Networking Laptop and Home PC

Windows ME Desktop

Windows XP Laptop

I went through the wizard, and used my XP CD to create some files on my Desktop; and I haven't a clue how to do this. Can anyone help me out. I have no experience with networking, but would like to be able to share my files.

My Network places on my desktop seems have nothing; while my Laptop is showing that it is networking, but the connecting line in the diagram leads to nothing.

Please help

 

Unfortunately the XP Networking Wizard seems to work well for other XP systems but often not for different operating systems. So probably better to do this all manually.

Go Here and take a look at the link for
How Home Networking Works

Then follow the directions in either
Practically Networked or
Network your PCs--it's easier than ever.

That should fix you up but if you run into any snags and need help, post back here again with specifics on what didn't do right.

 

Thanks Newt .. I'll hop on it

 

OK .. went through it, and specifically .. I am not seeing any errors; with the exception that my computers don't see each other.

Note: On my laptop (The one with XP); In my network connections, it shows my "local area connection, network cable unplugged "

 

OH and ...

On Network your PC's -- it's easier than ever

The link is dead



http://www.pcworld.com/resource/redir/oops.asp

 

"local area connection, network cable unplugged "

The three most likely causes:

1. You are using a regular patch cable (pin1 at one end to pin1 at the other, pin2 - pin2, pin3 - pin3, etc.) and to hook PCs directly together you need a special wiring scheme with transmit at one end going to receive at the other. Usually just called a 'cross over" cable.

2. Your network cards are set at different speeds. Try setting both to the slowest speed of 10Mbps half-duplex and if it starts working you can try faster settings.

3. One network card is either bad or there was a setup error (software glitch). Assuming that you loaded TCP/IP , test by opening a command window (start~run~command on ME and start~run~cmd on XP) then typing in
ping 127.0.0.1. You should get a series of 4 responses with no errors.

 

1. Laptop is wireless (internet works)

2. Don't know how to change speed settings

3. Ran Ping test and received no error messages


Thanks Newt, I appreciate it. But my frustration has peaked. I will hire a tech to come over, and in the meantime; just use my burner and E-Mail to transfer files .. Thanks again

 

You should be able to set duplex speed in control panel>network>properties on network connection>advanced tab. Look for anything that displays duplex in the drop down on the right.

 

Now I'm really getting ticked. Messin' around with stuff I don't know what I'm doing trying to get this network thing down right; I've made my internet no longer work (on the wireless laptop). How do I uninstall hardware ? I'm thinking if I uninstall the wireless adapter, and reinstall it as I did before with the setup disk; it'll work like before. Am I right ?

After I get the internet back up, I'll go ahead and try the speed adjusting to try to set up my network. Thanks everyone for helping me out with this

 

Also .. I am on AIM - DougWyatt MI if anyone wants to help out ! That'd be great.

 

OK .. System restore disk put in, and started fresh (beauty of brand new machine with nothing to keep ! ) Ran setup on the wireless card, and I'm back on line. I'll forget about the networking for now .. Thanks everyone

 

If you decide to go for a local network again, post back. But any time you are talking networking, be sure to let folks know up front and very clearly that you are running wireless. Otherwise we assume wired and that can cause lots of confusion with suggestions to you that just don't work/fit.

 

OK .. I'd like to give it another try if the great people here will walk me through the setup. Otherwise, I'll have to hire someone. But I'd like to have the know how myself.

Laptop :

Wireless
Windows XP
Device Manager/Network Adapters -
1. National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyter PCI Adapter
2. Wireless-B Notebook Adapter

Desktop :
Wired
Windows ME
Device Manager/Network Adapters -
1. CNet PRO200WL PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
2. Dial-Up Adapter
3. Microsoft TV/Video Connection

Internet connnection Both :
Lynksys Wireless-B Broadband Router 2.4 GHz
Comcast

Any more info required ? If so, please tell me where to find it (this would avoid the possible - "Where do I find that" post)

Thanks again

 

I think we can talk you thru this process.

Assuming you are running TCP/IP on both PCs

- can either or both get to the internet? Not required but if either (or both) can, it will say a lot about that PC's setup at this point.

 

Yes, both computers are able to access the internet. Both seem to be getting web pages at a correct speed (cable internet - so both are pretty much click and it's there), so I would assume the internet setup is right

TCP/IP ?

 

Great. Lets do this thing one stage at a time so if anything blows up it will be easy to figure out what and how to back it off.

• Give each PC a different computer name. I'll use PC-A for XP and PC-B for ME but use any that suit you as long as there are no spaces, the name is 15 or fewer characters, the characters are alpha-numeric or - or _ . You change the name in ME by a right-click on the desktop network icon (network neighborhood or whatever variation ME uses), a left-click on Properties and it should be there. On XP, right-click My Computer, left click Properties and there is a tab for making the changes.
• Put both in the same workgroup. Use the criteria for computer names to figure out a good workgroup name. Really doesn't matter as long as both have the same one.
• Turn off browser service on XP. Right-click on My Computer, left-click on Manage, go to services, stop the service named Computer Browser then set startup on it to Disabled.
• Set each PC to require a logon username and non-blank password. Use the exact same one for now - it simplifies things a little.
• If XP is the pro version, turn off Simple File Sharing. If it's the home version you can't. Windows Explorer~tools~folder options~view and it's the bottom option.
• Share a folder on each PC. For now, create one called Test and share it as Test-a (on pc-a) and Test-b (on pc-b). Put a file or two in the folder.
• Reboot both PCs and log on.
• From PC-A, do start~run~\\pc-b\test-b and if all is well, you'll get a windows explorer window to open and display the contents of the test folder on PC-B. If so, do the same from PC-B except \\pc-a\test-a.

 

OK .. I have followed the instructions to a T. I am not able to complete them though. I am stuck at :

Share a folder on each PC. For now, create one called Test and share it as Test-a (on pc-a) and Test-b (on pc-b). Put a file or two in the folder.

Here is the problem. I've created a "test" folder on both machines. I shared the one in PC-B (my desktop, the Windows ME machine). I don't know how to share it on Windows XP. I right clicked, selected sharing and security.. and I get a screen that tells me how to "locally" share - which from how I am understanding it means sharing with other users on the same computer. The next box is Network sharing and security... I will type exactly what it says ....

Network sharing and security

{picture of 3 computers} As a security measure, Windows has
{ linked together } disabled remote access to this computer. However, you can enable remote access and safely share files by running the Network Setup Wizard .

If you understand the security risks but want to share files without running the wizard, click here.

I tried the Network Setup Wizard, but I get a message that says "The wizard found disconnected network hardware. "

In the Connections box it has :
Local Area Connection National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyter PCI Adapter

If I click next it tells me to either connect the hardware, or click the "ignore disconnected network hardware" box first

Thought it's getting sticky, so I'd better ask.

PS. Thanks again for helping out

 

Also, not sure if I did this right :

Set each PC to require a logon username and non-blank password. Use the exact same one for now - it simplifies things a little.


I am assuming you meant the password it prompts to submit when I shared the folder. If not, I don't know how to turn on passwords to log onto my computer.

 

Doug - for the network adapter issue, lets be sure what you have.
start~run~cmd
ipconfig /all > c:\config.txt
and paste the contents of c:\config.txt into this thread.

Logon username/password - nope. Gotta put them in when the PC first starts Windows. If security is not an issue for you, they can be set to auto-enter so you don't see them at every boot up but first they gotta be there.

WinME - search for any files that ends in .pwl and delete them. Reboot and it should stop at a screen asking you for a username & password. Put in what you have chosen to use and log on. I don't have a ME system around to test but there should be some check box or similar to force it to ask at each boot up for username & password. Pick that. If it isn't obvious, post a question to the ME section since someone there will know how.

XP - will be slightly different on Home vs. Pro and you haven't said which you are running. Post that info when you post the config.txt contents.

 

First ... I have Windows XP Home version (sorry to have forgotten to tell you that)

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PC-A

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

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

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



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyter PCI Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-CD-EB-76-71



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : wodhvn01.mi.comcast.net

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless-B Notebook Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-7A-1E-02

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101

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

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.42.244.6

68.42.244.5

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, March 03, 2004 7:34:29 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, March 04, 2004 7:34:29 AM