Networking woes

[Quast]

OK, so i've got 2 computers here i'd like to network together. One is XP, the other is 98. I read around some forums and FAQs for ways of getting a network running.

I used an app on the XP cd to set things up. It seemed to work fine here on my XP machine. Then i had to use the cd in my 98 machine. Program tells me it can't detect my network adapter....wtf? this is where i am stuck.

Technical stuff: crappy drawing

internet ----> cable modem ----> router ----> PC
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PC
This is my setup

here are the facts:

Both PCs have full internet access (why can't the NIC in the 98 machine be detected? It has up-to-date drivers even.)

My XP machine motherboard has 2 ethernet ports (do i need to run a crossover? I don't think i should. In fact, when I tried, I couldn't connect to the internet with my 98 machine. Unless i did that wrong too)

Any help as to why im fucking this up would be wonderful. Because i know it shouldn't be this hard.

edit: both PCs are hooked to the router. Don't know why it won't show properly.

[Tobester]

use patch cat5 instead of crossover

[Naked Snake]

My cousin had trouble with networking my XP and 98 boxes, and we couldn't figure it out either :-/

[Quast]

No go with a patch cable. Still tells me it can't detect my NIC. Now, im considering formatting the 98 box and installing XP. Oh shit...I'm gonna hafta buy it again i think...or can i use the same install CD and serial? i doubt it.

uhhhhh

[Opulent]

I've seen a variety of weird things between XP and 98(or 98se)... but I've never seen it where NEITHER could see either.(meaning, the XP box could see the shared 98 drives and/or the 98 box could see the shared XP drives)
first off, give it a minute to negotiate. especially that XP advertising crap has to timeout.
next, make sure you have tcp adapter installed on both and play Quake2, or Zdoom or some striaght forward tcp/ip game. if you can't even ping the other machine: the cables are bad, the NIC is bad, or the router or XP is running a firewall preventing it.
make sure you are actually sharing something on both.
make sure you have given both access from others or setup an XP account for such a purpose.
try installing IPX or Netbios adapter on both and see if it works.
traceroute from both sides.
make sure they are both on the same subnet.
look on the router to see what the Network Address Table is doing or what is blocked.
take one of the physical devices out of the equation... move the machines so there is only a router between them. (IPX/Netbios are not routable)
There is no reason you can't connect the 98 box directly into the XP box's second NIC with a crossover cable.

[Quast]

I'll just get to the point. I had used one of the ethernet ports on my XP box from the start. Tonight, out of frustration, or whatever, I plugged the cable from the one into the other one (to see if it worked fine or not). I then restarted the computer... windows XP now tells me upon starting that since it was first activated, the hardware has changed signifigantly o_0 No, it hasn't...not one bit, only the changing of the ethernet cable.

So anyway, it wants me to reactivate XP...wtf? And, it says that i can't use my original serial...because the number of times i can use it has been exceeded...I used it once, during the initial install. Great. WTH?

[Manc]

Do anything within the proper means to get XP pro and dump XP home.

internet ----> cable modem ----> router ----> PC
|
|
\/
PC
This is my setup

So the second PC is not behind the router? And if you have a router, why are you trying to hook the two machines together?

[Cyb]

call microsoft tech support and ask about win98

oh wait ahahaha

[cycloid]

xp bad.

just what is your networking problem? if you can surf then it's likely that you have tcp/ip set up to "automatically obtain an ip address" on the 98 machine. which in a small network should do the job fine as it also magically learns the DNS settings etc. (it's called DHCP)

if you cant "see" one computer from the other to share files it's because windows (unlike linux) uses NETBEUI (netbios enhanced user interface) for file and print sharing


on the 98 machine you'll need to right-click network-neighborhood ->properties->configuration->add->protocals->microsoft->netbeui

on the winxp machine open "my network places" select "view network connections" from the side pane, select your network card and add the "netbeui/netbios/ipx" protocal suite. if you cant find how to do that it's likely that you have a network "bridge" installed which is something xp does that is totally utterly stupid. you'll need to remove your network adapter from the bridge (right click->remove from bridge!) then you'll be able to open it and add your protocal


then make sure you have file and print sharing enabled in the same dialogs and then actually share some things and you should be away.

any more questions ask away, i've been doing wireless<->wireless<->satellite networking for the past few months!

[Quast]

Man, this is buggin me out...

Mancubus: If you reread the end of my post, i edited it because my "drawing" didn't display properly. Both computers are behind the router.

Cyb: Well, I DID in fact call microsoft tech support the other night. Because of that stupid reactivation problem. I tried asking the dude wtf the issue was, but he said he wasn't qualified enough to answer...but he gave me another 800 number to call if i wanted...dumb

Well, I have folders shared on both computers. I have netbeui and file/print sharing on both computers...I'm at a loss. It's not worth my time anymore. Thanks for your help anyway guys.