Finished up on the computers today. Had to somehow download an NIC driver to a machine that had not internet access (2/t no NIC driver, nice conundrum, eh?). Downloaded to the machine that did have access, copied to floppy (small file,thank goodness), and then unzipped on the lame machine. But then had video adapter driver issues, and could not get the ATI website to download to the lame machine. The download was 3+ Mb, so 1.44 Mb floppies were out, and both machines only had CD-ROM’s, not CD-RW. Finally figured out I could send it to myself via web email. File was too big and got rejected, but I was able to log off one machine and log back in on the other–the attached file was saved under the “Sent” folder, so I was able to retrieve it, unpack it and get rolling.
Then I installed the HP 970CSE printer on both computers via parallel port, removed the printer, and hooked up the Linksys EFSP42 print server. So now both machines can print to the HP via LAN (had to set up via parallel connection since the EFSP42 drives the printer via parallel).
Last issue will be to d/c the printserver and computers from the larger LAN (and web), just keeping a very local LAN b/w the two computers. That way there is no internet access to the machines unless we physically re-establish a hard connection (no wireless in these machines). Talk about parental controls.
The only drawback is now that the printer is hooked up, the children want to port all their old preschool programs over and print out all their certificates, artwork, etc. One step at a time.
Allora…
Ciao,
Dave from Charlotte
P.S. Don’t forget to visit our Mother’s Mobile Advertising website, providing family-friendly outdoor mobile marketing and advertising on our tastefully visible extended conversion van in Charlotte, NC.
