Help with connecting 2 machines

Hi,

We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet via a
broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the laptop
can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might help
explain my current situation:

1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
other and share files/ folders
3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network places.
4. Both machines have windows XP


Although, I work in computers but have almost no understanding of computer
networking. Please help.


Warm Regards,

- Bharat.

In article <Eaj9b.2740$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> Hi,
>
> We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet via a
> broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
> network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
> trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the laptop
> can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might help
> explain my current situation:
>
> 1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
> 2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
> other and share files/ folders
> 3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
> desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
> 3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network places.
> 4. Both machines have windows XP
>
If you're not using a hub you need a crossover cable rather than a
straight-through ethernet patch cable to connect the two machines.
If you're planning on using the Windows Internet Connection Sharing tools
as supplied with XP then you need to use DHCP to assign the machines' LAN
addresses.

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your reply.

Can you please tell me in detail what exactly do I need to do? As I said
before, I have almost no understanding of networking. Or if you can recomend
a website, it will be great.

Thanks,

- Bharat.


"Rob Morley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) .com...
> In article <Eaj9b.2740$(E-Mail Removed)>,
> (E-Mail Removed) says...
> > Hi,
> >
> > We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet
via a
> > broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
> > network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
> > trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the
laptop
> > can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might
help
> > explain my current situation:
> >
> > 1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
> > 2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
> > other and share files/ folders
> > 3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
> > desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
> > 3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network
places.
> > 4. Both machines have windows XP
> >
> If you're not using a hub you need a crossover cable rather than a
> straight-through ethernet patch cable to connect the two machines.
> If you're planning on using the Windows Internet Connection Sharing tools
> as supplied with XP then you need to use DHCP to assign the machines' LAN
> addresses.

In article <TKm9b.6$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
<snip>
>
> Can you please tell me in detail what exactly do I need to do? As I said
> before, I have almost no understanding of networking. Or if you can recomend
> a website, it will be great.
>
This seems to cover it quite well:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/

What i would do here is to buy yourself a ADSL Router for your Broadband
connection.
(eTec do a good one for around £65 which includes a 4-Port hub and Modem)
so you can throw or sell your model away!!!

Then connect them all to the Router/Hub and allow the Router to issue IP
Address via DHCP.
It's really easy to setup and your router will be up and running within 10
minutes.
Check out www.stormbytes.co.uk for the router

Now with the Internet connected to the Router (you just add your login
details via a Browser page to your Router Setup)
you can then connect each PC to the router on AUTO for your network cards.
This way you can run your network,
even using a firewall (software) on the PC's allowing accessing ONLY to your
router and LAN PC's.
AND with the added bonus of be able to browse and use the internet on ALL
your networked PC's.
I have had LAN games using 3 pc's over a BT Broadband connection without any
loss of performance using this method.
The router also reconnects if your ADSL connection is dropped.

Let me know if you need any more help!!!

Regards,

Neil



"Bharat Bhushan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Eaj9b.2740$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet via
a
> broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
> network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
> trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the laptop
> can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might help
> explain my current situation:
>
> 1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
> 2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
> other and share files/ folders
> 3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
> desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
> 3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network places.
> 4. Both machines have windows XP
>
>
> Although, I work in computers but have almost no understanding of computer
> networking. Please help.
>
>
> Warm Regards,
>
> - Bharat.
>
>

Win2K/sp3
I would like to enable and disable file-sharing from the command prompt. I
have used the tactic:

C:\>net start[stop] server

but I wonder if there is a more specific method?

One more question:
I have 2 computers connected via a network switch, with internet going into
the switch and then to both computers. Most of the time I run with File
Sharing disabled and then when I need to transfer files between the
computers I enable file sharing and disconnect the cable between the switch
and my dsl modem. My question is, if I get a router, will I be able to
configure it on the fly to allow communication between the computers but not
between the computers and the internet?

Shockley


"BT News" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bk71gl$7gd$(E-Mail Removed)...
> What i would do here is to buy yourself a ADSL Router for your Broadband
> connection.
> (eTec do a good one for around £65 which includes a 4-Port hub and Modem)
> so you can throw or sell your model away!!!
>
> Then connect them all to the Router/Hub and allow the Router to issue IP
> Address via DHCP.
> It's really easy to setup and your router will be up and running within 10
> minutes.
> Check out www.stormbytes.co.uk for the router
>
> Now with the Internet connected to the Router (you just add your login
> details via a Browser page to your Router Setup)
> you can then connect each PC to the router on AUTO for your network cards.
> This way you can run your network,
> even using a firewall (software) on the PC's allowing accessing ONLY to
your
> router and LAN PC's.
> AND with the added bonus of be able to browse and use the internet on ALL
> your networked PC's.
> I have had LAN games using 3 pc's over a BT Broadband connection without
any
> loss of performance using this method.
> The router also reconnects if your ADSL connection is dropped.
>
> Let me know if you need any more help!!!
>
> Regards,
>
> Neil
>
>
>
> "Bharat Bhushan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:Eaj9b.2740$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi,
> >
> > We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet
via
> a
> > broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
> > network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
> > trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the
laptop
> > can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might
help
> > explain my current situation:
> >
> > 1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
> > 2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
> > other and share files/ folders
> > 3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
> > desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
> > 3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network
places.
> > 4. Both machines have windows XP
> >
> >
> > Although, I work in computers but have almost no understanding of
computer
> > networking. Please help.
> >
> >
> > Warm Regards,
> >
> > - Bharat.
> >
> >
>
>

Although it is possible using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on one of
the PC's as you mention below (provided you have 2 NIC's installed in your
dekstop PC), it is much easier to put a Broadband router in place and let
the router manage the Broadband and share the Intenet to your two (or more)
PC's. Depending on which Braodband router you use, this soluiton also
provides firewall and NAT protection as well as possibly wireless
connectivity. Also, you can then easily share resources between PC's without
using Proxy or other various 'fixes'.

If the Broadband is using USB connection, you'd just need to give a better
picture of how this conectoin is being made (from the wall of your home to
the PC). The reason I say this is that I know of no broadband supplies who
installa USB type jack in your wall. It is eithre an RJ-11 (telephone) or an
RJ-45 (Ethernet) connection on your wall (althouhg I've seen some pretty
creative solutions lately Then perhaps I can give you a USB/Broadband
router device part number you can research...

"Bharat Bhushan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Eaj9b.2740$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> We have two computers at home. One a desktop pc, connected to internet via
a
> broadband connection. The second machine is a laptop. Both machines have
> network card. We want to be able to use internet from both pcs. So I am
> trying to use the desktop as a server and run proxy on it which the laptop
> can connect to, to use the internet. Few important points that might help
> explain my current situation:
>
> 1. Broadband is on the desktop pc and is using a USB connection.
> 2. So far, I have not been able to get these 2 computers to talk to each
> other and share files/ folders
> 3. The Lan connections have been given fixed IP address (192.168.0.1 ->
> desktop pc and .2 for the laptop, subnet mask for both is 255.255.255.0)
> 3. Neither pc is able to ping or see each other in the My network places.
> 4. Both machines have windows XP
>
>
> Although, I work in computers but have almost no understanding of computer
> networking. Please help.
>
>
> Warm Regards,
>
> - Bharat.
>
>