How to connect two XP machines using Cross-over cable?

26 Dec 2006 6:17 AM

Eric Dunn

Hi,

My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
files between the two.

What I did:

1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
professional) using cross-over cable.
2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
3. set the IP addresses:

IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

4. set a folder SHARING
5. browse the network for the other machine.

Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.

Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Eric

26 Dec 2006 9:34 AM

Steve Winograd [MVP]

In article <324ECD5D-109A-4A7A-BC5E-DCA635F58***@microsoft.com>, Eric
Dunn <EricD***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

>Hi,
>
>My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
>files between the two.
>
>What I did:
>
>1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
>professional) using cross-over cable.
>2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
>3. set the IP addresses:
>
>IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
>IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
>Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
>Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
>
>4. set a folder SHARING
>5. browse the network for the other machine.
>
>Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
>
>Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help!
>Eric

Make sure that any firewall program (Windows Firewall, Norton, McAfee,
ZoneAlarm, etc) is configured to allow access by other computers on
the local area network. Note that recent versions of Norton Antivirus
have a firewall function built in (Internet Worm Protection).

Run the Network Setup Wizard on each computer to fully enable file
sharing.

Network browsing in Windows XP (through My Network Places) is so
unreliable that I recommend not using it. To access the other
computer, type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in
this format:

\\computer

--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

26 Dec 2006 2:02 PM

Kerry Brown

In addition to Steve Winograd's suggestions there may be a hardware problem.
Some on board network cards do not initialize properly if they don't sense
an electrical connection on startup and thus don't always work with a
crossover cable. This can sometimes be fixed by turning off both computers
then powering them up at the same time, or within a few seconds of each
other. The proper solution is to not use a crossover cable but to purchase a
cheap switch (less than $40.00) and connect both computers to the switch
with standard Ethernet cables.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2

Show quoteHide quote

"Eric Dunn" <EricD***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:324ECD5D-109A-4A7A-BC5E-DCA635F58217@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
> files between the two.
>
> What I did:
>
> 1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
> professional) using cross-over cable.
> 2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
> 3. set the IP addresses:
>
> IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
> IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
>
> 4. set a folder SHARING
> 5. browse the network for the other machine.
>
> Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
>
> Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help!
> Eric
>
>

26 Dec 2006 4:02 PM

vector090

A couple of things you can look for:
- The first and easiest thing you can do is ping both IP's.
- If you can't, check to see if you have link lights on the back of your
NIC's (if available)
- If not, you need to match your speeds, frame-types, etc. Make sure your
really using a crossover cable - look at the pinouts.
- If you get successful pings, you have a naming issue such as WINS and
can't resolve names over IP's.

Show quoteHide quote

"Eric Dunn" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
> files between the two.
>
> What I did:
>
> 1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
> professional) using cross-over cable.
> 2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
> 3. set the IP addresses:
>
> IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
> IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
>
> 4. set a folder SHARING
> 5. browse the network for the other machine.
>
> Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
>
> Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help!
> Eric
>
>

27 Dec 2006 12:22 AM

Eric Dunn

Thank u all for you feedbacks!

The problem was what Steve suggested: "Network browsing in Windows XP
(through My Network Places) is so unreliable "

Regards,
Eric

Show quoteHide quote

"vector090" wrote:

> A couple of things you can look for:
> - The first and easiest thing you can do is ping both IP's.
> - If you can't, check to see if you have link lights on the back of your
> NIC's (if available)
> - If not, you need to match your speeds, frame-types, etc. Make sure your
> really using a crossover cable - look at the pinouts.
> - If you get successful pings, you have a naming issue such as WINS and
> can't resolve names over IP's.
>
> "Eric Dunn" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
> > files between the two.
> >
> > What I did:
> >
> > 1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
> > professional) using cross-over cable.
> > 2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
> > 3. set the IP addresses:
> >
> > IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
> > IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
> > Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> > Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
> >
> > 4. set a folder SHARING
> > 5. browse the network for the other machine.
> >
> > Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
> >
> > Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help!
> > Eric
> >
> >

27 Dec 2006 9:51 AM

Steve Winograd [MVP]

In article <CF3300F8-2C9B-49AD-AC75-1B7472E68***@microsoft.com>, Eric
Dunn <EricD***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
>>>files between the two.
>>>
>>>What I did:
>>>
>>>1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
>>>professional) using cross-over cable.
>>>2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
>>>3. set the IP addresses:
>>>
>>>IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
>>>IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
>>>Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
>>>Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
>>>
>>>4. set a folder SHARING
>>>5. browse the network for the other machine.
>>>
>>>Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
>>>
>>>Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance for your help!
>>>Eric
>>
>>Make sure that any firewall program (Windows Firewall, Norton, McAfee,
>>ZoneAlarm, etc) is configured to allow access by other computers on
>>the local area network. Note that recent versions of Norton Antivirus
>>have a firewall function built in (Internet Worm Protection).
>>
>>Run the Network Setup Wizard on each computer to fully enable file
>>sharing.
>>
>>Network browsing in Windows XP (through My Network Places) is so
>>unreliable that I recommend not using it. To access the other
>>computer, type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in
>>this format:
>>
>> \\computer
>
>Thank u all for you feedbacks!
>
>The problem was what Steve suggested: "Network browsing in Windows XP
>(through My Network Places) is so unreliable "
>
>Regards,
>Eric

You're welcome, Eric. I assume that this means that you're able to
access the other computer by typing its name in the Start > Run box.

Here's another way to access another computer without using My Network
Places: create a desktop shortcut to the other computer, specifying
the shortcut's target as "\\computer". Clicking the shortcut shows
the other computer's shared folders and printers.

It appears that Microsoft has finally realized that My Network Places
is unreliable. Windows Vista doesn't have My Network Places. Vista
has a "Network" window that shows all of the computers in all of the
workgroups on the network. Clicking a computer shows that computer's
shared folders and printers.

--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

27 Dec 2006 9:32 AM

adeelansari

Show quote Hide quote

"Eric Dunn" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> My goal is to connect two XP machines using a cross-over cable to share
> files between the two.
>
> What I did:
>
> 1. Physically connect two XP machines (one XP home, the other XP
> professional) using cross-over cable.
> 2. SET both computers to the SAME workgroup name (MSHOME).
> 3. set the IP addresses:
>
> IP: 192.168.1.2 (for one computer)
> IP: 192.168.1.3 (for other computer)
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
>
> 4. set a folder SHARING
> 5. browse the network for the other machine.
>
> Result: I can't see either machine from the other one.
>
> Question: What did I do wrong? What's missing?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help!
> Eric
>
>

4 Jan 2007 5:43 PM

bavan

hi

i have a laptop and pc, which i can ping my laptop by itself and pc as well, but i was not able to connect both pc's, I have disabled windows firewall on both computers,

still i couldn't able to share a file from my Pc(Desktop),
And top of that my laptop say administrator does not have a permission to access workgroup Mshome,

workgroup in both pc and laptop are same Mshome

EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com