Remote Desktop Connection and Network Settings

I have a router as the main gateway to connection to Internet from my house. From the router, I set up one line to each room and get all the rooms connected to the router. Therefore, I can access to Internet from each room and all the computers in all the rooms are connected in a network. I mentioned that I could use Microsoft's Remote Desktop for Mac from my Mac to see my Windows XP comuter in other rooms.

So far so good. Later on I moved two Windows computers to one room. Since the room has only one Ethernet plug for network connection, I need to gateway box to connect two computers together then to the plug. Here is the picture of the layout:



Initially I tried to use a router as a gateway in Room 2. There was no problem to connection to Internet from Widnows XP computer; however, I could not connect from Mac to Windows XP any more. The Router is actually a firewall to break my network into two areas. Room 2's computers are sub-network, while Room 1 and the Gateway router is the upper level network. When I realized that two networks are not in the same level, I changed the router to a switch box. That makes my Mac be able to see my Windows XP comptuers again.

Actually, a switch box is a device to expend network in the same level to more computers. That's great experience. I was googling information how to see a computer behind a router. It is possible but much more complicated configurations to be done to open IPs or ports. I already have a router as a main gateway to Internet. I don't need more complicated network areas in my house. A switch box is what I need to expend my networks in my house!

By the way, I like NeoOffice very much. It includes a drawing program. I drew my above network layout by this program. The draw program is very comprehensive application with various shapes, lines and property settings. Best of all, NeoOffice is a free package with a bundle of applications!

I drew the network picture and then use Grab to take a snap-short of selection of my screen. Then use Mac's folder Actions to convert pictures to jpg file.