Direct network between computers over phone line

Question

I have two computers with modems, that are far from each other (different locations), and do not have internet acsess. I have hyperterminal, and so how would I connect the 2 machines together (with phone lines)? Could you send TCP traffic? Share an internet connection if one machine has one? How?

Answer 1

You can't create (what you would think of) as an Internet connection using Hyperterminal, although you can get 2 computers to communicate over it - and this is probably the simplest way of communicating between 2 systems, but does not do an aweful lot unless you have additional software and/or someone on the other end. [ This is how "BBS's" used to work in the Pre-Internet and early Internet days]

You should be aware that when you make this connection the maximum speed will be no greater then 33.6kbit - and probably slower. If your provider uses VOIP for delivering the calls it will probably not work. (Even if your modems are 56k, you can't get get 56k unless one side uses special hardware and ISDN lines ].

In order to connect these systems to the Internet, we need to break the problem in 2 - The client (which is relatively easy) and the server (which is hard). On the client side you can use PPP dialup software which comes with Windows.

The server side is hard. You need a setup which while allow you to dial in to it and then you need to set up routing (and NAT). This can be done under Linux (and for low volume servers at the start of the Internet usually was). Here is one link I found on it. That said, unless you are an Linux expert it probably falls way into the 'too hard' basket. Note that this will just connect the 2 machines using the Internet protocol. You additionally need to set up NAT to route the Internet. An alternative to this would be to find a router which handles PPP. You may be able to find some ancient CISCO gear which can do it, for example this.

To answer the question about streaming video and implied question of real-world speed - this won't work. The speed you will get will be about 3kbyte per second, so a typical 1 megabyte page will take 5 minutes to load. This connection is really only good for the most basic Internet experience - pretty much email and text only-browsing and Instant messaging.

Answer 2

This can be done! In fact it was once the standard way to get a Linux box on-line around 1996 or so... The server computer, connected to the internet requires Linux, though it probably helps if both computers run Linux. You'll open the modem session from your client to the internet-connected server, then open a ppp connection through that shell session.

On the Server, you must install Slirp: the PPP/SLIP-on-terminal emulator. This software supports PPP and Serial Line IP encapsulation through a terminal session. The client computer needs ppp and chap. There are tutorials on the internet here and at LinuxJournal the cover the details of the slirp install, ppp config, routing, and even AT-commands.