Linking Twin Driver - Switch between direct linking and internet

[TIGER8855]

So this may be a dumb question but networking is not my strong point. I'm setting up a Twin driver and the 2 PC's are linked together using a crossover cable. In Windows 7 network and sharing centre of PC 1, I enter the IP address of PC 2 and vice versa which allows me to link the machines in Model 2 and other PC games.

When I need to connect the PC's to the net, I unplug the crossover cable and plug in a LAN cable from my router and then go to Network and sharing and remove the IP information and let windows automatically assign this.

So my question is how do I do this without unplugging cables and going into the networking setup in Windows? Is the solution using a network switch and a script?

[vandale]

hi. Plug the 2 PC's into a switch with a straight through network cable, then connect this switch to the router or switch that has access to the router and internet. Let the switch assign a DHCP address to the PC's. Then do a IP config via CMD in windows and check what address was assigned, then use this address to set that particular unit to static IP and the same on the other PC, then update the network.ini file with those addresses. the PCs will talk for Model2 and also see the internet.

Well that's how I did it and no dramas.

Thanks

[SegaOutrun]

you can buy a wifi card, usb or pcie. my arcade has a usb wifi card for internet and the internal network on the motherboard is join to my ps3 to network the games off my pc

[TIGER8855]

hi. Plug the 2 PC's into a switch with a straight through network cable, then connect this switch to the router or switch that has access to the router and internet. Let the switch assign a DHCP address to the PC's. Then do a IP config via CMD in windows and check what address was assigned, then use this address to set that particular unit to static IP and the same on the other PC, then update the network.ini file with those addresses. the PCs will talk for Model2 and also see the internet.

Well that's how I did it and no dramas.

Thanks

Thanks vandale!. That makes perfect sense. Will buy a network switch and give it a go.
BTW, thanks again for the spraying tips. Painted the side plastics, seat plastics, dash & bezel last week. Came out great. Will post up pics soon.

[TIGER8855]

you can buy a wifi card, usb or pcie. my arcade has a usb wifi card for internet and the internal network on the motherboard is join to my ps3 to network the games off my pc

I was thinking about doing it this way as the PC's could be direct linked using the crossover cable and then be internet capable using the wifi. The thing is the PC's will be in the base of the unit which is all steel so the signal may be weak. I could still do it using a usb wifi dongle. Instead of being directly connected to the PC I could connect using a USB extension cable and have the dongle sitting outside the base. Will probably stick with the network switch option but this is a good alternative.