networking - newbie, please help!

[doh boy]

okm so i have two computers, one computer is downstairs and has a regular 10/100 connection (A) and the other computer is upstairs with an 802.11G connection (B). both are connected to a DLink DI-624 router/switch and that is connected to a cable modem. the internet connection for both of the computers works fine, but i cant seem to get a network set up.

i tried to use the windows xp's network setup wizard on both computers, i assigned them to the same workgroup with the proper selectins (connection through a network hub, wireless for B and wired for A, etc) but for some reason, the network wont work correction. When I am on computer A and go to my network places and click the computers in workgroup button, it will detect computer B, but when i click it, it says that the network path was not found. WHen im on computer B and do the same thing, computer A is not seen at all and an error instead is displayed saying that the workgroup could not be accessed because i may not have permission to do so.

i am at a complete loss as to how to fix it, so any help will be greatly appreciated. i dont know if its the router that i need to setup or what..please help! thanks

[MisterEd]

You may need to share resources for this to work right. You can share printers, disks, and individual directories. To test this turn on sharing for the C drive for each computer. If this works then you can create folder's on each to share data. Once created turn on network sharing for each. These folders can be read-only, read/write, or password protected. Once this is set up you probably do not want to keep sharing the whole C drive for security reasons unless that is no concern to you. You can create shortcuts to the shared folders and disks by adding them in My Network Places if you wish. Under My Network Places select "Add a network place"

If your network is up all the time you can also map unused drive letters to shared network drives and directories. To do this right-click on My Computer or My Netork Places and select "Map Network Drive...". They will show up under My Computer with the other drives. This is mostly used in corporate environments where a number of computers share the data on one shared network directory. You are probably better off using adding shared items to My Network Places.

[winterhavok]

First off, you don't have to use the network setup wizard on WindowsXP to do it, in fact I would highly recommend that you don't. Anyway, did you set up the IP address of each computer to be in the "limit"? There are certain sequences that are reserved for LAN networking. Also, try pinging the other computer from one of them, if they are indeed connected, then it should give a packet route. Also, wireless adapters tend to be poorly made nowadays, try to use the same company that made your router if at all possible. If it wasn't for the height variable I would suggest checking the NIC by connecting them straight together with a cross-over CATV.

What you may want to end up doing is setting up one computer to be attached to the router and to get the internet through there. Once that is established, reinstall the second computer with the wireless adapter card and work on getting that set up so you can get the net to both computers through the modem. After fiddling around with that (the IP addresses should be left to automatically obtained by the router, however you may wanna change one of them because some routers tend to give both computers the same IP) you will want to enable network sharing on your drives (that you want to share).

[don256us]

First off, you don't have to use the network setup wizard on WindowsXP to do it, in fact I would highly recommend that you don't. ...

... If it wasn't for the height variable I would suggest checking the NIC by connecting them straight together with a cross-over CATV.


I'm not saying that you're wrong by any means. I simply disagree. Using the network wizard is a great tool. Besides, he already did it so that's a moot point.

Please clarify what you mean by CATV. I don't know what that is.

I would not go through the trouble of connecting the machines via null (or corssover) cable. You already know that the network is working. How so? If both machines are getting to the internet, you know that the physical wire and equipment are fine.

Shareing a drive, folder, or printer is what I was going to suggest too. (as stated above) I will add to that, check your firewall. I assume you have one right? If so, disable the firewall to test it all out. I know that Zone Alarm will block file/printer sharing if you do not configure it correctly.

[winterhavok]

CATV is the LAN cable, that has the RJ-45 modular head (you know the one that looks like a phone jack but bigger). I agree that it's a moot point that he already used it and such, but I always found that the wizard gave me more problems that it helped solve, but that is just me.

[don256us]

CATV is the LAN cable, that has the RJ-45 modular head (you know the one that looks like a phone jack but bigger). I agree that it's a moot point that he already used it and such, but I always found that the wizard gave me more problems that it helped solve, but that is just me.


I see. You are using the roman number of 'V' which is 5. You are saying cat5. I've been in networking for more than a few years. My first tech job was pulling cable. I've never seen it refered to as CATV but rather cat5.

Thanks for the clarification. Hope you have a good holiday season. :santa2: :santa:

[winterhavok]

It all depends on where you work and what region, around here I always saw it as CATV in my line of work as well as computer networking classes I took, referred to it as CATV instead of CAT5. You have a great holiday season as well.

[doh boy]

ok...it was the firewall....i made sure both computers were not blocking eachother..

my wireless computer works perfectly..it can see the shared folders of my wired computer, but for some reason, my wired computer says it can't login to the workgroup...which isnt possible since my wireless computer is accessing it....whats going on here? my wired computer was the one that was able to see the wireless computer with the firewall on...but now with the firewall off..it CANT see it...

im so close to getting this to work!