Direct Cable Connection between a W98 PC and a W95 PC

Dear Folks

I'm trying to set up the Windows Direct Cable Connection between a W98 PC and a W95 PC using a null modem cable.

I've run the Wizards at each end, checked the COM port speeds etc, but it just won't connect - sticks listening, hears nothing.

Am reasonably sure that the hardware side of things is OK - with a bit of a fudge, got good old INTERSVR.EXE to run in a DOS box on the W98 machine using the same ports, cable etc... - it isn't happy (of course) - but as far as one would expect, performs; thus would seem to imply that the cable, UARTs etc are OK (both are 16550's)...

Please! - what am I missing here? any ideas of other things to check - I've been through all the Helps etc to no avail...

with best wishes, Hugh.

 

further to previous...
have tried using both hardware and Xon/off for flow control, also tried it both ways round (host/guest-wise), still no joy...
any ideas much appreciated! Hugh.

 

ahh sussed it. In case it's got anyone else going, here's the thing:

part of the setup is to check that the port speeds match, and that the protocols are compatible.

re: port speeds: within device manager you see the devices, like "Serial Cable on COM1" and so on... that's *not* what you're after, try expanding the rest of the tree structure and a separate entry appears for COM1 itself [on mine it's under "Plug&Play BIOS]. They set up independently of each other, you can set them to different speeds - I think the one that matters is the COM1 setting itself (not sure), what I did was to set them both the same...

re: protocols: W98 and W95 use different displays. If you access Windows98 help on the matter it will say that you have to put in IPX/SPX protocol to get it to talk to W95. But, when this is done, the W98 machine says
IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol -> Dial-Up Adapter
whereas the W95 machine just says
IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol
- which had me going for ages, particularly after the Serial Cable on COM1 biz.... was trying to get them to say the same, it just doesn't happen... it *looks* as if you're putting it in without the Dialup Adapter bit, but when it actually installs it displays as above. They do however produce the same result even tho' they look different.

re: null-modem cables / Interlink cables. Microsoft's version of the pin connections for a null modem cable using the 9pin D connector option is different to what you'll find from most web sites, they also connect pin 1. This doesn't matter, at least not on my old Compaq, or with any of the other port cards I've tried here - tho' there's a chance that it might on some machines I suppose. [Good old Interlnk/Intersvr works fine using just the three wires TxD, RxD and Signal Ground.]

hope this is of some help to someone somewhen! - Hugh

 

Well Darn it Hugh! I'm sorry it took so long to get to your post. Glad you got it all worked out however. And thanks for taking the time to post back how you resolved it.

Daizy