy a hub to suit the no. of PCs (one port per pc) and join each PC to the hub with Cat 5 cable. If the PC's and hub are close you can use patch leads.
More elaborate networks require a server.
Karl