Route without a router?

[Bob Day]

My home network is currently set up as follows (all the
links are Ethernet links, and computers A and B both
run Windows XP).

------- -------
| | | |
| A |--- fast link --- | B |
| | | |
------- -------
| |
slow|link |
| |
-------- ------- |
| DSL | | | |
|modem|---- | hub |---- slow link -----
| | | |
-------- -------

The problem: With the above setup, when I transfer files
between A and B, Windows XP uses the "slow link" instead
of the fast link. (But there is no problem getting out to
the Internet from B via the DSL modem.)

If I disconnect the slow link between B and the hub, file
transfers between A and B will go over the fast link, but
I can no longer get out to the Internet from B.

I tried eliminating the hub and its connection to B, and
connected the DSL modem directly to A, but still could
not see the Internet from B.

Question: How can I set up my network so I can see the
Internet from B (and of course from A), and so that file
transfers between A and B will automatically use the
fast link? -- Is there any way it can be done without
a switch or a router?

-- Bob Day

[News Reader]

This is just speculation but...

If you configure that fast link to use Netbios over TCP and slow links to
use only TCP/IP, you might get what you want. And when you copy files
between A and B, use netbios names and not tcp/ip addresses.

Maybe somebody else can confirm if that works and give you more detailed
instructions.

/Nico

"Bob Day" <bobday.nh@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:OsefzOjSDHA.1320@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

> My home network is currently set up as follows (all the
> links are Ethernet links, and computers A and B both
> run Windows XP).
>
> ------- -------
> | | | |
> | A |--- fast link --- | B |
> | | | |
> ------- -------
> | |
> slow|link |
> | |
> -------- ------- |
> | DSL | | | |
> |modem|---- | hub |---- slow link -----
> | | | |
> -------- -------
>
> The problem: With the above setup, when I transfer files
> between A and B, Windows XP uses the "slow link" instead
> of the fast link. (But there is no problem getting out to
> the Internet from B via the DSL modem.)
>
> If I disconnect the slow link between B and the hub, file
> transfers between A and B will go over the fast link, but
> I can no longer get out to the Internet from B.
>
> I tried eliminating the hub and its connection to B, and
> connected the DSL modem directly to A, but still could
> not see the Internet from B.
>
> Question: How can I set up my network so I can see the
> Internet from B (and of course from A), and so that file
> transfers between A and B will automatically use the
> fast link? -- Is there any way it can be done without
> a switch or a router?
>
> -- Bob Day
>
>