XPpro/ w98 peer to peer problem

[emerie]

Hi
I am networking 18 computers for a charity i work for. We hope to move to w2000 client/server later (when we have the cash and i figure how to do it) but at the moment i have joined 13 w98 pcs and one running xp pro on a peer to peer. my problem is that i have two computers that i set up using the same disk i made on the xp pro machine as i used for the others, same workgroup name, etc. but these two only see each other, they don't see anything else on the network. i thought maybe there was a limit to the number of pcs you could join in this way but machines i put on later see all the network ( except the two renegades who seem to have set up their own private network). I know this says techs only and i'm a complete beginner but i'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[TripleRLtd]

You probably have this issue with only the XP machine, right? Does the XP machine have it's firewall enabled?

[emerie]

Hi again,
no the two rebels are w98. all the others see the xp and other machines as does the xp machine. the two others seem to have completely separated. The first one only saw itself. This was after had I set up around eight machines successfully btw the disk i used is the xp networking wizard set up. I then installed a few more using the same disk, they all see each other. I then added another and it only sees the one that doesn't see the others.

[jfljaxfl]

Try changing network cards with one of the working machines.

Hi again,
no the two rebels are w98. all the others see the xp and other machines as does the xp machine. the two others seem to have completely separated. The first one only saw itself. This was after had I set up around eight machines successfully btw the disk i used is the xp networking wizard set up. I then installed a few more using the same disk, they all see each other. I then added another and it only sees the one that doesn't see the others.

[timothyj98]

I would start with checking out what is the different in your two win98 machines [networking] and the one that are working.. On the win98 machines click start / run and type in winipcfg at the run prompt. Doing so wil display a dialog of your TCP/IP configurations.. Compare the settings..

[Cyphrr]

Is there a DHCP server issuing IP's, or do you have them set to static?

[TripleRLtd]

Cool, we have all kinds of help here, and new help as well. Now that we have more info, I would go with the winipcfg as well just to doublecheck all the 98 pcs. BTW: the DHCP "server" will have been the XP machine the setup disk was taken from. Unless of course emeirie has changed the default set up.

[GreenGrime]

Are those 2 Win98s the same build number as the others (A, B, or C)?

When you check the workgroup name, is the spelling identical on them when compared to working systems?

Is the switch/hub blocking ports or setting up a VLAN?

[ilovetheusers]

Can you ping the XP box from the 98 boxes?


How are you trying to access the XP box from 98? By IP or by hostname (i.e. - \\192.168.1.12\c$ or \\tomsPC\c$ )? There is an issue with 98 where one of the machines may have elected itself as the master browser and is telling the other machine that it knows what is where on the network. You will always have this issue if you don't have a server. Best thing is to teach the users how to get to machines via UNC (start, run, \\ipaddress#\drivename) or via mapped drive.

[corturbra]

Firstly follow advice above on checking that all the 98 PC's are displaying the same network components.... could be something as daft as putting on file/print sharing and taking off.

If these two are seeing each other and nothing else, it reeks of incorrect IP addressing.... check they are all on the same subnet for example 192.168.100.xxx (where xxx is the host number 1 - 254), and the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0.

Also try using ping/tracert to check communications between the machines, if you're unsure of how to use, just post back and we'll help ya use them

[emerie]

Thanks all for all the advice. Iwon't be at the machines until late tomorrow, but i have one question (probably extremely basic). If i find that the ip addresses are wrong and put in new ones myself ( i have never done this, which part refers to the pc itself?) does the xp number the others sequentially? I mean i don't want to assign addresses that may later be assigned to other pcs joining the network, or does this get sorted automatically?

[corturbra]

Thanks all for all the advice. Iwon't be at the machines until late tomorrow, but i have one question (probably extremely basic). If i find that the ip addresses are wrong and put in new ones myself ( i have never done this, which part refers to the pc itself?) does the xp number the others sequentially? I mean i don't want to assign addresses that may later be assigned to other pcs joining the network, or does this get sorted automatically?

On windows 98, right click Network Neighborhood, choose properties. Then select TCP/IP for the network card. In here you can determine whether it receives an automatic address (DHCP) or assign it a static address. If you do assign it a static address, then just modify your DHCP scope to exclude these addresses from the scope.

It might be worth just checking that they are picking up an assigned address, by doing, Start, Run, command and press return. Type winipcfg and press return, click on the (I think) more info button and just check that its getting a correct address and not a default one. If you have DHCP running it should tell you the address of the DHCP server. If everything is blank then you could be looking at the details of the ppp adaptor, if so click on the down arrow next to ppp adaptor and change to the network card name.