Network help please

[tagteam]

I have two computers that I have tried to set up to network. I thought I had done it correctly but it just isn't working. I have one computer using WinMe and one is Win98. I have a cable modem, a hub, and two network cards in the WinME machine and one in the Win98. As of now they can both access the internet through the cable modem, and both have ZoneAlarm installed. I got the IP addresses and the subnet something number and have told ZoneAlarm to accept the other computers numbers. I did something wrong -- Zone alarm isn't quite configured correctly. I also get an error message on the WinME computer that the computer name for this machine is on the network. I guess it thinks that it is the host machine -- but I don't want a host machine. Any ideas on what I have done, or how to fix this? Thanks in advance.

[CompuDocs]

Looks like both machines are named the same. Each machine MUST have a unique name.
In the Networking icon in the Control Panel, click the Identification tab. Give each machine a unique name. (Hint: Keep the names short, no spaces or special characters like # or *, just plain names like PC1, PC2, GEORGE, MARTHA, etc.)

Make the Workgroup name the SAME on both computers.

example:

Computer #1

Name: GEORGE
Workgroup: SAMMY
Description: The Win98 machine

Computer #2

Name: MARTHA
Worgroup: SAMMY
Description: The WinME machine

Hope this helps

Charlie

[tagteam]

One computer is named DELL and the other is named SONY. The Dell keeps telling me that it is named the same as a computer on the network. Of course it is--it is on the network-it is named-therefore it's name is on the network. I don't get it.

Plus the SONY won't read my printer. I can see it but it won't let me access it.

I am about to give up. I thought that with a hub, the network cards, that this should be a real simple exercise. It has been nothing of the sort.

[CompuDocs]

Could be the IP address. If you aren't using DHCP and have assigned IP's, those have to be different.

192.168.0.1 DELL
192.168.0.2 SONY

It's easier to just use DHCP, but static works just as well.

Keep posting and don't give up.

Charlie