Failing miserably to network 2 PCs

I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but (fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy

Try installing ICS on the win98SE computer with the internet connection

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy

Try installing ICS on the win98SE computer with the internet connection

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy

OK. Done that. .Only difference in symptoms appears to be that when I try
to ping from the XP PC to the W98 PC the message is now "Destination host
unreachable".

I have confirmed that both Workgroup names are the same if that is any help.
I have also disabled the Firewall on the W98 PC when trying all this. There
is no Firewall on the XP PC as it has never been connected to the outside
world.

Zippy

"Jon_Hildrum" wrote in message
...
Try installing ICS on the win98SE computer with the internet connection

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the
second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It
runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy

OK. Done that. .Only difference in symptoms appears to be that when I try
to ping from the XP PC to the W98 PC the message is now "Destination host
unreachable".

I have confirmed that both Workgroup names are the same if that is any help.
I have also disabled the Firewall on the W98 PC when trying all this. There
is no Firewall on the XP PC as it has never been connected to the outside
world.

Zippy

"Jon_Hildrum" wrote in message
...
Try installing ICS on the win98SE computer with the internet connection

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the
second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It
runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy

"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy



For the NICs connected by the crossover cable make sure that you specify the
media speed - I'd suggest setting them both to 10 Mbps, Half duplex at
first. Default is normally 'Autosense' which tends not to work very well
with crossover cables.

HTH
Stace.

"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy



For the NICs connected by the crossover cable make sure that you specify the
media speed - I'd suggest setting them both to 10 Mbps, Half duplex at
first. Default is normally 'Autosense' which tends not to work very well
with crossover cables.

HTH
Stace.

Thanks for that Stace. Tried it but still no joy :-(

Is there anything else I should set manually rather than allow the machine
to decide?

Zippy


"Stace" wrote in message
...
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the
second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It
runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy



For the NICs connected by the crossover cable make sure that you specify
the
media speed - I'd suggest setting them both to 10 Mbps, Half duplex at
first. Default is normally 'Autosense' which tends not to work very well
with crossover cables.

HTH
Stace.

Thanks for that Stace. Tried it but still no joy :-(

Is there anything else I should set manually rather than allow the machine
to decide?

Zippy


"Stace" wrote in message
...
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC (running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the
second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It
runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy



For the NICs connected by the crossover cable make sure that you specify
the
media speed - I'd suggest setting them both to 10 Mbps, Half duplex at
first. Default is normally 'Autosense' which tends not to work very well
with crossover cables.

HTH
Stace.

"Zippy" wrote in message
...
Thanks for that Stace. Tried it but still no joy :-(

Is there anything else I should set manually rather than allow the machine
to decide?

Zippy


"Stace" wrote in message
...
"Zippy" wrote in message
...
I have PC number 1 running W98SE (which connects very happily to the
internet via a Realtek RTL8139 NIC). It has a second onboard Realtek
RTL8169. I am attempting to use this to connect to a second PC
(running
XP
but never been near the internet) via a CAT5 crossover cable to the
second
PCs Realtek RTL 8139 NIC.

I have tried using the XP Network wizard to connect the two PCs. It
runs
and tells me it is done and everything is set up but neither PC sees
the
other. The only indication I do get is that the XP PC will pop up a
message
saying the LAN cable is unplugged if I turn off or re-boot the W98 PC.

I have tried to set up an IP address on the XP machine and ping it from
the
W98 PC but this invariably times out.

Both PCs show no problems with any of the network cards under the
Device
Manager.

What have I missed? Or should I give up and go back to slow but
(fairly)
reliable Direct Cable Connection?

Zippy



For the NICs connected by the crossover cable make sure that you specify
the
media speed - I'd suggest setting them both to 10 Mbps, Half duplex at
first. Default is normally 'Autosense' which tends not to work very well
with crossover cables.

HTH
Stace.

you sure the cable is good ? I had 1 broken wire and it acted just like
that....