Networking 101

[Bloodstein]

Ok, almost absolute networking beginner here...

I'm having trouble networking two computers running Windows Xp together (Yeah, I know I thought I'd ask you guyz first before i shoot myself).

What I did is I ran the wizards on both my laptop and desktop. I click on network neighbourhood and the other computer is nowhere to be seen. Can't even ping each other...

Am I supposed to do anything extra? I noticed the wizard sets both computers to use DHCP. Playing it safe, I even turned that off and specified explicit IP addresses on both machines...still no difference. Btw, where's the DHCP server?

Help?

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

If you don't have a broadband router or a server in your little network, you don't have a DHCP server.

Be more explicit, what IP addresses did you assign? Also, are you trying to share Internet on these machines?

 

[JackMDS]

Using the Wizards is not a great idea.:disgust:

You should take it one step at the time and learn how to set it manually.

If Broadband Internet is in the future get yourself a Cable/DSL Router (they are dirty cheap these day less than $20). You will have now a nice switch and a DHCP Server, and you will be ready for a "Bright Future"

Log to this page it has a lot of links to instructions to Windows Network Setting and Sharing.

Link: Installing & Sharing

 

[BG4533]

Are the computers connected directly by cable or is there a hub or something in between? If they are connected directly you will need to use a crossover cable.

 

[Bloodstein]

I've used a crossover cable to connect both the pcs...

I assigned 198.168.0.1 and 2 for each machine respectively.

All i want to do is simple filesharing...

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: BloodsteinAll i want to do is simple filesharing...

Link: Windows XP Simple File Sharing