OK, so I’m not a complete idiot, but I have a huge learning block on how to Network a couple of frigging computers. I’ve tried and tried, and I can’t sort it out. So I throw myself on the mercy of the teeming millions.
Here’s the layout. I’ve got a desktop computer running Windows 2000. I’ve got a cable modem plugged into a simple 5-port Hub, which is plugged into said desktop and a laptop running Windows Me. Secondarily, theres a printer connected to the desktop machine, I don’t need to share printers, but since we’re networking it couldn’t hurt. I’m also running Norton Internet Security on the desktop as a software firewall, just in case that complicates things.
The primary goal is to be able to share a few folders on the desktop so that the laptop can copy them (read duplicating my MP3 collection).
Now, I’m fairly comfortable tinkering with a computer, and I think I understand most of the gargon and the basic concepts, but since I’ve failed spectacularly at trying to network machines at every attempt, I’m praying that you fine altruistic folks would hold my hand through this process.
I know that the ideal solution would be to buy a router/firewall and ditch the the hub, but I’m broke and this doesn’t warrant buying extra toys. This shouldn’t be a huge dilemma, should it?
Okay , my computer advice has been shit of late , so take this with a grain of salt till someone else comes in and confirms ,or tells ya to disregard anything I have told ya,lol.
Okay , first you should have both computers on the same page , network wise , so you go into win2ks add network place , and that brings up the menu , as well as setting up your desktop, it should have an option to create a floppy for additional machines. WinMe will have the same thing , but the maindesktop is where you should pull the settings off. This is all done automatically.
Take the floppy , insert in laptop and hit start/run/a drive , execute.
If no problems with that , you have to go into my computer on Winme ,and right click on your c drive ,and you should see an option for sharing , click that ,add original cd as nessecary and you should see a hand under your c drive when it reboots.
Next go into win2k and create a folder , and right click sharing in the properties and all users , place all your stuff in this folder that you want to transfer and you should be able to see the other computer in your network options in win me.
This also works with the printers , just go into printers options on the desktop ,right click and hit sharing , and then into the win me comp and hit add printer ,and click on the network printer.
IF all goes well you should see either computer from the other. Internet connection is a bit different, and will have to research further.
I got a XP & a Me machine networked just fine, t’was so easy…XP Makes a network floppy disk for the Me machine…
"but since I’ve failed spectacularly at trying to network machines at every attempt, "
What happens?
Try to Turn off or uninstall any & all firewalls, enable sharing on both computers in the ROOT directory & any other folders you share. restart both computers after making a change.
The filesystem type has nothing to do with network “sharing”. From my Win98 machine, I can browse machines with NTFS and ext3 partitions; so long as you’re using the SMB protocol, nobody cares what happens at a lower level.
I’m not terrifically big on Declan’s advice, but he seems to have more actual experience, so I won’t knock it all.
The problem is that (if both your machines can access the 'net), they’re getting their IPs from your cable provider. The solution could be as simple as turning on file sharing, or it might not be. If the IPs from your provider are within the same subnet (not guarenteed), it’ll work, otherwise getting a router is the way to go.
The thing Declan describes with the disk confuses me, so I’m gonna ignore it. Here’s how to turn on network sharing:
Head to Control Panel -> Networks.
Find the adapter you’re using for the network (Probably called “Local Area Connection”), choose “Properties”
Install “Client for Microsoft Network” and “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks”
Click “Ok” a bunch of times, find a folder, right click it and choose “Share” (Or Properties->Share).
Check out “Network Neighbourhood”
The advantage of having a router is that it makes sure TCP settings are such that each machine can “see” each other, as well as preventing anyone from accessing your files remotely (some cable providers block such traffic, but some don’t).
I guess that’s long and complicated, but I hope it helps.
From my experience viewing a ntfs system from WinMe was that I could see the other networked computer , but could only access the shared folder rather than seeing the whole drive. But depending on what way individual computers are set up your mileage may vary, as there was an option when i set up win2k for keeping it fat32 intead of formatting for NTFS.
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I’m not terrifically big on Declan’s advice, but he seems to have more actual experience, so I won’t knock it all.
The problem is that (if both your machines can access the 'net), they’re getting their IPs from your cable provider. The solution could be as simple as turning on file sharing, or it might not be. If the IPs from your provider are within the same subnet (not guarenteed), it’ll work, otherwise getting a router is the way to go.
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Thats actually two separate things , I did not view him as having a problem getting internet access , only that he could not see his home network.
Mine may have been just geographical in nature , being in ontario , other cable suppliers may be happy with their customers having more than one computer attached to the internet connection , as sympatico (my current) gives me up to ten separate email addresses.
In my case ,the hub was made obsolete ,and a router had to be bought , but the OP could still home network with one.
If networking was turned on when he set up his internet connection, then in WinME , all I was refering to was to go into my computer, where you have several boxes marked A,C,D etc. Right click on the c drive and there is an entry for sharing , once that is enabled , if the sharing was not enabled originally , the computer will ask for the OEM disk to add the files.
After that , a hand icon will appear underneath the box , signifying shared.
That explained the procedure alot better than i did , which is what i told the original poster if someone else came by with better advice:)
If you’re able to get an IP address for both machines from your ISP, you might be fine. I’ve never done it that way, so will have to defer to someone who has.
If, like my situation, you get one IP from your ISP, you’ll need some sort of gateway software along with your hub. Sygate makes a product that I used before getting my own router. It worked well at the time. There is a 30-day eval available from their website.
The thing is, wired cable routers are pretty cheap these days. I paid $29.99 for mine, then there was a $10 rebate. Cheaper than buying Sygate’s software.
There might be a freeware gateway application out there, but I’ve never looked for one.
The advantage to having a hardware router is you’ll be able to turn your computer off without interrupting the other computer’s internet connection. With a software gateway, the machine running the software has to be on for any other machine to access the internet. My wife would get very upset with me on the days where I’d decide to tinker and have to shut my machine down. Now, with the router, she has access even when I screw my own machine up.
cstamets, I have no trouble sharing the internet connection with both computers, so I’m hoping this means my ISP allows multiple IPs.
This much I knew going in, and did the steps outlined above. I’ve shared the folder in question, but when I go to “My Network Places” > “Computers Near Me” and try to look at my network it says that the list of servers is unavilable. Last night when I was screwing with it I was able to get to the shared folder this way, but in the process of undoing what I did I must have screwed it up.
Have you tried the global settings ,to see what machines are currently in the network. Your ME machine may be looking for other ms home (i think)machines ,while the win2k machine is set up on workgroups. Otherwise ,you may want to use the find a computer , filling in the relavent name of the computer.
I take it your hub has the ports at the back and has lights up front, are those three lights (win2k,Win ME ,cable) lit up, signifying a connection to the hub.
And check your ethernet cables to make sure there is no crimps.
After that , re run that home network wizard again ,and re install it on the win me machine , in case you did delete the settings
Jeez. Just download a trial copy of Miramar’s MacLan and use AppleTalk instead. No numbers, no IP addresses to wrestle with, no workgroups to define, just plug the ethernet cables in and share and go. If you like it, buy it.
AHunter3, I may resort to something of the sort. For now however the goal is to teach myself a little something that is certain to be of use on occasion in the future.
DeClan, I’m damn near certain there isn’t any trouble with the physical network. Its a basic Linksys 5-Port Workgroup Hub. The Cable Modem is plugged into one port, the desktop and laptop are plugged into 2 different ports. All the lights indicate packet flow and both computers connect to the internet without issue.
Listing the IP addresses and netmasks each machine has might help.
I realized later that there is a way to share files w/o them going to the modem. You are allowed to have more than one IP address per adapter. Giving one machine an extra IP of 10.0.0.1, and the other of 10.0.0.2 would mean they could definately talk. Adding file sharing to this connection would keep it away from the 'net.
At this point in time , he is gonna get better results simply by emailing his files , via attachment , to his own email address and disconnect each computer as needed for the recieving and sending.
Omni
Disconnect your cable from the back of the hub and see if you can see the computer hosts, your internet is separate from your lan.
DeClan, “HOST” is the label of the workgroup. When I disconnect from the internet I can still see the workgroup listing on both computers. But since the two workgroups aren’t connected at all, I can see them when I completely unplug the ethernet from the machines too. As far as the computers are concerned the workgroup only exists onj that machine.
Why is this so fucking hard? What is wrong with my brain when it comes to this, I know alot about alot of things computer related, but this one subject I have just barely enough knowledge to be frustrated.
At a guess, you’re only getting one IP address from your ISP. To work around this, you need to get a second network card. Plug the broadband connection directly into one port on the W2000 machine and a cable to the hub into the other. Set up your ISP connection as normal and enable Internet Connection Sharing. There’s other software that can do the job but ICS is built in and it’s not a bad start. You should set the other machines to DHCP.
You should also get some firewall software. ZoneAlarm didn’t like my home network, so I switched to Agnitum Outpost.
qts, I ran winipcfg on my Me machine and got a different IP than the one listed on the Win2K machine when I run ipconfig. I presume this means that I have multiple IP adresses from my ISP.
