I have a Dell Dimension 8250 running windows XP Pro with a Pentium 4 at 3.06GH and 512 MB of RAM. I recently got my Father’s old computer, and I would like to network them, so I can transfer files easily, and share a Cable internet connection. The old computer is a 1994 Micron PC that has been upgraded to windows 98 Second Edition. It has a Pentium (I think original Pentium 1, and I don't know the speed), and 16 MB of RAM.
Both computers are in the same room and have modems, however, I live in an apartment without an active phone line. The cable internet connection comes out of a router with no free spaces, which I share with my roommates.
I've heard that if I buy 2 cheap Ethernet cards, and put one in each computer, I can just connect the two with an Ethernet cable. I'm not sure if this would work in this setup (the old computer doesn't even have USB ports and I don't know if it would accept an Ethernet card or not). If this would work, i'm thinking about getting a pair of Netgear FA311 10/100 PCI Ethernet Adapters (they have mail in rebates which bring the cost from $25 a piece to $3 a piece). I would appreciate any advice you could give me.

And on a different note, on the same computer, windows 98 - My father bought a slave hard drive and installed it, but the bios on the machine didn't allow for the size, and he was required to partition the new drive into 4 parts. Is there any way to upgrade the bios on such an old machine to accept the bigger hard drive in a single partition?

No, you cant flash the bios on machines as old as that. However, most NIC'S are generic and win98 should have no ptrobs detecting them. You may need drivers in rare cases (usually proided on floppies)

Basically, make some space on your router - either 2 or 1 slots - ill show you both ways.

WAY 1: (2 SLOTS)

Buy 2 cheap network cards (£5-£20) and a patch cable. Plug the cards and cables in abnd connect them to the rouuter - go into Network Neighbourhiod on both and install Client for Microsoft Networks and then enable file/print sharing. Use the wizard to get the cable conenction from your router.

WAY 2 (1 SLOT)

Buy 3 Cheap network cards. cards (£5-£20) and BOTH a crossover patch cable. Plug the cards in.

Connect the XP machine (It will have 2 cards) to the router with the patch cable.Then conect it to the win98 machine with the crossover cable and the other card.

Go into network neighborhood and Install Client for Microsoft Networks and then enable file/print sharing on both. On the xp machine enable connection sharing of the cable connection so the 98 machine can get it. Put the xp cd in the 98 machine and run the networking wzard (under additional tasks) so you can use the shared connection.

Thanks for your help.

I just had another couple questions:

1. For the option of getting 3 NIC's, would that include the one I already have installed on the Win XP to get my cable internet? or would I need 3 more in adition to that one?

and

2. Is it possible to get the two modems to talk to eachother and accomplish the same thing without having an active phone line in the appartment?

Erm- before you worry about what hardware to buy, check the motherboard to see what kinds of expansion slots it has on it. A machine that old may not have many (if any) PCI slots available, and it's pretty hard to find old ISA cards these days. Also keep in mind that even if the machine does have available PCI slots, they will be the original PCI bus spec (version 1); newer PCI network cards may not work in those slots.

the three NIC'S are Total so if youve already got 1 youll need 2. I agree
with DMR about the PSI issue. I dont know much about this so youd better do some research.

Having said that, I have a few 1992 - 1997 PCs running 3.1,95,98 and NT and I managed to isnstall relatively modern cards from maplin in them no probs.

Network cards are quite cheap anyway and you can always get older ones off of ebay and (I think - but DONT take my word for it!) that it wont damage your machine if you get the wrong one for it.

sorry, a wee afterthaught......

If you dont have your XP cd to run the wizard on the 98 machine you have the option to make a floppy when you run it on the XP machine