setting up a LAN or direct connection between two computers

S

Stuh505

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
488
I am simply trying to connect my laptop to my PC so that I can transfer files over. I have purchased a RJ45 CAT5e Crossover Cable.

It seems like I have tried every combination of logical things to do in the network connections. I'm not really sure what the difference is between a Direct Parallel connection and a LAN connection...but I've been trying them both and have not had any success with either.

Tried doing the automatic stuff, followed the instructions...turned down the security permissions I still can't get it to connect.

Can anyone explain to me what the steps I should be taking are?
 
assign each computer an IP address.

for example

192.168.1.1
192.168.1.2

subnet mask for each one should be 255.255.255.0

give that a shot. also make sure you have the files shared on the pc you would like to copy from


after you get it all setup if you still can't see the pc

right click on my network places and search for the computer by IP address.
 
^^ as above, plus make sure file/printer sharing is enabled in network settings, that both computers are on the same workgroup and that there is something shared on each computer.
 
I got it working last night...the problem was that my laptop did not have an IP...so I renewed the IP and then it worked.

Problem solved...I thought.

Today I installed SP2 on my laptop (so now they both have SP2) and the IP dissappeared, so I renewed it again...but now they still won't connect!

The have turned the firewalls on both of them entirely off, enabled file sharing, they are on the same workgroup and have shared folders...I still have the shared folder mapped from last night when it was working.

I'm not sure what else could be the problem...

They can both ping each other without a problem
 
assign the ips manually
Click to expand...

not sure what you mean...

they both have IPs which I had to renew by typing ipconfig \renew at the command line

so if they both have IPs, and they can both ping each other, why would I need to assign IPs again manually?
 
control panels -->
network connections -->
go to the properties on your nic -->
go to the properties for tcp/ip -->

manually enter address

id13153.gif
 
Stuh505 said:
not sure what you mean...

they both have IPs which I had to renew by typing ipconfig \renew at the command line

so if they both have IPs, and they can both ping each other, why would I need to assign IPs again manually?
Click to expand...

If they both have IPs then you don't need to assign statics. Not sure where you are getting IP's from though if your network is as simple as you describe (no DHCP server).

Anyway, if you can ping boxes back and forth then your IP stuff is fine and your problems are higher up the chain - windows issues. Triple check the firewalls, make sure microsoft network stuff is installed, make sure they are in the same workgroup, check to see if they can see each other in network neighborhood.
 
Party2go9820 said:
If they both have IPs then you don't need to assign statics. Not sure where you are getting IP's from though if your network is as simple as you describe (no DHCP server).

Anyway, if you can ping boxes back and forth then your IP stuff is fine and your problems are higher up the chain - windows issues. Triple check the firewalls, make sure microsoft network stuff is installed, make sure they are in the same workgroup, check to see if they can see each other in network neighborhood.
Click to expand...

If there is no DHCP server present and no statically assigned IP's ... ipconfig /release & /renew would time-out and thus give the machines the ARP address of 169.254.x.x, which would enable his computers to see eachother.

Either that, or he has ICS enabled on his main machine -- but since there was no mention of it and it's not on by default -- I'd say it was the former more than the latter.

Glad to hear it worked for you, take care.
 
Glad to hear it worked for you, take care.
Click to expand...

Eh? No, I still haven't got it working. I got them to have IPs, and to ping each other, but still having problems actually connecting to each other.

It always says "limited or no connectivity". However, even while it's saying this, I can sometimes transfer information...although this is sporadic. I tried to view a shared folder from one computer, and it went not responding and never openend the folder. I tried doing it from the other computer, and it worked...and I was able to transfer about a GB of data without a problem. But the whole time it was saying limited or no connectivity!
 
It says "limited connectiviy" because it's probably using the default ARP adress (169.254.x.x). Seriously just try assigning one computer an adress of 192.168.0.1 and the other 192.168.0.2. Several people have mentioned this already, its no big deal at all to change and it may help the problem.
 
I'm with stupid....

Err... I mean guy above me! LOL :D j/k whoever you are ;)

You can get a cheap netgear 5 port for like $15 after rebate at staples(at least I did 3 weeks ago)

QJ
 
a hub won't do shit for you without a DHCP server.. get a router, with a built in DHCP server... or manually assign IP addresses.. if you want to be really ghetto install netBEUI on both computers.. that is how i got them to network back when i was using win95 and 98
 
I just manually assigned the IP's, and now it works much better...it no longer says limited or no connectivity.

So...why was it slow before? Why would the default IP numbers cause it to be slower?
 
scottatwittenberg said:
a hub won't do shit for you without a DHCP server.. get a router, with a built in DHCP server... or manually assign IP addresses.. if you want to be really ghetto install netBEUI on both computers.. that is how i got them to network back when i was using win95 and 98
Click to expand...

Actually -- Windows networking automatically goes to a 169.254.x.x ARP/APIPA address when unable to contact a DHCP server or when an IP is not statically assigned, so having a hub and a couple of computers with no DHCP server will work --- it'll just be slow as was noted.

The reason it's slow is that the PC's are not always on the same third octet and must find eachother before they can talk -- which is why they don't always show up in windows networking and why transferring files is sometimes slow.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;220874
 
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