xp networking without using wizard 2

[gusset]

if you know of an internet site that could give me the basics, please would you point me to it? ...thanks

i don't know much about networking but i know that my two computers are not talking to each other!

i don't want to use the network wizard because 1. i want to do things for myself and to learn from this and 2. i have tried the wizard on several computers, with only unhelpful error messages to show for my efforts (it tells me to try again with different settings, but doesn't say what settings i might change).

i know it ought to be easy to network two xp computers.

all i have done so far is to give them similar IP addresses : A has 192.168.0.1 and B has 192.168.0.2 ... i gave them identical subnets, i.e. 255.255.255.0.

i'm not sure what else i need to do. the internet has proved unhelpful so far, because all the sites assume that the wizard works.

thanks again

gusset

 

[bcastner]

1. Client for Microsoft Networking, File and Printer Sharing installed, both machines;
2. Both machines have identical Workgroup names, and different machine names;
3. Under TCP/IP properties, Advanced, DNS tab, "Enable Netbios over TCP/IP" and disable use LMHOSTS.
4. Make all the users of computer A users of Computer B, and vice-versa.
5. Share something: disk, folder, printer, something on both computers.
6. Remove firewalls, or configure firewalls so that they do not block TCP and UDP traffic on ports 135-139, and 445 on the intranet (your LAN). It is okay to block Internet use of these ports.
7. Every user logs on with a username and password. No blank or empty passwords, no hitting the Esc key or hitting Cancel at startup.

 

[linney]

These are some of the better internet sites.

http://www.homenethelp.com

http://www.practicallynetworked.com

http://www.wown.com

 

[gusset]

bcastner, yes to the first 5.

6. i don't think my firewall is blocking those ports you mentioned. they are blocked for the internet, but not for the trusted zone. i don't know if a home network would be a trusted zone, but i assume so

7. yes

I have now enabled DHCP on both host and slave

properties for the host's ethernet connection:
General tab:
Connection:
Status: Connected
Duration: 00:40 [or whatever]
Speed: 400 mbps. [interesting, given the hub is 1000 mbps]
Signal strength [blank]
Activity:
sent packets: 0
received packets: 0
Support tab:
Internet Protocol:
Address type <unavailable>
IP address: <unavailable>
Subnet mask: <unavailable>
Default Gateway: <unavailable>

properties for the slave's ethernet connection:
General tab:
Connection:
Status: Connected
Duration: 00:40 [or whatever]
Speed: 100 mbps. [that's more like it]

Activity:
sent packets: 1558
received packets: 0
Support tab:
Internet Protocol:
Address type Automatic Private Address
IP address: 169.254.129.83
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:

there are network icons [two small blue overlapping monitors] in the system tray of host and slave. there is no flashing going on with these icons.

if i ping 169.254.129.83 from slave, i get a reply, even with host unplugged from hub. if i ping that address from the host, the request times out. if i ping either computer's name from the other, i am told &quot;could not find host ...&quot;.

I guess, therefore, that that number was given by DHCP to the slave by the slave. before i enabled DHCP on each, neither computer would successfully ping the other's address

does this information help to diagnose what is wrong? it helps me to conclude that the computers don't see each other. what confuses me is that the connection status of each is said to be &quot;connected&quot;. perhaps this means &quot;connected to a hub or something&quot;.

Linney - thank you for your suggestions. i am working my way through those sites.

thanks, both

gusset

 

[bcastner]

You do not have a DHCP server. The only way to get one would be to have a hardware router, or enable ICS &quot;Internet Connection Sharing&quot; on one of the computers. This computer would require two network adapter cards.

In your circumstance set both clients to static IPs. You had this right the first time: &quot;all i have done so far is to give them similar IP addresses : A has 192.168.0.1 and B has 192.168.0.2 ... i gave them identical subnets, i.e. 255.255.255.0.&quot;

Do not enable Internet Connection Sharing on either machine, as this requires additional hardware. If you do have a machine with two ethernet adapters, or one adapter and a modem, you can enable ICS on one machine, and then both machines could be set to &quot;Obtain an IP address automaticly&quot; under TCP/IP Properties.

But in your case go back to the use of static or fixed IPs just as you started with.

 

[bcastner]

For a step-by-step guide to using ICS:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/

http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/howto-23.html

 

[gusset]

no joy, even with static IPs

i shall take some time to read the sites you have recommended.

thanks

gusset

 

[bcastner]

Get the network working without worrying about internet sharing at present.

Disable ICS (Internet Sharing) on both machines if enabled. Disable all firewalls, they are difficult to set up and interfere at the moment with determining other networking issues.

 

[bcastner]

There should only be one little computer icon on both machines. It will only flash when there is network traffic.

Some ping tips:

To ping the machine you are seated before, ping 127.0.0.1
To ping the other machine, ping its IP address.

You should always get a ping result for 127.0.0.1 while seated before each machine. If you cable is correct, and the switch is working, the only thing that would prevent a ping from the second PC while seated at the first would be a firewall.

 

[gusset]

ICS: disabled
Firewall: disabled
Ping 127.0.0.1 works on both machines.

Pinging 192.168.0.1 (host) from slave gives &quot;Request timed out&quot;
Pinging 192.168.0.2(slave) from host gives &quot;Destination host unreachable&quot;

When i try ipconfig /all on the slave, i get details for a windows IP configuration and an etheret adapter LAN connection

When i try ipconfig /all on the host, i get the words &quot;windows IP configuration&quot;, without details.

does this help? in my novice state, from looking at the ipconfig /all result, i would say that the host's ethernet thingummy is not switched on - even though the network connection's general tab reads &quot;status: connected&quot;. however, this hypothesis is confirmed by the <unavailable>s on the support tab

continued thanks, bcastner

gusset

 

[gusset]

winipcfg has been referred to by the websites - it is not installed on either computer.

i am convinced that it is the host's ethernet that is broken.

any ideas how to test an ethernet card/connection?

 

[bcastner]

Lets try first to repair the Winsock service stacks:

http://members.shaw.ca/techcd/VB_Projects/WinsockFix.zip

Winipcfg is for older versions of Windows.
Ipconfig is what you want.

You might try using Device Manager to uninstall the adapter, rebooting, and letting it autodetect the adapter.
This will reload the drivers for you.

 

[gusset]

thanks, bcastner.

fix applied to both (though host is newly purchased)
results of ipconfig /all are no different

adapter (1394 net adapter) reinstalled.
results of ipconfig /all are no different

 

[bcastner]

Do you have PC-Illan installed?
Have you Ctl-Alt-Del to make certain that your firewall component is not in fact still running its virtual engine?

 

[gusset]

PC-Ilan. not installed. not found by directory search
virtual engine. am running (though currently disabled, as you suggest) ZoneAlarm. i shut it down from ctrl-alt-del and can't see anything in applications/processes which looks like a candidate.

bcastner, you really are very generous with your time. thank you.

i shall call in an engineer and report back on what the problem was.

best wishes

gusset

 

[bcastner]

&quot;When i try ipconfig /all on the host, i get the words &quot;windows IP configuration&quot;, without details.&quot;

Unplug the ethernet cable on this machine. Use Device Manager, Network Adapters, View, show all hidden devices, and uninstall the ethernet adapter.

Reboot and let XP rediscover the adapter.

Run the Winsock fix again on this machine.

Set a static IP of 182.168.0.3, 255.255.255.0, under the Advanced tab enable Netbios over TCP/IP and disable LMHOSTS. then do an:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /all

and tell me what happened.

(Remember to watch out for you firewall engine)

 

[bcastner]

It would also help to run the Windows nework diagnostic. Start, Help and Support, on the second box on the right at the bottom is the Tools menu. Select that, select Network Diagnostics on the left, check to enable all the test boxes, have the cable plugged in, and run the tests.

 

[gusset]

reinstall the ethernet adapter: done as you said
Run the Winsock fix again: done
static IP of 182.168.0.3 / 255.255.255.0 done (182 ?check)
disable lmhost: done

ipconfig /release: The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation

ipconfig /renew: The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation

ipconfig /all:
Windows IP configuration
Host name: Melvin
Primary DSN suffix:
[etc]
PPP adapter AccessRunner DSL:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
[etc]


...still looks like the same problem, whatever that is. do you think that the PC should be taken back to the shop/store?

 

[gusset]

network diagnostics:

Internet Service
[...]
ComputerInformation
[...]
Modems and Network Adapters:
+Modems: Communications cable between two computers
Attached to:
[etc]
+Network adapters: [00458755] WAN miniport (IP)
Caption: [...]
[etc]
DefaultIpGateway: 217.42.3.58(same subnet) PASSED
[ping replies from 217.42.3.58]
+Network clients:
Microsoft Terminal Services
[etc]

i assume that this tells us nothing new.

bcastner, i'm feeling bad about the amount of help you're giving me. you give lots of assistance unselfishly in this forum and others. please take some stars and let me trouble someone else.

i'll go down the traditional route of taking the box to the store and post the answer in a few days.

thanks

gusset

 

[bcastner]

Are you using any client software for your broadband connection?

BTW, I mis-typed. The static IP should be192.168.0.3

168.x.x.x is not a private IP and should not be used.

Set the IP value to 192.168.0.3 and try again.