Topic: Networking Problems

[Thumbsup]

Picking up on Robotochan's question of 12th July, I have a similar issue.....

Trying to network XP on a laptop to W98 on a desktop via a mini-hub.

Have used the XP Network setup utility on XP - OK, I think. Couldn't create a setup disk as I could only get an I/O error on diskettes, even new ones.

Used the XP CD to run the Network setup on W98 and ... it blue screens!!

This is only 2 PCs, a mini-hub and some cable. Surely it can't be that difficult. Can it ?

Andy

[Sandra]

Hi Andy, I dont think youd be able to run the XP cd on your 98 one without it trying to install it.
Have you got problems writing other stuff to floppy?
Have you tried running the setup wizard and writing the info to a CD if you cant write to a floppy?

[Thumbsup]

Hello there Sandra.

The XP CD worked fine on W98, you are given the option of what you want to do , and it is something like 'Additional Facilities', or something like that.
The Network Wizard starts up and takes you through all of the options, but then crashes with the 'Screen of Death'.

No CD writer on the laptop unfortunately, and the floppy drive certainly reads OK, will have to try writing something else tonite.

Andy

[Sandra]

Has 98 not got a network wizard itself Andy?
Maybe you could run that on the desktop and use the settings from that on the laptop  

[Thumbsup]

I don't believe it has. You have to know what you want to do and then set it up in W98, so bit flummocksed as I don't know what I need to do !!

A.

[Sandra]

Just had a quick look on knowledge base and it seems like when you ran the network wizard on XP it may have created a network bridge which I dont think you want.
Delete the XP one and re run the wizard following these instructions Andy :

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283429

[Adept]

Don't bother using the network setup wizard on the 98 PC Andy.

Simply edit the TCP/IP settings in the Control Panel Network icon to:-

IP Address: 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.1

and on the DNS tab add 192.168.0.1 to the list of DNS servers. You may also have to enter a DNS name in the box on that tab.

Before you do all of that check the equivalent TCP/IP settings on the XP machine. The IP address should be 192.168.0.1. If it isn't substitute all the 192.168.0.1s above with the value on your XP machine.

That should do it

[Thumbsup]

Morning All,

OK, so I have now tried to set up the networking as suggested by Adept. The details are as follows:-

XP on laptop, set up by the Networking Wizard:
IP address: 169.254.108.190
Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 169.254.108.191 - oops! error ?
DNS: 169.254.108.190


so on the W98 PC set up the config. as:
IP address: 169.254.108.191
Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 169.254.108.190
DNS: 169.254.108.190
DNS Host name: Cameosoft1

XP recognises the LAN as it has sent 528 packets to date, but received 0.

W98 doe snot appear to recognise the LAN as I cannot see the XP laptop. I tried to add a printer and immediately got a message: Unable to browse the network, the network is not accessible, for more info. refer to Help- Network Trouble shooter. It does not seem to look for anything just immediately came up with the message.

Any thoughts?
Also is the DNS Host name important as I don't see it anywhere on the XP config.

Back to work now!

Andy

[Adept]

I think I made a mistake mentioning the DNS and Gateway values, as these are only really relevant to Internet sharing and not straightforward networking. Those values can safely be removed.

It does sound like there is a problem with the setup of the Win98 machine though doesn't it?

Sometimes, even though you have entered all the correct values, Windows 98 networking simply refuses to start. All you can do in this situation is remove all the network components (Client/Adapter/Protocol/Sharing) and re-install them. Make sure you have the driver disk for your network adapter before removing anything.

In the Network Components screen on Win98 you should at least have the following items:-

Client for Microsoft Windows Networking
Network Adapter
TCP/IP
File and Print Sharing

You may also have a dial-up networking adapter and also the Netbeui protocol.

Hope this helps

[Thumbsup]

Morning all.   Latest update after holiday!

Taken the DNS and Gateway addresses out as suggested, but connection still not obvious. I have added a another laptop to the network making 3 machines, but NT this time. Tried pinging between them and it appears that I can 'see' 169.254.108.191 (W98) and 169.254.108.192 (NT) from 169.254.108.190 (XP) but I cannot see 169.254.108.190 from the other two! Is this normal ?

However, from the XP machine, I did eventually gain access to the NT machine to get hold of the data, so it does appear to be working.

One side affect possibly of this though has been that I am now not able to access the Internet as I get a "cannot find server or DNS error message" when I dial up and try to access any site!!

Having cleared the DNS IP addresses out, I am surprised about this, but I have recently taken a Microsoft Update to IE6. Any relationship there do you think ?

Why is it that once you embark on changing something you spend weeks afterwards trying to make everything else work. Sxx's law, I guess.

Andy

[Clive]

Adept intends replying to you when he gets home Andy.

[Thumbsup]

Thanks Clive.

[Adept]

Hi Andy A few questions ...

Which machine has the Internet on it?
How do you connect to the Net (ADSL modem, 56K modem router etc.)
Do you want to share it with the other pcs on the network?

[Thumbsup]

Morning Sean,

Sorry to be unclear yesterday.

My target is to have both the XP laptop and the W98 desktop connected together as the only machines on the network. The other laptop is the old one which I am only connecting to finalise a copy of the old data files etc.

The W98 desktop is the centre of the network (not quite the server), and is the normal route for accessing the Internet/email. This machine will have an additional XP system once I have completed the rebuild of the W98 system, and the laptop is connected via a docking station.

When the laptop is not docked, I still want the ability to access the internet with it, although email access will stay with the W98 (XP future) desktop.

Access to the Internet is via 56K modem due to the fact that in my part of the world, broadband is something we might get in the 3rd millenium!

Too much information ?

Andy

[Sandra]

Theres no such thing as too much information where PC problems are concerned Andy, what may seem totally irrelevant to you may be the one thing that is causing the problem  

Just a thought Andy, you have set a shared folder up on each of your PCs have you