Connect a desktop to a laptop.

[Desertfox]

I have only very little experience with networking as such. Lately, I searched the Internet for a solution described in the title. The answers are pretty much confusing since everyone seems to have a solution.

What I have:

1) A desktop with Windows XP Media Center Edition (SP2), HD with three partitions, Ehternet connector (RJ...). Has a LAN Intel mPRO/100 VE CNetwork connction (not being used), and a 1394 Connection, 1394 Net Adapter.

2) Laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium installed. Ethernet connector (RJ...). Has a LAN Coonection (NVIDIA nForce Networking, Wireless Network Connection, and bluetooth network connection (allthree presently not yey used.

Where I live I can only connect via modem to the Internet but I intend to engage a local company to install a wireless High Speed cConnection within the next weeks.

Both have quite number of USB Ports. I do believe that this is already enough information.

What I want to do:

Connect the two PC in such a way taht I can:

a) move, copy files from one to the other PC.
b) work from the laptop on the desktop and vice versa, i.e. look at files, execute applications etc.

This is only the beginning exercise. Maybe later, I would add a second laptop but the above decribed usage is the first and only priority at this point in time. And it shall be a learning experience.

I would appreciate either a clear set up procedure withe possible necessary hardware needed or links to web sites that also do the job.

Thanks folks for your support.

[SpywareDr]

Windows Vista Help: Networking
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...etworking.mspx

Windows XP: Networking your home or small business
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...g/default.mspx

[Desertfox]

Thanks SpywareDr for the links. I guess, I have to work my way into this.

What do you think about a crossover cable as a start. If thatt fulfills what I want, then it is fine. I have a modem as an internet connection.

[SpywareDr]

Connect two computers using a crossover cable
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...f6cdd1033.mspx

Re: Crossover Cable Between Xp -Vista - TechNet Forums
http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/...7016&SiteID=17

Get Started with Home Networking
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...d/default.mspx

[Desertfox]

Thanks SpywareDR. This is a lot of food to read and dig into.

From the number of viewings, I conclude that there is a grat interest in this subject.

[SpywareDr]

You're welcome.

[Desertfox]

I am back because I am in trouble connecting the two PCs.
I bought a CAT6 crossover cable, connected the PCs and followed the instructions in one of the links from SpywareDr.

On my PC I set up the LAN connection with the following IP address
192.168.1.1 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0 which was easy and straightforward.

With the laptop (VISTA) I set up the IP address 192.168.1.2 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and followed the instructions from Microsoft for setting up a Vista network.

Long story short: it does not work at all. I experimented about 3 hours with no tangible result. On the laptop, under network places it shows only what I have on the laptop. I expected some thing else. the same on the XP machine although there the Lan Connections showed that it was connected, firewalled.

I am about to return the crossover cable to the store where I bought it.

Should I try a switch/router instead though I still believe that there is a way to use the crossover technique.

[Tuttle]

The crossover cable should be fine -- if it was faulty, you'd probably still be seeing the not connected icon. "Firewalled" is a problem -- the two machines don't trust each other.

As a test, while you're disconnected from the internet, go into Control Panel | Windows Firewall and disable the firewall on both machines.

Also, on the Vista machine, go into Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center. Tell it that the network connection is a private network (click the Customize link if it's currently set to public), and enable network discovery and file sharing. Hopefully things will start working.

Just make sure you put the firewall back up before you connect to the Internet again.

In terms of a better long-term solution, which machine is going to be dialling up to the Internet (or is it potentially both)? Do you want to share the dialup connection so that both computers can use it when one is dialled up?

[SpywareDr]

The network map on a computer running Windows Vista shows a graphical view of the computers and devices on your network and how they are connected by using the LLTD protocol. The LLTD responder must be installed on a computer running Windows XP before it can be detected and appear on the network map. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

The Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool analyzes information about your network connectivity to help you troubleshoot network-related problems with your computer.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[alphanumeric]

Are you sure what you have is in fact a crossover cable? There is a difference between a normal network patch cable and a crossover cable. I don't mean to insult your intelligence, some people know the difference and some don't. That sometimes includes the geeks at the store where you buy the cable. If you are going to be getting high speed internet my recommendation would be to buy a router. That is assuming your cable or DSL modem doesn't have one built in. You may need one anyway if you want to go wireless. With a router you just set the PC to automatically get an IP so its basically plug and play instead of plug and praye. If you are running XP you could use remote desktop to log into another PC and run programs as if you were sitting in front of it.

[alphanumeric]

Oops sorry I accidentally double posted.

[Desertfox]

I have not restarted yet with another attempt to get the thing running. Before I do this I would like answer a couple of things that turned up in your replies.

1) I bought a crossover cable CAT 6 and it says so on the package (Best Buy).

2) In Vista, I set the network to private which was one of the things in the MS procedure from SpywareDr.

3) (Tuttle) Yes in the long term I may share the Internet connection but foremost is that I have a good connection between both computers to share files and a printer respectively work from one PC on the other.

4) (SpywareDr) I found something about LLTD protocoll but I did not download it. This will be my first task and then install it on the XP machine.

Keep fingers crossed that the second attempt works. Most of the settings are already there, and before I connect I will disable the firewalls on both machines.

[Desertfox]

Ok, I have started a second attempt to get the connection running properly. So far no success to say it right away.

I download the two files which SpywareDr recommended, installed them but restrted the XP machine each time. I also disabled the firewall on the XP kmachine BEFORE I connected the crossover cable. On XP everyhting works fine. The settings fro the TCP/IP were still in place for the LAN Connection.

Then I started the laptop (Vista) and also disabled the firewall there. Hre as well, the settings were still availableThe network and sharing Center shows two Icons: One with my first name and in brackets: This computer, then a second icon under which it says Unidentified network, the internet connection is crossed out.

Below is an icon with a text Unidentified network (Private network)

Underneath this is Sharing and discovery whre Network discovery, File sharing, and Pbulic Folder sharing are all on. Off are Printer sharing, Password protected sharing, and Media sharing.

I view the status of the LAN and the box displayed appears to be ok. There is a button named Diagnose that I ran and the result is: The network adapter "Local Area Connection" does not have a valid IP configuration. I used the Reset the network adapter " Local aera connection" but the result is still the same.

Neither machine sees the other yet.

Ther must be something somewhere were I made a mistake, and I can't figure that out.

[jdc2000]

You could assign a fixed IP address to each PC.

Example:
192.168.1.1 for PC #1
192.168.1.2 for PC #2

[Desertfox]

I have this jdc2000. See my post above.

I did some searching on the issue with Google, and it appears that I am not the only one who has a problem. Even people with routers, hub, or switches experience the same issues.