Home Network

[bonsaimax]

i've tried but failed to hook up my desktop pc to my laptop. both computers are connected to a 5 port 10/100M ethernet mini switch using crossover cables. I also used the Network Connection Wizard to set the connections up. BTW both PCs run on Windows XP Pro.

I've also shared all disk drives and a printer/scanner between them. Is there anything I missed?

I was hoping for both PCs, plus a third one later on, to share a DSL internet connection too.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers!

[Darknight]

i've tried but failed to hook up my desktop pc to my laptop. both computers are connected to a 5 port 10/100M ethernet mini switch using crossover cables. I also used the Network Connection Wizard to set the connections up. BTW both PCs run on Windows XP Pro.

I've also shared all disk drives and a printer/scanner between them. Is there anything I missed?

I was hoping for both PCs, plus a third one later on, to share a DSL internet connection too.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you use a swtich or a hub you need straight cables, not crossover.

Have a look at the cable ends (same side up) and the coulours need to be in identical positions. that's a straight cable

Is 4 of them change (mostly white orange and green, ..) than you hava a crossed.

A crossed cable is to connect two pc's with each other without a hub.

[stumonster]

connected to a 5 port 10/100M ethernet mini switch using crossover cables.

straight patch cables for a hub/switch.

start -->programs ---> accessories ---> command prompt

when in the console window type

ipconfig /all and then hit enter it will tell you all the info about your NIC(s) - network interface cards.

ping 192.168.x.x where x.x are the ip numbers that would have been assigned to your NICs - this will attempt to send packets to the machine whose address you have pinged and tell you the results.

ping 127.0.0.1 will do a loopback test of the NIC on the machine you type the command on.

[bonsaimax]

Have a look at the cable ends (same side up) and the coulours need to be in identical positions. that's a straight cable

Is 4 of them change (mostly white orange and green, ..) than you hava a crossed.

taking a look at the cable ends, i see 4 wires (brown, green, blue, orange) with white(ish) wires in between, is this crossed?

[lopburi3]

If the wires are exactly the same on both ends it is not crossed and should work with your hub. This shows the cable pairs LINK

[bonsaimax]

Thanks Lopburi, now it makes more sense. I also double checked, and am positive that I have straight cables, and not crossover.

The cable ends light up after plugging them into the hub, but they don't light up when plugged directly to both computers.

My laptop detects the Local Area Connection, but says "Limited or no Connectivity". The desktop PC on the other hand, does not detect anything at all despite having run the Network Wizard a couple of times.

Anymore ideas.

Thanks

[Darknight]

Thanks Lopburi, now it makes more sense. I also double checked, and am positive that I have straight cables, and not crossover.

The cable ends light up after plugging them into the hub, but they don't light up when plugged directly to both computers.

My laptop detects the Local Area Connection, but says "Limited or no Connectivity". The desktop PC on the other hand, does not detect anything at all despite having run the Network Wizard a couple of times.

Anymore ideas.

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cables are ok then

PC A:

the one with the limited connectivity:

YOu need to put in your ip adress manually for it to work correct , probably your network wizard does something wrong or you select something wrong.

Go to network connections in control panel and open "local area connection.

unselect automatic ip settings and type.

Ip: 192.168.0.1

mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.168.0.254

DNs: your provider dns server ip's

Save and close, check with opening a dos box and typing Ipconfig /all. this shows your ip settings

PC B:

Do exactly the same as A but make ip following

Ip: 192.168.0.2

mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.168.0.254

DNs: your provider dns server ip's

Save and close, check with opening a dos box and typing Ipconfig /all. this shows your ip settings.

Then in the dos window type "ping 192.168.0.1" you should get three reply's when it's working.

Now your network on TCP/IP is ok. if not probably this network card is not working or has wrong drivers.

Then make sure your 2 computers have the same Workgroup name.

(control panel - system- second tab)

change if needed.

Now you should see your two pc's in network neighborhoud on both. You can start to make shares.

If you buy an Adsl router or similar give it

Ip: 192.168.0.254

mask: 255.255.255.0

Both pc's will be able to surf

[krider]

As Darknight said - you need to configure each machine with an IP address / Gateway / Subnet mask

Then that should solve the fundamental Networking issue - the files sharing etc could be down to permissions / worgroups after that

Really depends on the Operating System you use

K

[lopburi3]

Am no expert on this so take this with a grain of salt (or two) but just set up a computer to computer and did have problems. Also using Win XP Pro. The wizard can seem to give misleading information. One place said if XP used on both machines did not have to run a set up disk to set up other computer; but mine did not work until I did that. You also have to set up printer on other computer to share it (just sharing is not enough).

Of course problem is probably because I do not speak Microsoft; but sometimes I really wonder who tests these things. But guess it may have something to do with job security for the IT crowd.

[francois]

hi'

I've been thinkin' about your problem a bit ...

do you run XP SP2?

if yes , do you use M$ firewall?

if yes, you need to setup exeptions for the local network.

if you don't use M$ firewall but another, be sure that M$ firewall is disabled.

you can disable it, and disable the service too.

M$ blocks some ports by default.

hope it helps a bit

francois

[bonsaimax]

Thanks guys for all the info. I'll give it a go as soon as I get back home and let you know how it goes.

Cheers!

[Darknight]

Of course problem is probably because I do not speak Microsoft; but sometimes I really wonder who tests these things. But guess it may have something to do with job security for the IT crowd. 

It's mostly due to small knowledge of tcp/ip that a setup is quite difficult. If someone explains Tcp/IP basics first then you will find setting it up a breeze.

It's not really related to MS or not , but just related to Networking 101...

[lopburi3]

Of course problem is probably because I do not speak Microsoft; but sometimes I really wonder who tests these things. But guess it may have something to do with job security for the IT crowd. 

It's mostly due to small knowledge of tcp/ip that a setup is quite difficult. If someone explains Tcp/IP basics first then you will find setting it up a breeze.

It's not really related to MS or not , but just related to Networking 101...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but we are not supposed to have any Networking 101 knowledge as XP takes care of everything, in a fashion, and does not give you any obvious way to assign anything. I do know enough about packet switching to get into trouble, as was using it before the WWW was around (which is probably why I can't get things to work well today - but that is another story) but XP tries to do it all and when it works, it works. But when it fails it can be a monster to troubleshoot with those wizards that never seem to find anything to fix instead of basic knowledge and "do this" information that you provided.

[Darknight]

Of course problem is probably because I do not speak Microsoft; but sometimes I really wonder who tests these things. But guess it may have something to do with job security for the IT crowd.  

It's mostly due to small knowledge of tcp/ip that a setup is quite difficult. If someone explains Tcp/IP basics first then you will find setting it up a breeze.

It's not really related to MS or not , but just related to Networking 101...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but we are not supposed to have any Networking 101 knowledge as XP takes care of everything, in a fashion, and does not give you any obvious way to assign anything. I do know enough about packet switching to get into trouble, as was using it before the WWW was around (which is probably why I can't get things to work well today - but that is another story) but XP tries to do it all and when it works, it works. But when it fails it can be a monster to troubleshoot with those wizards that never seem to find anything to fix instead of basic knowledge and "do this" information that you provided.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's indeed true, the wizards are hopeless . That's why i explained it how to do it manually.

[bonsaimax]

Go to network connections in control panel and open "local area connection.

unselect automatic ip settings and type.

Ip: 192.168.0.1

mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.168.0.254

DNs: your provider dns server ip's

Save and close, check with opening a dos box and typing Ipconfig /all. this shows your ip settings

PC B:

Do exactly the same as A but make ip following

Ip: 192.168.0.2

mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.168.0.254

DNs: your provider dns server ip's

Save and close, check with opening a dos box and typing Ipconfig /all. this shows your ip settings.

Then in the dos window type "ping 192.168.0.1" you should get three reply's when it's working.

Now your network on TCP/IP is ok. if not probably this network card is not working or has wrong drivers.

Just did as you instructed. PC 1 (laptop) had no problems. But for PC 2 (desktop), after going to Network Connections, it didn't have the "Local Area Connection" icon that was present in PC 1.

Actually PC 1 had "Local Area Connection"/"Wireless Network Connection"/"1394 Connection"

But PC 2 ONLY had "1394 Connection", and nothing else

You mentioned something about my network card or its driver being outdated/ defective. It is built into the mainboard.

Hope you could make some sense out of this.

[astral]

Just did as you instructed. PC 1 (laptop) had no problems. But for PC 2 (desktop), after going to Network Connections, it didn't have the "Local Area Connection" icon that was present in PC 1.

Actually PC 1 had "Local Area Connection"/"Wireless Network Connection"/"1394 Connection"

But PC 2 ONLY had "1394 Connection", and nothing else

You mentioned something about my network card or its driver being outdated/ defective. It is built into the mainboard.

Hope you could make some sense out of this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the pc does not show Local Area Connection, you will need to dig out the cd for the motherboard and re-install the network driver.

If you know the model number you could also check the www for the latest version.

[bonsaimax]

If the pc does not show Local Area Connection, you will need to dig out the cd for the motherboard and re-install the network driver.

If you know the model number you could also check the www for the latest version.

tried to re-install the network driver from the CD that came with the mainboard, "Cannot find proper NIC". Went to the website and downloaded latest driver---same result.

is it time for me to buy a new PCI Network card? if so, will it not be in conflict with my "non-existent" network card built-in into the mainboard?

[stumonster]

you can run more than one NIC on a machine .

If the NIC you are having problems with is integrated into the motherboard you might want to go into the bios and see what controls it has for your NIC and maybe switch them off and on to see if you can kick it in the guts. I have had weird probs with onboard sound all of a sudden not being recognised , which from memory needed a bit of poking and prodding of the sound and irq settings in the bios to finally see it again on boot up.