Crossover is making me cross

Hey guys,

I'm trying to set up a LAN with two systems using a crossover cable and I'm getting an error message that I'm not sure what to do with. One box is running XP, the other is running 98SE.

The errors all seem to be related to the XP box, it will not renew the IP address. I've tried the "Repair" function built into XP's networking as well as manually releasing/renewing the network card. I've tried removing the drivers and reloading.

This doesn't appear to be a hardware problem, as both machines will connect using IPX/SPX to a third machine, but won't talk to each other using TCP/IP, and I've tried different NICs in both machines with the same results. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and I'll sacrifice a goat to the deity of your choosing for a solution.:eek2:

Are you trying to set the network settings manually or through the network setup wizard? Have you tested the crossover?

Oh, and by the way, what is the error message that you are getting?

Yes, I've tested the crossover cable, even tried a different one. The error message that I'm getting (I'm not at work right now) was something to do with the XP machine not being able to contact the DHCP server.

Have you tried setting static ips?
Are you using internet connection sharing of some description? Which is the host box?

Sorry for the lack of detail in my first message, yes the XP box is going to be sharing it's internet connection with the 98 box. They'll be using an Adelphia cable modem, and the XP box will be the one physically connected to the cable modem, thus it has an additional NIC in it. I've tried using either NIC in the XP box to network the two machines, no luck. I've tried removing the added NIC from the XP machine, no luck (it has a NIC built onto the board). I've also tried disabling the onboard NIC and using two PCI NICs, no luck.

For some funky reason, the problem seems to be related to the TCP/IP on the XP box. Something I found out that I didn't know is that you cannot remove TCP/IP from an XP machine. I wanted to remove it, to start from scratch, but it doesn't seem to be possible. Closest thing that I can see is to go to the Add/Remove programs .cpl and remove it from the Windows Components networking section, but that didn't actually remove it.

Oh, and yes I've checked both machines for viruses with NAV, having just updated the .dat files.

Thanks again for any help with this one, guys. :)

K, try assigning a statip ip by going to tcp/ip and setting the first (XP) machine to 192.168.0.1 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0 and the 98 box to 192.168.0.2 same subnet

Make sure to enable the connection as shared if you are using 2 nics to share

Quote:

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Originally posted by Radical Dreamer
K, try assigning a statip ip by going to tcp/ip and setting the first (XP) machine to 192.168.0.1 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0 and the 98 box to 192.168.0.2 same subnet

Make sure to enable the connection as shared if you are using 2 nics to share

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On the 98 machine you may need to add the Gateway and DNS as the IP of the XP box for this to work.

On the XP machine you need to make the card connecting to the 98 machine the static address and the card going to the cable company needs to be left dynamic.

You could also get a cable/dsl router/switch to solve your problem and it would give you an added level of security as well as making your life a heck of a lot easier. I use a lynksys router and have 3-4 machine on at any given time and it's great.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll give 'em a try when I go in on Friday. And, unfortunately I can't use a router, switch or hub, as the couple who own the two systems don't want to spend any more money. Bleh.

The upside to the situation is that the lady considers herself a networking tech who "just doesn't have time to do this", so I feel fairly confident of repeat business when she dinks around with the settings.:)

Thanks again, guys.

Network tech huh? That's funny.

Amazing. What they will be paying you and the cost of the extra NIC would be the same as a residential router. Yeesh.:rolleyes:

I say - go ahead and fleece 'em!:p ;)

Okay, having tried all of the stuff listed in my previous posts as well as the recommendations from Radical Dreamer and Ilovetheusers, it's still inoperative.

Setting static TCP/IP addresses for the LAN connection has had no effect, and in fact the XP box still will not ping itself. I'm hoping that it's something stupid so that I can slap my forehead and say, "Of course!" afterward. Or, slap someone elses' forehead if anyone else is available.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Percy

The XP box has two NICs in it:

1) NIC built into motherboard. This one is used for the cable modem connection and has been verified to work with an Adelphia cable modem connection. It is set to a dynamic IP address

2) Linksys PCI NIC. This one has a static IP address, 192.168.0.1, subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, nothing is set up for WINS, DNS or anything else.

The Windows 98 machine has a single NIC in it, set to a static IP address of 192.168.0.2, subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, nothing is set up for WINS, DNS or any other setting.

The Win98 box will ping itself but not the XP box. The XP box will not ping itself or the Win98 machine. The only success I've had getting these two to talk is by using IPX/SPX for the network protocol, and that of course will not help things when trying to set up Internet connection sharing.

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope. Whoops, sorry, slipped into Princess Leia mode again.

Ne'er mind guys. I finally got permission to do a reformat/reinstall on their system and that cleared everything up. Not how I normally prefer to do things, but it did the job. ;)

98 is renknowned for screwing up winsock and the tcp/ip stack... it could well have been that.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Percy

The errors all seem to be related to the XP box, it will not renew the IP address. I've tried the "Repair" function built into XP's networking as well as manually releasing/renewing the network card. I've tried removing the drivers and reloading.

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Let's go step by step:
1. Is the link LED on the NIC connected to the cable modem on? If yes go to (2).If not check the cable (btw: is it a straight or a crosssover? you need straight cable)
2. Do you have DHCP enabled on the adapter connected to the cbl. modem? If yes go to (3). If not enable it.
3.Turn off your cbl. modem. then turn it back on. Once you get a connection on it type "ipconfig /renew [adapter name here]" in a command prompt. To make your life easier you can rename the connections in the network properties screen (ex. name the adapter connected to the cbl modem "internet" and the other one "LAN"

Oh... and get rid of IPX/SPX unless you really NEED it (doubtful though...). Real life proves that too many protocols cause problems.