Configuring XP for Direct Ethernet

[EmosOohay]

Configuring XP for Direct Ethernet

Networking Desktop and Notebook without hub/switch

I've got my notebook connected directly to my desktop's 2nd ethernet port with a cross-over cable. Both systems are listing the connection as "connected" and both systems are sending packets, but receiving none. As would be expected file sharing is not working between the systems. I get a "network path not found" when trying to access the other system.

Any ideas on what the problem is?

Have any links to XP configuration guides for ehternet direct connections (no hub or switch)?


Thanks!

 

[Silversierra]

That's how my pc's are networked, the direct cable connection that is.

Are you using a crossover cable or a patch cable, you need a crossover.

I had a lot of trouble setting it up, mostly due to my firewalls.

I couldn't get my nvidia firewall to allow access, so I had to disable it and use another firewall. Zonealarm seemed to work and allow the connection. Have you tried disabling both firewalls(if you have firewalls).

Also, I had to set up my tcp/ip settings manually, for some reason auto wouldn't work.
I just searched for a guide on how to do it and found a few guides to help me set it up.

Now my only problem is that I can't seem to share internet, as in my (unanswered) thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=36&threadid=1680431&enterthread=y

 

[EmosOohay]

Disabling the firewalls allowed a few receive packets through, but not all.

I searched for guides, but haven't found anything useful.

Thanks for the input!

Still working it . . .

 

[imported_erikm5150]

have you assigned static ip addresses to the NICs connected via the crossover cable? i'm assuming neither of them is a dhcp server, plus it is easier to setup and test with static ip's.
then try to have the 2 machines ping each other.
for file sharing, they need to be able to resolve each other's name, edit your hosts file (in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc) and add the name and ip address of the machines.

 

[EmosOohay]

I've got the direct connection working, but now the desktop can't see the hub . . .

Thanks I'll check the hosts file.

I can do file sharing, but lost connectivity to the gateway (hub).

I need to configure one port for the direct connection and the other for the router/hub.

All suggestions are welcome . . .

Thanks

 

[Slowlearner]

I thought you were trying a direct connection, now a gateway pops up suddenly. Getting two NICs, even if onboard, to work is at best tricky, usually just frustating. If you are connecting to a gateway, I guess a router, and if it has DHCP enabled, the desktop gets an IP from it. Your second NIC has to have a static IP totally different from that one.

Unless this something you want experiment with, why not simply connect both PCs to the router and disable one of NICs.

 

[EmosOohay]

If I wasn't stuck with a Qwest POC (piece of crap) Actiontec 1524 DSL/gateway for the next few months I would. I've used all 4 ethernet ports on the DSL/hub and the notebook wireless is way too slow. I should be getting a 16 port switch in November.

I regularly have to load and unload 10 to 60 GB of images from/to my laptop so I wanted to use my gigabit ethernet on the motherboard to interface to the laptop (with a GB adaptor if this works) and the 2nd 100Mbs ehternet port for the internet/local LAN.

I've almost got it, all I have to do is re-establish connection to the gateway (not lose the direct connection in the process) and I'm good!

 

[EmosOohay]

It is nice to see my channel utilization at just under 90% on the direct connection.

If I upgrade to a gigbit adaptor will the total throughput increase further? Is that 10-15% loss due to system overhead or channel overhead? If due to system overhead will I not see much gain from a gigabit connection and if due to channel overhead will I see gains from a conversion to gigabit?

 

[EmosOohay]

Can adaptors with static IPs and those use DHCP be mixed on the same system?

My notebook network stub is static and the channel to the gateway is dynamic. Do they both need to be the same?

 

[Slowlearner]

Seems to me what you need is 4 gigabit switch, that you would cascade off the router, i.e unplug one of devices connected to your router, plug a network cable in and to the switch (any port), and connect your two gigabit enabled PC/laptops and the device you previously unplugged to the remaining 3 ports of the gigabit switch.

Newegg has a Trendware gigabit switch for 50$ (I am using this at work, note: Had return one for dying within a month) and Linky 8 port for 102 less 20MIR.

Sorry cant help with the channel utilization question on direct conn.

 

[EmosOohay]

Actually I have a slightly used (< 2 yrs) 16 port (more than I need) Netgear gigabit switch lined up. Unfortunately it won't be available until late November.

For the most part your suggestion is what I plan to do.

 

[EmosOohay]

There's something not obvious going on here. Everything confogured correctly but I can't see the gateway on the other ethernet port.

There's some secret sauce somewhere I'm not aware of.

 

[EmosOohay]

Well, I put the notebook stub network on a separate subnet and that helped a lot!

I can access my gateway now, all that's left is to re-establish my internet connection.

That direct connection really helps load/unload the notebook.

Yea!