What am I doing wrong?

[Cardinal 0]

Hi there.

 

I need help with a simple Home LAN.

 

I am sure this topic has been covered so many times before. However, it has been discussed in bits and pieces with different problems in different posts. I need help from start to finish. Now that I have stated that, please refrain from any unhelpful 'do a search responses'. Now, on to my questions..

 

I am running a small peer to peer LAN at home. Both PC's are using XP with simple file sharing enabled on both. At the moment, I am using a single Untwisted Cat-5 cable with a direct connection. I do however, have two (or more) standard Crossover Cat-5 Cables and a 5 Port Switch that I tried to use unsuccessfully.

 

I have some minor networking experience with Windows PC's in the past and have tried a few things.

 

I have also tried to use the XP networking wizard ;( that seems to be so useless, and it also seems to fail.

 

Both computers have only the single NIC Installed.

 

1 Computer runs a simple dial up connection that is not shared.

 

I have set both PC's with an IP address of 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2 respesctively. I have not added anything in to the gateway, or DNS sections of the network properties.

 

Running Ipconfig shows me the following information on the Gateway PC (I'll use the term gateway in this case only to describe the PC with the Internet connection, realising that it isn't actually a gateway in this case)

 

Windows IP Configuration

 

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : mother

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

 

Ethernet adapter D-Link Adapter :

 

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : D-Link DFE-550TX 10/100 Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-BA-F8-E7-25

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

 

What happens is neither of the computers can see eachother. The ping command replies with a ' request time out ' when trying to ping the other PC. Pinging Locally, (127.0.0.1) on both PC's works fine. So does a ping command to their own IP address.

 

Now this setup has worked once or twice. That is, almost randomly it will work. But not very often. I have also tried to setup the workstation PC to have it's IP assigned automatically. This also fails.

 

I am not running any firewall type on either PC.

 

Both's PC's have their C drive shared.

 

Both PC's are in the same workgroup.

 

Netbios Is not installed on either PC.

 

Neither of the computers are using any type of Network Access Control, i.e Smart Card.

 

 

I think that is all the information I can give. So I ask you people, What am I doing wrong? Why won't it work? And as I mentioned above, why does it work intermittently?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

- Cardinal.

 

 

 

 

[/i]

[Cardinal 0]

Thanks for the reply Alecstaar.

 

To answer your questions.

 

Yes, the subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0 on Both PC's.

 

Both of the NIC's are showing no problems at all in the device manager.

 

As far as the cable goes, I can't be 100% sure, but it was working fine the other day.

 

Any other ideas?

 

- Cardinal

[clutch 1]

First, are you sure the local built-in firewall is disabled? Second, install NetBIOS if you plan on browsing or using UNC paths to get from one machine to another at all (this includes pinging by name).

[CrazyKillerMan 0]

I dont know if this has been cleared up but...

 

Quote:

I am using a single Untwisted Cat-5 cable with a direct connection. I do however, have two (or more) standard Crossover Cat-5 Cables and a 5 Port Switch that I tried to use unsuccessfully.

 

For direct connect, a crossover cable is needed. You can use two regular cables in a hub/switch but with direct connections the transmit and recieve pins on the cables need to be flipped so the transmit on nic #1 is connected to recieve on nic#2 and vice versa.

 

Quote:

I have also tried to setup the workstation PC to have it's IP assigned automatically. This also fails.

 

This fails if you are connected directly to the other computer becuase chances are its not a DHCP server. The IP can be assigned automatically if you are connected to hardware which acts as a DHCP server.

[hardtofin 0]

dude,

 

make sure u have the NICs installed n both machines correctly. and that there r no conflicts. then make SURE u r using a crossover cable. and it should work. if not. try plugging 2 cables into your switch, but one into the the uplink port and switch uplink on .......then try it.

 

Matt

[Cardinal 0]

Again, thanks for all the help so far guys

 

The answers:

 

Yes, Both the network cards are working correctly, and are shown to be working correctly in the device manager. (When I say they are working correctly, I mean they show up in the network connections, The lights are working and Windows show's no conflicts or errors)

 

The cable is the only thing linking the PC's. I do have a hub (10/100 switch), But I could not get the network working with that at all.

 

In the gateway PC (the box with the dial up connection) There are two Network connections shown. The dial up, and the adapter. On the other PC, Only the adapter connection is shown. So to answer Alecstaar, Yes this seems to be normal.

 

The cable is a crossover cable.

 

There are no firewalls enabled on either pc. (Including the Xp one)

 

I'll enable Netbios to see if it does anything but as Alecstaar pointed out, pinging just the IP of each computer should still work on a pure tcp/ip right?

 

Damn. So it could be hardware is that what you guys are saying?

 

Oh, Crazykillerman, Is there anyway to setup one of the PC's to act as a DHCP server? Or is that a no no? And why the hell does Windows specify that one of the PC's should have their IP address assigned automatically then? (It did this by running the network connection wizard)

 

Thanks again guys. I do appreciate it.

 

- Cardinal.

[CrazyKillerMan 0]

Quote:

Oh, Crazykillerman, Is there anyway to setup one of the PC's to act as a DHCP server? Or is that a no no? And why the hell does Windows specify that one of the PC's should have their IP address assigned automatically then? (It did this by running the network connection wizard)

There is - but you may want to ask somebody with more exp on that one (such as clutch or Alec ). I have never had the oportunity to set one up seeing as though I use a 100 MB switch with a build in router/firewall/dhcp server.

Well - obtaining IP's automatically means that it needs something to obtain it from, I dont beleive that Windows XP Professional by default has it installed, I know there is a client installed though. Actually it isnt installed. Im assuming this is a 'general' subject so Microsoft simply puts down the most used configuration for the wizard.[/img]

[CrazyKillerMan 0]

I used to be an installer for a high speed dealer, and there was many occasions in which people would call in saying their 'net isnt working at all. When I got over there, device manager, modem lights, NIC lights and cable were all flawless, the nic could ping itself but nothing else.

 

It could be one of the NIC's in the network that are acting up, but like Alec says, check the easiest, most obvious thing first, the cable.

[Cardinal 0]

I am going to try a different NIC or two as I have a few spare.

 

I am guessing the cable could be trashed though, which is possible (a slammed door perhaps hehe) So I'll use the hub when I try the different NIC's.

 

Anyway, thanks guys. I've made myself a coffee and am off to play networking.

 

P.S. Crazykillerman, thanks for setting me straight with the crossover/standard cable difference. I was a little confused with what I had written also. But, I got it right in practice, I just made the error in my post

[DosFreak 2]

If you can ping your loopack & ip then your NIC is working properly. Hmm, you say that you are getting link on the cable? This does not necessarily mean that the cable is good. Try a different crossover cable or just use the switch with straight cable.

[CrazyKillerMan 0]

Quote:

P.S. Crazykillerman, thanks for setting me straight with the crossover/standard cable difference. I was a little confused with what I had written also. But, I got it right in practice, I just made the error in my post

Anytime, glad I was of some help! Let us know what the dilli-o is.