Networking in Hades

[GrandSpleen]

.. so titled because I'm sure it's just as easy to network in Hades as it is in my house. I'm having some trouble setting up a local area network in my house. I have only two machines: a p3 700 running WinME (host) and a p3 550 running Win98SE. The computers are connected via their NICs and a crossover cable. I've set up the network using the Home Networking Wizard included with Windows ME (which also allows you to create a floppy that will install the Wizard on older Windows, which I've done for the 98 sytstem as well).

I don't think my problem is anything obvious -- I've had a whole slew of people try to help me, including people on this forum, tech-savvy friends and technical support folks. None of the obvious answers seem to help, so if you know any possible advanced solutions, throw 'em at me.

The NIC in the ME system is a 3Com EtherLink 10/100 PCI for Complete PC Management NIC (3C905C-TX).
The one in the 98 system is an AsanteFast 10/100 PCI Rev B Adapter.

Both cards have LEDs but none of them are lighting up. Is this a telltale sign of a particular problem? I've removed them (physically, even) and done total reinstalls for both cards.

Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated! And if any more system specs are necessary for a solution, let me know and I'll deliver them.
Thanks!
-GS

 

[Synoptic]

Well, here is the deal, no matter what you config in the os, as long as the 2 cards are connected there should be some sort of light on, at least a link light if nothing else. Have you checked the integrity of the cable? There is also a possibility of one of your cards (or both) being bad. I know these seem kind of basic and you asked for advanced answers, but sometimes things like this go overlooked.

 

[JackMDS]

Removing NIC, and reinstalling can create its own problem if it is not done correctly.

Could be that the NICs were unsitted for short period, and created "Ghost" installation.

May be you should try the following:

Take the NICs out, boot without the NICs, and remove all Network related drivers (in network properties).

Shut off the computer, re-install the NIC, and let it be detected.
Install back all Network drivers, and protocols, and go over the settings.


Networking and sharing between computers.

 

[Garion]

OK, the basics..

First, make sure that each computer has the Client for Microsoft Networks installed, in the network control panel.

Also there, make sure you have the NetBEUI protocol installed. Once that's installed, go to the properties of it, in the advanced tab and select "make this the default protocol"

Next, make sure that in the Identity tab of the network control panel that both computers have different names but are in the same workgroup.

Make sure that the File and Printer Sharing is enabled in the network control panel - There's a button for it in 98, not sure about ME.

Make sure that each computer has at least one drive/folder/printer shared (Right-click on the folder/icon for drive in My Computer, select Sharing, New Share and give it a name)

Once this is done, you should be able to go into Network Neighborhood and see the other computer. Remember that a computer HAS to be sharing something to show up on the list - This is a common mistake.


If that doesn't work.. Make sure that you have TCP/IP installed on both computers in the network control panel, so you can use it to make sure there's physical connectivity.

Go into the Properties of TCP/IP. Choose the "Specify an Address" radio button.

Enter in "192.168.1.10" for the ME box's IP address, and "192.168.1.11" for the 98 box. Both should use the subnet mask of "255.255.255.0". Don't set ANYTHING else in any of the tabs.

Next, go to a DOS prompt on the ME box. Try and "ping 192.168.1.11", the IP address of the other computer. It should respond, give times. You can use a "ping -t 192.168.1.11" which will do a ping until you ctrl-c to stop it. This is useful, as you can get it rolling and then look at the LEDs on the NIC's to see if they are both seeing traffic - There is usually some kind of amber blinking light to indicate when traffic is going.

Assuming this works, you can go to your '98 box and do a "ping 192.168.1.10". That should also function.

If not.. Do the "ping -t" thing from both ends and look at the link lights. If the ME box while it's trying to ping and the 98 doesn't blink back, then it's probably a problem with the '98 box. The opposite also holds true.

Once you can get to ping, and have NetBEUI installed on two computers in the same workgroup, you should be able to see each other's shared resources in the Network Neighborhood.

If all else fails.. Try to delete the devices from the Device manager and before rebooting delete them from the network control panel. Upon reboot, re-install the device drivers. If that doesn't work check for hardare conflicts to make sure there aren't any conflicts with another card.

If that doesn't work, you probably have a hardware problem with a NIC and it'll need to be replaced, or something is going bad with the OS.

Good luck!

- G

 

[rw120555]

Once you get through all the other suggestions, this page might help:

Networking Troubleshooting

One of the items specifically refers to getting a NIC to work with WINME, while another talks about 3com NIC problems.

 

[GrandSpleen]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll see if I can't get any of that to work in the morning.
-GS

 

[GrandSpleen]

(Even though it's real late, I decided to try some of this stuff out tonight..)

Alright, I have some questions which might help me determine just what's wrong. I'm beginning to become very suspicious of the NICs. The device manager lists them both as working properly, but despite the cable between the two of them, nothing I do will make those LEDs come on. So I want to test this.

What's the best way to test it? My DSL is a USB connection so I can't test it with the DSL... so here are a few questions:
1) If one of the cards is faulty, will the working NIC's lights still come on?
2) If the cable is faulty, will any LEDs come on?
3) If I substitute a standard ethernet cable for the crossover, will any LEDs come on (this is for the explicit purpose of testing the crossover, I have nothing else to test it on)?

The Asante card (98 machine) has worked in the past, at school. Lights and everything. The 3Com card (ME machine) I've never tested. It came with the computer (which isn't mine) and has never had any reason to work in the past. The current DSL is the only one this computer's come into contact with, so the 3Com card could have been broken all along and I'd never have known it.

Basically, what I'd like to know now is just WHAT makes those LEDs come on. Or, how can I test the NICs to make sure they're working properly? I already uninstalled/reinstalled exactly as instructed to do in this thread...
Thanks guys!
-GS

 

[JackMDS]

There is a fourth alternative. Log to CompUSA, and order a new Linksys NIC, they sell it for $4.99.

You will have drivers, Documentations, and instructions for $4.99 WOW.

$4.99 Linksys NIC.