network help

[lynchknot]

Hello. I want to hook up 2 pc's, the cheap way. I have 1 extra NIC and Cat 5 crossover cable. This is a cable system. It was working for a few hours, but when I had to reformat, I could not get it to work anymore. Any advice or a direction for a tutorial for this kind of network would be appreciated. thanks

[amdphr3@kXP]

what protocol are you using for the network? Is file and printer sharing enabled, and is netbios enabled in TCP/IP if you are using it?

[rik]

The best site I have found for simple to understand info on networking any MS OS.

http://www.wown.com/

[CBay]

If I understand your issue. you have created a peer to peer simple connection to two PC's. This connection worked until you had to FORMAT one of the two. Since the rebuild, you cannot re-establish the networking connection. This goes from very simple solution to a little odd.. depending on your operating systems in use. I would, like Rufo said, use TCP/IP as the protocol and the important thing you must remember is to keep the IP address for both machines in the same subnet--- if your IP Address on PC1 is 10.0.0.1 Subnet mask 255.255.255.0 the address of PC2 should be 10.0.0.2, Subnet mask 255.255.255.0. I would create a common workgroup and put both machines into it. Enable File and Print sharing.. share directories that you want shared. Reboot and away you go. If you are using say, windows 2k, you can skip the above workgroup steps if your IP range and subnet is the same, you can go to the run command line type in \\computername\c$ press enter and as long as your user/login credentials are the same on both machines you are into the C drive (or which ever you need to access change the drive letter) to share files. This is the Administrative share that you are accessing. Things to note... when connecting PC-to-PC Crossover. PC to network Straight through, network device to network device Crossover

Hope this helps... Good luck.

[lynchknot]

Sorry, I have no idea what you are talking about. I have XP pro and connected the 2 pc's which crossover cat 5 cable, via extra nic in one PC, and ran both wizards. That's all I know. Sometimes it works then it does not.

[CBay]

Ok, lets do this step by step:

You have one PC (PC1). PC1 has 2 NICs. PC2 has 1 NIC. PC1, NIC1 is connected to PC2 NIC1 via crossover cable. PC1, NIC2 is either providing you Internet access or is it just in the PC? I would assume there’s a good reason you dropped it into the box? I would surmise that you are sharing an internet connection for both machines. Do you have the XP firewall engaged? This could be interrupting your connections as well unless you have configured it properly.

Ok. First question:

Can you see each computer in My Network Places\ Workgroups with consistency? Does each computer have a network protocol installed and if so, what is it and can you view the properties of each one? Are you trying to truly share files or do you want the ability to do so at your convenience? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

We need to confirm/add entries into your TCP/IP properties manually to make this work with consistency. Here is what you should need to do on both machines:

Right click on My Network Places and go to properties.

Go to the General Tab and you will see components of the connection with checkmarks in the boxes to indicate they are being used by the connection. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click properties. Select the Use The following IP address option. This will open the IP Address, Subnet mask and Default Gateway options for you. Add the IP Address’ mentioned in the previous post there—10.0.0.1. The Subnet mask should auto-populate with 255.255.255.0. You should not need a default gateway for this but if you like, add 10.0.0.1 on both. Right click My Computer. Go to properties and go to the network identification tab. Note the names of each PC and join them to a workgroup – named whatever you want ( I suggest OZ) then reboot. By default upon installation of the OS, there are administrative shares created the C$ and ADMINC$ and enabled. To access computers on a network (of which Peer-to-Peer is a type) in either of the following simple methods:

1. Map a network drive to a location on either PC. Create a folder location on both machines, name it the same thing on both. Map drives to each share from each machine to the other. Use the share location as a general location for files and such.

2. Connect to the C$ share from the run command line. The entry would look like this: \\computername\c$ then press enter. The C drive contents of the other machine will appear. You can then map a drive to this location should you choose.

This should get you going.

[CBay]

Whats your status on this issue?