Brinks Home Monitoring

[iZoom]

Alright, I've managed to run my cables (neatly) and I'm left with somewhat of a pickle that has stumped me.

My computer at the south end of the room, has a Brinks Security box next to it for their monitoring system. Right now, I was thinking that by plugging it into my spare ethernet port

on my PC, I can share the connection. The other port is connected via cable to the router at the far north end of the room with no more room behind the cabinets.

Basically, use my computer as a switch, no? If all else fails, I'm considering just calling Brinks up and say "come move your box" as they screwed it into my cabinet with hex head bits that I don't have.

[Tekkerson]

Ok, so do that. Or what's the problem exactly? You kind of answered your own question as far as I understand...

[iZoom]

I guess I didn't really "ask" my question, which is how to enable or ensure my computer will act as pass-through for the wired internet connection?

[+BudMan MVC]

Ok you got couple of options here.

If you have a 2 ethernet ports, you can bridge them.. This will act as a passthrough, and then you would be able to connect your brinks box ethernet port to your PC extra ethernet port.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/hnw_bridge_install.mspx?mfr=true

To bridge connections

Keep in mind, depending on the brinks box, or your pc nic you might need a cross over cable vs a standard patch.. One of the interfaces involved will need to support auto-mdix

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-MDIX

If so then you can use any normal patch cable, if not will need a crossover cable.

Other option is just buy a cheap switch and put where your computer and brinks box are, plug your cable from your router into the switch, then your pc and brinks box into the switch. Switches can be picked up for a few bucks.

example

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166035

Rosewill RC-406X 10/100Mbps 8-Port Switch 8 x RJ45

Free PCI LAN card w/ purchase, limited offer

$15 delivered to your door.

Nice thing with getting a switch, is now you would have lots of extra ethernet ports to use in that location for other network devices.

Or as you said, just move the brinks box.. But I would think the brinks box hooks into other things?? What exactly does the box do? ;)

[iZoom]

The "box" is really a circuit board with one cable leading to the main junction box in a closet for the alarm itself (keypad, sensors, etc) and the other cable exiting a standard network port. I know this because I took the cover off, which came off surprisingly easy, and 90% of this large lunch box sized thing is empty space. It connects Brinks (soon becoming ADT) with my alarm for 24/7 monitoring. It was an alternative to getting a phone line hooked up.

[+BudMan MVC]

But if you move it, how will you connect it to the junction box? Would you now have to run a cable from the north side of the room?

[iZoom]

There is a cable running from the junction box and when it meets the "network" box near my PC, it is stripped into it's 4 wires and connected to terminals on the circuit board. I'm curious if I could just disconnect them and move the whole thing closer to the other end. I can pull the cable that was fed along the backside of the cabinets to the north side and re-setup everything there. Just a matter of "do I unplug the alarm stuff" or not?

Network box

Junction box