Networking problem

[Hersham Boy]

I have a new laptop that I want to connect to my old desktop so I can use the desktop as a storage backup for large sound and video editing files.

Both have Ethernet cards but I can't get them to 'see' each other when I connect them (directly - not via a hub). I've tried both a cross-over and a 'straight' cable but no joy. Neither can detect the presence of another machine.

Equally, if not more, annoying is that both machines have Firewire ports so I should be able to connect at 400mbps (4x faster than Ethernet, I think?)... when I connect them using a Firewire cable they instantly see each other but there seems to be no functionality in Windows to network this way!

Any ideas on the Ethernet problem? Anyone know of any Firewire networking software?

The lappy is running Win XP and the destop is running Win ME (I was told that these were compatible!). I've got Norton Antivirus running on the lapy but nothing on the desktop. No service packs or anything else unusual on either.

Hersh

[What_does_this_button_do?]

Just to check - what protocols do you have running on both machines? Most people will say TCP/IP is best but if it's two directy connected machines so I would use NetBeui (fuss free).

Also, what are you expecting to see when you connect the two machines? Unless you have shared out your C drives (or whatever) you will see nothing.

You will need to ensure you need to know the machine name of each machine.

To share your drives, double click on My Computer, right click on the C drive and select sharing and specify a name for the share, such as cdrive.

Then on the opposite machine do this:
Start
Run
\\[machine name]\[share name]
- don't use the square brackets


B

[niallcooney]

HB,

As a provisio to WDTBD's advive, if you do go down the NetBEUI route, be aware that it can take up to 10 minutes to recognise the other system. Can be a pain if you change the network config, etc.

Nial

[What_does_this_button_do?]

niallcooney

and why would might it take 10 mins? Did I mention Network Neighbourhood?

With a small NetBeui network there is no master browser involvement.

So, why might it take 10 mins?

B

[CBLong]

This might be a red herring, but I had problems connecting a WinXP machine with a Win98 laptop and a Linux box running Samba. It turned out to be because WinXP sends encrytped passwords over the network, whereas earlier Windowses use plain text. Not sure if this would be the case going from XP to ME, though.

Anyway, what solved it for me was setting :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanw orkstation\parameters\enableplaintextpassword

to 0 in the registry of the XP machine....

Good luck!

cbl.

[Hersham Boy]

Thanks, chaps - I think I might have solved it... bit obvious really: the lappy was set to aquire an IP address from the host rather than to have a static address. This worked OK with a hub of course but not a direct connection.

That said, I've not tested the theory yet as desktop is currently residing a large packing crate waiting to be moved from current home to new home!

I'm still interested to hear from anyone who networks via Firewire, though - seems like a better option to me (if you've got the ports, of course)...

Hersh

[EGLD]

Hi

I network via firewire, I only have a laptop and a desktop, so connecting 2 machines without the need for a hub suits my situation fine. You can do this with ethernet by cabling directly together, but it must be with a crossover cable

Its quicker than 'ordinary' ethernet (generally 10 or 100mb at home) its claimed to operate at 400mbps

I have only succeeded in getting this working under Windows XP, I'm not sure of support under Windows 2000

Basically, run a cable between both devices and power them on, this should then install a new network connection - right click My Network Places > Properties and look for "1394 connection"

Right click this 1394 connection and click properties

IP should be installed by default on these connections, all you need do then is assign compatible addresses, with a different network ID to your ethernet adapters

I would suggest something like;

laptop IP add - 192.168.2.1
desktop IP add - 192.168.2.2
subnet mask on both - 255.255.255.0

before network neighbourhood is populated, if you are using IP (ethernet or firewire) you can test connectivity by;

start > run > cmd (or command if anything other than NT/XP/2k)
ping 192.168.2.1 (from the desktop)
ping 192.168.2.2 (from the laptop)

i would check MS technet (www.microsoft.com/technet) for info on firewire networking support on operating systems other than XP, but why would one do such a thing with MS now with 2 superb operating systems under their belt in 2k and XP ?? :0P