Linking 2 Computers By Lan

[billd766]

How can I get my 2 computers linked together on a hard wired LAN?

They are both on Windows XP and I have run the home network set up on each and neither can see each other.

Each Lan is sending packages but neither PC is receiving them.

Where did I go wrong?

Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks.

billd766

[The Coder]

How can I get my 2 computers linked together on a hard wired LAN?

They are both on Windows XP and I have run the home network set up on each and neither can see each other.

Each Lan is sending packages but neither PC is receiving them.

Where did I go wrong?

Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks.

billd766

You need an ethernet cable that twists the wires. Just like the serial cables of old when hooking two PC's together. The other way to go is use straight cables and put a hub/switch between the PC's.

[Simmo]

You need an ethernet cable that twists the wires. Just like the serial cables of old when hooking two PC's together. The other way to go is use straight cables and put a hub/switch between the PC's.

Its called a crossover cable.

[Tywais]

As the others said, a UTP crossover cable is needed. Probably can get a shop to make one easily if they don't have one off the shelf. Without the crossover you are in effect tying the transmit to transmit and receive to receive of each computer.

Edited January 24, 2006 by tywais

[briley]

Also you must make sure that you are sharing at least on drive on the machine, else there is nothing to see.

[rio666uk]

Also you must make sure that you are sharing at least on drive on the machine, else there is nothing to see.

not completely true - by default the c: drive will have an admin share - you can view this from any networked PC by typing

\\"computer name"\C$

this will work for any drive assuming you know the drive letter - and the default sharing has not been disabled.

However this has no relevance with regard to whether 2 PCs can see eachother on a network - they will see eachothers IP if in the same subnet regardless of shared discs

[astral]

I think you need to set up a little more.

On the networking side you need two compatible IP addresses.

Example: Set one computer address to be 192.168.1.1 and the other to 192.168.1.2

Make sure the Subnet addresses are the same 255.255.255.0

If you are running a firewall make sure it is enabled for 192.168.1.0.

Then in Control panel/System make sure the two machines are in the same work group.

By default they probably will be.

Then you should be in business.

A quick test of connection is to go to Programs/RUN

Enter cmd on the line and when the black screen comes up enter

Ping 192.168.1.1 or the IP address of the other machine.

You should see 4 packets sent and received back.

Edited January 24, 2006 by astral

[The Coder]

I think you need to set up a little more.

On the networking side you need two compatible IP addresses.

Example: Set one computer address to be 192.168.1.1 and the other to 192.168.1.2

Make sure the Subnet addresses are the same 255.255.255.0

If you are running a firewall make sure it is enabled for 192.168.1.0.

Then in Control panel/System make sure the two machines are in the same work group.

By default they probably will be.

Then you should be in business.

A quick test of connection is to go to Programs/RUN

Enter cmd on the line and when the black screen comes up enter

Ping 192.168.1.1 or the IP address of the other machine.

You should see 4 packets sent and received back.

That is the dark ages of network setup, welcome to the 21st century. Unless you just like hacking or doing things the hard way, that is the wrong way to go. When you use the XP home network setup wizard on each machine, you do not need to assign IP addresses; they are assigned dynamically under the covers. You do not have to modify the XP firewall settings; this is also done automatically under the covers. It's also pretty hard to mess up the workgroup name since that is also part of the wizard.

[astral]

I think you need to set up a little more.

On the networking side you need two compatible IP addresses.

Example: Set one computer address to be 192.168.1.1 and the other to 192.168.1.2

Make sure the Subnet addresses are the same 255.255.255.0

If you are running a firewall make sure it is enabled for 192.168.1.0.

Then in Control panel/System make sure the two machines are in the same work group.

By default they probably will be.

Then you should be in business.

A quick test of connection is to go to Programs/RUN

Enter cmd on the line and when the black screen comes up enter

Ping 192.168.1.1 or the IP address of the other machine.

You should see 4 packets sent and received back.

That is the dark ages of network setup, welcome to the 21st century. Unless you just like hacking or doing things the hard way, that is the wrong way to go. When you use the XP home network setup wizard on each machine, you do not need to assign IP addresses; they are assigned dynamically under the covers. You do not have to modify the XP firewall settings; this is also done automatically under the covers. It's also pretty hard to mess up the workgroup name since that is also part of the wizard.

That sounds like the exact reaons why I do not use XP.

Tooooooooo much done for me and no real control.

Nanny Microsoft knows best............?

Very dangerous.

Edited January 24, 2006 by astral

[Carmine6]

How can I get my 2 computers linked together on a hard wired LAN?

They are both on Windows XP and I have run the home network set up on each and neither can see each other.

Each Lan is sending packages but neither PC is receiving them.

Where did I go wrong?

Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks.

billd766

One thing not mentioned so far is that firewalls can cause this problem. If I remember correctly, the only way I could get mine to work is using the default "MSHOME" workgroup. With my firewalls turned off, I could pick any workgroup name I wanted. This is for a 3rd party firewall, as I think the Windows firewall doesn't give me problems.

The network troubleshooter also said to do something that I can't remember now to fix a problem where you couldn't ping the other computer. You may want to run that and see what it says.

This is for a standard network setup, and not the direct cable connect that some others mentioned.

[Simmo]

That is the dark ages of network setup, welcome to the 21st century.

LOL!! .. Tcp/ip settings are the dark ages?

I can fondly remember crawling around office rooves with with BNC cable to setup amazing 1Mb IPX/SPX networks or the black art of proper coax cable terminiation.

Don't even get me started on DECNET or token ring!