I’ve got my small home network running. The windowsXP machine works perfectly.
However, that’s not the problem. A machine running windows98 won’t stay connected to the gateway. I need to install this program from the windowsXP cd under “setup home network or office”
However, every time I reboot, the program refuses to come up and must be reinstalled every time.
Naturally this creates quit a hassle, so is there any program that I can get to keep my w98 box connected at bootup?
I don’t think you’ve adequately described your setup to get good answers to your question. How many machines are on your home network, and which OSes are they? What is each one connected to? Is this “gateway” the program that’s running under XP that you keep having to install, or is it a separate piece of hardware (and if so, what piece of software do you keep having to install)? Inquiring minds wish to know.
-lv
I’m going to guess you’re trying to share a net connection from your XP machine for your 98 machine. XP has this dumb program you’re supposed to run on all other machines, but AFAIK, you don’t need it if you configure your machines manually.
Like LV sez, more info is req.
Alrighty, I figured Internet Gateway would be fine. Guess not.
Internet Gateway
/ \
/ \
WinXP Box Win98 Box
The Internet Gateway is the usual Linksys router you’ll see at compUSA (along with 50 billion other copies of it)
And yes, WinXP wants me to install that little program so that I can get connected to the IG. For the record, iit’s UPnP and DHCP compatible, so that’s no problem.
I know it shouldn’t be necessary, but for some reason, it just won’t work without that program. Formatting is out of the question, BTW.
After installing the stupid winXP program, I get the “Internet Gateway” icon in the system bar. However, rebooting gets rid of that icon, and I must reinstall the program.
Yargh! Talk about a pain. I need a program that will enable the win98 box to connect to the IG, without my having to snag a windowsXP disc every time.
Do you have a firewall? Id get rid of that first & put it back on later.
That’s not the problem. If the firewall were the problem, it would block my w98 machine 100% of the time, no matter what. It does, however, work whenever I install the winXP client.
Huh? Correct me if I’m being naive, but why do you need any software to connect to the Internet with a router??? I have three XP machines, a 2000 Server, a 98 box and an iPaq running PocketPC 2002 and none of them require any software (other than correctly configured TCP/IP settings).
Have you tried updating the firmware on the router?
Rex is right. I’ve worked with several cheap Linksys routers. I think they come with a CD, but I’ve never even had to open it. Just open up your web browser and type in the default IP address of the Linksys. It will either be 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Some router configuration interfaces won’t work unless your browser is higher than a certain version, usually IE 5, IIRC. I forget the version of Netscape. You may have trouble if you’re trying to use Opera or something, though I’ve never tried. If you can’t access the web interface in this way, can you ping the router from the XP machine? Can you ping the Windows 98 machine from XP?
XP really shouldn’t need any kind of software installed to do this. Internet Connection Sharing in Windows is for people without a router. ICS makes the computer itself act as a router.
Just set up XP to accept a DHCP (“Obtain IP address automatically” setting under the TCP/IP properties for your network connection) address and the router should hand you out one.
You’ve obviously never had a computer that hates you, have you?
D’oh. I misunderstood your question. Your '98 machine won’t stay connected. I don’t know how I read that wrong when you said it twice in the OP.
Your Linksys has a WAN port for your ISP connection and several switch ports for your LAN, with both computers plugged into LAN ports, right? If so, there is absolutely no reason to even touch the XP machine to get the '98 machine working (unless your problem is that you can’t access shared files on the XP machine from '98).
When you say “can’t stay connected,” what do you mean by that? And connected to what? Can you access shared files on the XP machine from '98, but not access the Internet? Or the other way around? Or neither? Is your problem that Windows 98 doesn’t show up in Network Neighborhood? Or is your problem simply that you can’t access the router to try to change its configuration from the '98 machine?
And by “stay,” do you mean these problems only happen sometimes? What kind of error messages do you receive? Does it say the network cable is disconnected?
Details, man, details! “My computer hates me” is not terribly helpful.
Also, what model is the Linksys?
Yep
But I already said…
That, and connect to the internet.
After rebooting, my win98 machine will not recognize that it is connected to anything. No network, no internet, nothing. So it won’t “reconnect” to the network. (and yes, it is properly configured)
Neither
That’s part of the problem. If I could get it to appear in the NN, that would solve the problem.
Bah, where’d you get that from?
And by “stay,” do you mean these problems only happen sometimes?
[quoteWhat kind of error messages do you receive?[/quote]
I’m not receiving any error messages. It just doesn’t work. Think of it this way: you car won’t start up. But there’s no check engine light. ARGH, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
He was just giviving me the old “you’re full of it, it should be working, so therefore you’re lying” line most tech supporters give.
And it does hate me.
So it was working at one time with the same settings? It works sometimes? Or what? I’m still confused.
When you look at the network card in the Device Manager, does it say the card is disabled or the cable disconnected? Are you using the newest drivers for your network card? If not upgrade. Even if so, you may want to try reinstalling them.
Have you tried communicating between the computers via means other than Network Neighborhood? That is, can the computers ping each other? Can they connect to each other by typing \computername into the Start->Run menu box? How about if you type \192.168.x.x? When the 98 machine is unable to access anything, what does its IP address show? Anything?
Also, exactly what is this software you’re running on XP to try to set up the connection? Is this some kind of configuration software that came with the Linksys or are you referring to the Microsoft program for sharing Internet connections? You should not be using the latter. If you turn the XP machine off (or just unplug its network cable), can the '98 machine access the Internet? Do you have an account set up on the XP machine for the '98 user?
Ok. I read this 3 times, and I’ve got it now. (BTW, you have a router that is technically acting as a gateway, but just call it a router as that’s more informative).
The 98 machine doesn’t need squat from the XP machine to do it’s job. Set up TCP/IP to “Obtain an IP address automagically”. Consult your Linksys manual for the details. (This is probably the way it already is). Uninstall that XP program, it’s not doing any good. (You may have to re-install networking if it puts up a fight).
Turn off any “internet sharing” thing XP is running. Your router is doing that job, and it’s probably causing these problems you’re having.
Warning! Technicalities from this point on! The connection sharing XP has (called ICS), does some funky network stuff, in addition to basic routing functions. Among other things, it runs a non-configurable DHCP server that hands out stuff in the 192.168.0.x range. As you can imagine, if you already have a router or NAT box or something already running, this is going to mess things up real good.
Anyhow. Yes, turn off ICS, and configure things how your router wants them, and things will be fine.
Nope. I’ve done every trick in the book, and the computer still doesn’t want to work.
I know my fair share of networking, but this is just confusing as all bugger. I’ve decided just to pray the computer doesn’t need to be rebooted for any reason at all.