Can not Network with laptop

Hey all,
I'm trying to setup my new laptop to connect to my desktop computer. I've got a Toshiba Satellite M35-S359. My problem is, i've setup a TCP/IP connection for the LAN of the laptop. I've set it to manually have the IP address 192.168.0.2 and the desktop i've set to 192.168.0.1 and both subnet masks are 255.255.255.0 . Now, in the desktop, I can ping myself, i.e. 192.168.0.1, and also it can see itself. But for the laptop, I can't even ping myself, i.e. 192.168.01. , and nor can I see myself. When I go to ipconfig, it says that the media is disconnected. Now, am I missing something with the laptop?

edit: when I mean I can not ping myself, I mean that it gets a destination unreachable.

 

If you are trying to do a direct connection without using a router or hub, then you will need what's called a "cross over cable ". This is different than a normal network cable, as it has a couple of wires on one end "crossed over ".

 

mmmm, thought I would, but this wouldnt affect the way the laptop tries to ping itself would it? this is in regards to it having a destination unreachable when I try to ping 192.168.0.2 which is the laptops localhost IP address. The desktop computer can ping itself.

 

Try pinging 127.0.0.1 and if that fails, TCP/IP is not installed correctly and can't function. You'll need to remove and reload networking.

 

I can ping 127.0.0.1, but not 192.168.0.2 ... any ideas? i've bought my x-over cable, i'll try that once i get out of work. But I would have initially thought, that you don't need to connect any cables to ping an IP address you assign the computer? If it is of any help, it's saying network cabls is unplugged in network connections

 

192.168.0.2 which is the laptops localhost IP address

Well, not really. Localhost (also known by the more descriptive term loopback) is an address designed for testing the TCP/IP install and is normally 127.0.0.1.

As to the other, I honestly don't remember what happens when you try to ping a manual-assigned IP address on a PC when it does not have, and never has had a working network connection.

But the message about the cable being unplugged indicates that until you get a connection, you can't network and since you got a return on the localhost address, your networking is properly installed.

 

ok, it's up and working now, i'm not sure if updating the drivers for the LAN helped me or not. Now I have a new problem, heheeh, new topic. Thanks everyone