Please help me to set up my LAN.

I have the 2 computers, the LAN cable and have run the wizard on both computers. The LAN icon flashes away, but when I click on "view workgroup computers" on one computer it tells me that it is not accessable.

Any ideas?

I never use the wizards, so I dont know what they've done to your settings, but I setup Networks as part of my day job, so if would like to get me on msn (microsoft<at>technomagic.com.au), or call me (PM for the number) I'll be happy to help out.
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my first question would be, do you have the right cable? (If your going direct from computer to computer, no hub, then you need crossover cable)

thats a good point. check for the little green lights where you plug the cables in..

If they're there, the next thing to check is that they both have a valid IP address in the same range.

win98 - start - run - winipcfg
winxp - start - run - cmd - ipconfig

You want them both to have a different address in the 10.0.0.x or 192.168.0.x range.

If you have a 169.x.x.x address, thats bad. it means you have them set to automatic IP, which wont work without a router or some other DHCP (auto IP server) on the network as well - set them to manual (specify) an IP and make one 10.0.0.1 and the other 10.0.0.2

Once the IP's are working, seeing you can ping one from the other. from command prompt type "ping 10.0.0.2" - on the 10.0.0.1 machine of course, no point pinging yourself..

if you can ping each other, then it gets more complicated after that. its whats called a "browsing" (the act of looking for other computers in my network places) problem. this is the best place to start looking
http://www.wown.info/
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Thankyou for your help. I have got a 169 address. I have followed your points through to ipconfig. How do you set the ip address from here?

Assuming them to be windows XP systems..

start - control panel - network and internet connections - network connections (bottom right)

There will be an icon for each of the network connections present, Lan, Dialup etc. right click on the Lan one you are using and select properties.

click once on the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and select properties button

set the IP address to "use the following", enter 10.0.0.1 into one computer and 10.0.0.2 into the other.

Set the subnet mask on both machines to 255.255.255.0

default gateway and dns settings can be left blank if you are not using a router to get to the internet.

OK twice to exit that section, then repeat the IP checking process to make sure the 169.x.x.x. address has gone.

You should then be able to ping the other machines address from each machine and get "reply from..." (not request timed out).

ping 10.0.0.1 (on the machine with the 10.0.0.2 address)
ping 10.0.0.2 (on the machine with the 10.0.0.1 address)

Once they are both working, there's a 50/50 chance the network browsing will sort itself out in a few minutes.. but nothing will work until you can ping each other successfully, so tackle that first.

Once thats working, if you still cant browse, let me know and we'll go from there
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The request timed out.

The cable is a kingcable cat.5e utp crossover cable. There is no green light on the back of one computer, only red.

Thank you for your help.

Are the network interface cards (nic) installed with drivers and working properly ?

You can check by right clicking on the "my computer" icon, properties, hardware, device manager, click the + next to network adapters to expand that branch of the tree.

Your network card should be listed there with no red x's or yellow !'s on the icon. If you double click the cards icon, you should get a status box with "this device is working properly". If not, time to srt out why the nic isnt working.

regardless of software settings, you should get a light on the NIC that come son when you plug the correct cable in, and goes out when you remove it. color isnt important, they are usually green, but I have seen some cards that have red leds. If there is no change in the leds when you fit/remove the cable, then the Nic or the cable maybe faulty.
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Both cumputers say that their devices are working properly. The older computer has a 3Comm Gigabit (3C940). The new computer has two network adapters, both of which say "use this device", a 1394 Net Adapter and a Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit controller.

I tried to ping the computer I was using. It failed. The driver of the device is not digitally signed. The Asus web site has no updated drivers for this device. The motherboard is a P4P 800.

dont worry about the digitally singed stuff not much in the consumer zone is

are you sure your messing wit the right network cards in the multi carded comp?
if you ran a wizard i'm guessing it was internet connection sharing?

if so try setting everything back to aquire automagically, run the ICS wizard on the double machine (make sure you pick the right adaptor for doing the sharing) then set the other to automagically aquire everything.
reboot first the computer being the server then reboot the other client pc


windows 169 addressing scheme should have let you see both computers *if* you had something shared on them.
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Thank you for your help. The problem was the internet security software. I didn't realize that it needed to be reset to allow the network interface card to communicate.

Alex (son) gave me a little lesson with Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour yesterday. It ended in a tank battle with some 200 tanks. The game slowed to about 70% speed.

Alex is hanging out for the release of Dawn of War.

What are the favourite games of other gamers out there?

DAWN OF WAR DAWN OF WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol i love warhammer games and d&d ruleset roleplaying games also Wolfenstine.... no not the pixalated origional... still have that some where but no i play wolfenstine: enemy teritory hmmmm battlezone2 starseige quake3 ummm heaps of games btw if possible once your son gets dawn of war could you see if its coppyable and if so send me a copy i will be more than happy to stick some cd's in the mail and stuff for that game oh this is asuming you have a cd burner
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as a shadow is seen and not heard i am here
-Waddy the phoenix

Liero Xtreme - think real time worms but 8 player network
X-Wing vs Tie Fighter - kick ass
Quake 3 - Urban Terror mod - like counter strike except it dosent suck
FA-18 Super Hornet - nothing like flying an FA-18 through down town honalulu at mach 2 and rippling off 10x 1000lb snake eyes.
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Dawn of War has excellent graphics. There is not that much game play. The campaign is easy on normal setting but a challenge on insane. I hope there are plans for an expansion set.