1st timer to home networkingg

hey guys & gals...

i'm trying to network 2 home pc's....each has a working NIC card, that are enabled and working properly according to the device manager...

i made a crossover cable and connected the 2 pc's but when i try to run the network wizard on either pc i'm advised of the following:


"the network cables are disconnected. plug in your network cables or otherwise connect your network hardware "


thinking i may have muk'd up on making the cable, i connected 2 store bought patch cords with a hub in the middle...still the same error.....it's pinging but says there too that the hardware is disconnected

any ideas....i know absolutely zero about networking other than info i've read on the web....any and all help will be greatly appreciated

thanks
steve

 

I personally think making your own cable is not good advice. I know many people do attempt to make their own cables and some of them have had experienced in doing so. I do not suggest having a new person in the field making their own.

Connecting two computers directly without a hub or a router requires a crossover cable. A regular network won't work. A regular cable should work if you are connecting to a device such as a router or a hub.

Try these suggestions for a fix:

1. Make sure you are not using the wrong cable.
2. Check the cabling and see if they are both connected properly at each ends.
3. Try another port on the hub.

 

Try this, open a command prompt, type "ipconfig" and get the ip address of each nic. then ping the nic from that machine. do this on both machines. then try to ping the nic on the other machine, again each way. If each machine returns the 4 packets from it's own nic, then the machines and the nic's are ok. If not, then you have a bad card , or it's not being recognized.If you can ping one from the other, then your connection is working, and you have a configuration problem. If you can't ping one machine from the other, then it's most likely a hardeware issue. One other thing, Don't use crossover cables if you are connecting thru a hub or switch. Some hubs and swithces have a "uplink" port (usually #1) If you connect to that port, then skip the #2 port and use another.

 

i'm no novice at making cables...anyway, none of you suggestions 1thru 3 failed...everything is proper

 

What about the NICS and hub? Are the speeds compatible?

DRD