Peer-to-peer 3pcs

Hi
I have had a home network with 3-4 pcs running for a few years. I used to set each one an IP address so that they would all show up in network neighborhood, etc because if I didn't only 2 would show at any given time and someone who knew more than I said to do that.... and it worked fine.
Now I have cable modem hooked up to the hub
and the settings are all set to dhcp and auto IP. So I am back to only being able to see 2 pcs in the network, even if I do Find they don't show. Is there an easy fix, would a router fix the problem ..I have been thinking of getting one for firewall anyway..
my knowledge of this stuff is patchy at best.
thanks much...

Oh.. 2 pcs winME - 1 win98se

If there are shares on all 3 pcs, they should all show up in network neighborhood as long as netbui / netbios over tcp/ip is installed and bound to the network cards.

Get all the workstations up and type ipconfig at a dos prompt / command prompt. This should give a list of net adaptors along with their IP addresses. If any show as 0.0.0.0 then your DHCP is flakey. If the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, then the ip addresses should all have the same first 3 octets (eg 192.168.200.x)
Do all the machines get internet connectivity ?

Make sure the netcards settings (network neighborhood properties ->netcard -> advanced tab) are all the same:10baseT or 100BaseT half duplex.

yes the machines all have internet connecticty
but the cable co assigns IPs, which are there when you do winipcfg but do not show in ipconfig DOSprompt (I don't know if that works with winME), but i cannot see the third pc at any given time and I am afraid if i try to assign IPs like I used to (like 192.168.0.x) it may screw up the internet. I don't know much about routers but was wondering if it would resolve the problem. oh yeah.. they are shared and like I said it worked perfect until the cable modem came into it. netbios over tcpip is enabled.
The cable co DHCP is assigning the IP, so it has 24.151.x.x (their IP) and subnet mask 255.255.254.0 the IP is released and renewed every day so it changes.
Machines are individually named but same workgroup. they are all on half-duplex 10mb per the cable guy.
And its not always the same pc can't be seen .. its like the first 2 to come online are fine the 3rd is out. Thats what used to happen before I assigned the addresses before, but like I said I don't want to mess up the cable.

I'm running ME and the problem I had before router days was similar, bu sometimes I would get good days when everything could be seen. With my router from EggHead Auction and my ISP's cable modem we're clickin.

Are they all set to Client for Microsoft Networks?

It's easier to setup ICS, all you need is another NIC.
:)

yes client for ms network

Have you tried using IPX/SPX protocol as well as TCP/IP?

You can assign IPs for the INTERNAL network and not screw up the EXTERNAL network, just make sure you leave the connection that goes OUT to "automatically assign IP". In other words, don't mess with the NIC that connects to the cable modem. Hopefully you have different brand NICs in the proxy system, otherwise you will need to track your MAC addresses and compare them in ipconfig. Best bet? Run 2k proxy, better network management and security. My $.02

you can install multiple tcp/ips to each adapter so it has one for internet and one for you lan.

Or, you can connect the modem directly to one computer and use a dual nic setup so that computer can be the NAT or network address translator and you can have internet on all the machine while maintaining security and keeping you shares on an entirely seperate network from the internet since the translator will only pass on web traffic.

my explanation can't do it justice

hit www.nat32.com and read up on it, nat32 is quick and efficient and it has a trial version so give it a look. i recommend it.

The command under win 9x/ME is winipcfg - it sounds like you are using a cable company that only allows 2 dynamic IP's to be assigned from any given cable modem. What you need to do is get a router/proxy server (D-Link, Net Gear, Linksys, etc...) and set it up to provide DHCP services.

thanks for the replies, there are several things I will try, here are some answers to ? tho
I am allowed up to 8 IPs by my cable co on the package I have, I do not have separate nics for internal network and cable modem so that is why I was afraid to screw up the cable internet if I changed things, not knowing what is safe or not. Since one of you said the internal IP will not affect the external if i leave on DHCP auto (can you do both?)How do you set multiple IPs to same adapter? I will try it. The Cable modem is in uplink on my 5 port hub, and works fine from all pcs. Whichever 2 pcs come online first can see each other the other can't or each can see 1 other but not all. I have ordered a router since i want firewall too, and from what people tell me that will fix it, but am curious to see if I can fix it anyway so I know how... Cable company is offering me a tech support job so maybe I will learn it all soon anyway if I take it...we'll see...altho they will install cable modem to one pc only , no network, and will not support any network questions whatsoever, even when you pay for network package ($10 extra) :eek: Again thanx for all the help!