Calling BertImmenschuh (W2K)

[kef999]

Bert,

Am I correct in thinking that you've personal experience of setting up a peer-to-peer home network? (Two PCs simply networked together, with shared resources such as printer and Internet connection). If so, can you help me?

Please see Networking and Communications forum/Help needed on new shared Internet/printer setup (12/22/02).

I'm having dire problems configuring things, especially my firewalls.

[BertImmenschuh]

Sorry I didn't get back here right away, been a lot busy last few days. Several times I'd sign in only to get called away.

Yes, I have a peer-to-peer network [5-port 10/100 LinkSys]. The main computer is a WinXP Pro [used to be Win98SE] with the modem and phone line. The other computers are Win98SE x 2, a notebook dual-booting WinXP HE/Win98SE and a notebook dual-booting Win2000 Pro/Win98SE. The WinXP has a Lexmark Optra R Laser printer and a Win98 has an HP DeskJet 970 printer, both are shared and accessible by any computer on the network. The only firewall I currently use is what is built-into WinXP Pro.

The firewall on WinXP allowed the other computers to have full access to the 'net.

From this you can probably surmise that I kept it simple and really haven't had much problem. The WinXP used default IP addresses and the Win2000/98 machines are automatically obtained, as is the DNS. DHCP is Enabled.

A hint on the printer, it is installed on the parallel or USB port on one computer using the software that came with it and then shared. Going to the other computers, in Add a Printer, it is installed as a Network printer without using the software that came with the printer. The other computer/s will go to the first computer and bring in the drivers needed. [A different procedure is used if using a Print Server on the network, software for the Print Server is first installed on each computer and then the software for the printer is installed on each computer.]

As to c2 sometimes dials out via c1 when it shouldn't, the problem may be a program doing the dialing. I had several doing it from the other computers until I completed a couple of registrations of programs and updated the AntiVirus program on one.


Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement

[kef999]

Thanks Bert.

Compared to yours, mine is an ultra-simple setup. The other day I had it almost working and was able to print to the printer on c1, from c2. I was also able to download webpages via c1, but not do anything with e-mail on c2. But now I can do neither. I've been experimenting so much with settings that I've probably got something wrongly set again now.

At the moment, when I double-click on Computers Near Me, I sometimes get nothing and sometimes just get the name of the self same computer - and that applies to both computers.

When experimenting like this, I've got my firewalls on both machines completely disabled and the Ethernet link's icon definitely shows on both machines as being active. So there still appears to be something on one or both machines that's preventing each one from seeing the other.

I think I've at least discovered why, before, I couldn't send/receive e-mail from c2. I'd assumed that any ISP mail account on c2 would be utilised from c1 and so I deleted the account that was on c2, but I think that's not the case, is it? I've now put back that account on c2.

On BOTH machines, I've got TCP/IP set up to detect both IP and DNS addresses automatically. DHCP on c1 is enabled as a result. Is that correct?

All that you've said about shared printer settings I'd already worked out for myself. All those particular settings are 100% okay, I'm sure, as I managed to print okay the other day.

Okay, so my setup consists of a 2-machine peer-to-peer LAN. I've set up Shared Internet Connection on c1 and have envoked the Internet Connection wizard on c2 so as to have been able to set it to "connect through a LAN", but do I have to run the same wizard on c1? Maybe that's why c1 can't see c2, and vice versa?

Bert, any suggestions would be most welcomed, as I'm really stuck at present. There are just so many different settings around.

For the moment, whenever I'm experimenting 'offline', I have the firewalls disabled. This at least takes those out of the equation. Those are a separate problem that I'll have to deal with later.

[BertImmenschuh]

At the moment, when I double-click on Computers Near Me, I sometimes get nothing and sometimes just get the name of the self same computer - and that applies to both computers.

Once in a while it helps to try to map a hard drive, if that works wait a few minutes and try viewing Network Neighborhood. Sometimes it has to be 'woke up' before the actual display shows up. Another issue is where the cable is routed. It will give intermittent results if too close to large electrical devices, motors, UPS, surge protectors, sub-woofer speakers, etc.

I've set up Shared Internet Connection on c1 and have envoked the Internet Connection wizard on c2 so as to have been able to set it to "connect through a LAN", but do I have to run the same wizard on c1?

The ICS wizard runs on the computer with the modem and creates a floppy for any other computers.

Now I'm off to work for 6 hours at my part-time job.

Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement

[kef999]

There's an important factor you've missed - I'm using Win2K, not Win98 or any other OS. So, it's My Network Places, not Neighbourhood.

I've constantly tried kick-starting Computers Near Me but to no avail. My connecting cable is nowhere near any sources of EMI.

What you say about the ICS wizard is true for Win98 and some others but not for Win2K. For Win2K, you simply keep the ISP account you already had on c1 but then you have to run a connection wizard on c2 and, in it, you're asked specifically about setting it up for a LAN connection. So, I think I've done all that correctly. You must have forgotten those differences, Bert.

Actually, this evening I found a really good website on home networking. Have a look at:

www.wown.com/j_helmig/w2kicshi.htm

The homepage is, I think:

www.wown.com

[BertImmenschuh]

I had just shut down my Win2000 notebook to take with me and worked from memory, must have had a virus in it. My tail is between my legs as I go to my next task.

Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement