Using DCC.

I'm trying to connect two computers using a null modem serial cable connected to Com1 on both computers using Windows 98SE. I want to access the files on the host computer. I have enabled shared folders and shared drive.I have given each computer a name and used the same name on both for workgroup.
It says on the guest computer, both computer are connected using serial cable on Com 1,verifying username and password,looking for shared folders,unable to display shared folders,type in name of host computer.
I type in the name I've given to the host and it then says Cannot find host computer.

Can anyone tell me how to get it working ?

Thanks.

 

Do you have the NetBEUI protocol running on both PCs? If not, you should.

It can be done via TCP/IP but the setup is slightly more complicated. However, it would allow you to use the various network diagnostic tools that TCP/IP has but NetBEUI lacks (like ping and a few others).

If you have TCP/IP loaded on both, what are you using for IP addresses, subnet mask, gateway address?

 

When I check Network Configuration it says NetBEUI and TCP/IP and below

Primary Network Logon "Client for Microsoft networks ".

It's the same on both computers.


Not sure how to check the IP addresses,subnet mask etc. Don't really understand that bit.

 

Hmmm. If you have NetBEUI loaded I'd have expected it to work. Ah well.

Set the values for TCP/IP as shown in the pictures. Note that the gateway address is blank, the subnet mask value is the same on each PC, the IP address is similar but different in the last set of numbers as shown.

When you've done that, do start => run => winipcfg and make sure the numbers that show up in teh GUI window match what you put in.

Post back and we can start doing some testing to see exactly where the problem is.

I may or may not get a chance to look at this thread before some time tomorrow. Hopefully someone else can look and advise you but if not, I'll be back tomorrow for sure.

 

I've not connect two PC via null serial cables - though I know you can do it. Personally I'd go the cross over network cable route, but if you don't have network cards in the two PC, I guess serial cables would be OK for a temporary set up.

However, I think it would be a good idea to get back to basics before plunging into tweaking windows settings. Can you PING one PC from the other PC. If you can't and your addresses are set as Newt suggest, there's a problem at the connection level. Try alternative cables (I'm not sure if null serial will be the right cables - have you tried using straight through serial cables?). Only start tweaking file, folder and user permissions and the like if you can PING each machine.

 

Where am I supposed to go?
What pictures have the TCP/IP values?
Where are the pictures ?

I've clicked the Quicklink,up comes Recommended links,I've clicked Windows 98,in the search for box whatever I type in it comes back with "the page cannot be found ".


I've done the Run winipcfg

on computer A (host) it says


Adapter address 43-45-53-54-00-00
IP address 0000
subnet mask 0000
default gateway is blank


on computer B (guest) it says

Adapter address (same as other computer)
IP address 217.137.246.21
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
default gateway 217.137.246.21


the second computer (B) was given to me recently by a friend so I don't know if it has a network card on it.
Not sure how to ping a computer.


thanks for advice so far.

 

When you do the start~run~winipcfg it pops up a window and that is the 'picture' I meant. Sorry - I phrased it very badly.

With the settings you list, there is no way the two PCs can possibly communicate using TCP/IP. That really should not be a problem if NetBEUI is running though and if things are set up properly.

I am concerned that the lack of IP address values on the Host (A) machine might indicate a general problem with networking as it is set up on that machine. Why not get rid of all the DCC networking on both PCs and start over.

If money is not a major consideration, you will save yourself lots of grief (and boost your network speed by well over 100 times) if you get inexpensive network cards for each PC and a special type of network cable called a 'crossover' cable. Cards can be had for around $10 each or less and a crossover cable of 10 feet for under $5.

Don't worry about how to 'ping' right now. It will fail based on the IP addresses you list.

ReggieB - I have done this in the past with both serial and parallel cables. You do need the 'null modem' variety for the same reason that you need crossover cables for network cards. Tx & Rx have to be reversed for the two devices to communicate so she has the right type of cable. It may or may not be good - probably is.

 

I've gone into Add and remove windows components,Communications,DCC and unticked it,rebooted and installed it again from the CD.Did the same on the other computer.
On the host computer I've enabled shared folders, am I supposed to enable shared drive as well ?
Anyways now it says on the host computer A

Adapter address 44-45-53-54-00-00
IP address 192.168.55.1
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Dafault gateway is blank

on the guest computer B it says

Adapter address 44-45-53-54-00-00
IP address 217.137.246.36
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway
217.137.246.36

When I try to connect it says "looking for shared folders" and then "type in name of host computer" I type in the name and it says "cannot find host computer ".
Well at least I now have IP and subnet on computer A which I didn't have before. I also tried a printer cable instead of the null modem.

 

The 'printer' cable would have to be wired null as well. A regular printer cable could not work.

I'm curious where the IP addressing information on PC-B comes from. The address is part of a block belonging to VIATEL-WHOLESALE-DIALUP-SERVICE-NET in the UK.

As it stands, the addresses are too different for the PCs to be able to work with each other. If you can change the information on the B machine while the A machine retains what you posted, set B to 192.168.55.2 while keeping the subnet mask the same and removing the default gateway numbers. That will (or should) allow them to 'see' each other.

As a test, from PC-A open a DOS/command window and type in
ping 192.168.55.1 (the address of the other PC if I have things straight here) and see if you get a response.

If you do then assuming you have named the devices PC-A and PC-B and have a shared folder on PC-A called Myshare then from PC-B go to start, to run, key in \\PC-A\Myshare and an explorer window should open with that share shown in the window.

I know those aren't the right names but just substitute what you are really using. But note that it is only worth trying if the two PCs can ping each other.

 

I've connected the two computers up again and this time it says the same adapter address on both,same IP address on both but on computer A it ends in 1 and computer B it ends in 2,subnet is the same on both. Computer A has the default gateway blank,computer B has 192.168.55.2 Not sure how to remove these numbers for the gateway address to make it blank or to change any of the other numbers if I have to. The ping test didn't work, it says Request timed out.Packets sent 4.Received 0.Lost 4. 100% lost.I tried it both ways,A to B and B to A.

 

They really aren't seeing each other at all.

If possible, could you get another null modem serial cable to try? I'm hazy after all these years but I think the system sets up the DCC 'adapter' to look for a serial port if that's the way you initially loaded things so a null modem wired parallel (printer) cable would not work.

This really should be working and DCC is pretty rock solid once it's set up.

Just in case NetBEUI should somehow be working (and it doesn't need, use, or understand Ping so that can't tell us), you might want to give a try at connecting from one PC to a share on the other using

start => run => \\pcname\sharename

 

I tried start => run => \\pcname\sharename and got "the network name connot be found ".
The null modem cable is sometimes used to transfer software from my computer to my satellite receiver and it works fine for that,so I think the cable should be OK.
I bought two network cards and a crossover today so I'll try and install them and see what happens.
Only thing is when I went into Device Manager on computer B it says ? Other Devices and ? PCI Communications Device so I'm not sure if this is causing any problems with my DCC connection and if it will affect anything when I install the network cards.
Also my USB's on computer B don't work.In Device Manager there is nothing there for Universal Serial Bus controller. It's listed on computer A and the USB's there work fine,but not on computer B.
So mabye the friend who gave me computer B has been messing up the settings,who knows. I got it for nothing so I can't really complain of course.
I wish Bill Gates could bring out something that works properly and can be easily diagnosed and fixed if it doesn't.

Thanks for the advice so far,at least I'm learning.