VERY slow LAN connection with laptop

[fcastle]

I have the desktop PC below. I also have an HP Laptop (Athlon 1800+, 256MB RAM, XP home). I have set up the home office network through XP on both computers. For some reason, I can access the shared files on the desktop from the laptop without a problem, but when I try to access the shared files on the laptop from the main computer, my computer either hangs or works VERY slowly. When I right click a file in the laptop shared folder, it takes at least 30 full seconds to bring up the menu. I click copy and select where on the desktop I am going to paste it and it supposedly starts copying. The copying dialogue box just stays on the screen. I have left it there for over 10 minutes with no change. Even going into the task manager does not allow me to end task on process. I have to reset my computer. Out of all the times I have tried (rebooting, going through the network setup multiple times) it worked ONE TIME, but I have no idea what was different. This connection is not usually hooked into the laptop as the ethernet cable is connected to my wireless radio to give me internet. I unhook the connection from the radio and plug it into the laptop then start each computer so it is a fresh start for both. Still no luck.

Also, is it normal for windows XP to take at least 30 seconds after going to the desktop to recognize the LAN connection? I have a Linksys PCI LAN 10/100 card.

Any help would be appreciated.

Finally, does anyone have any solutions for the HIGHLY ANNOYING "memory could not be written/read" error?

 

[sharkeeper]

Do you have SP1 installed on XP on both machines?

Cheers!

 

[fcastle]

Yes, all windows updates on both machines.

 

[abovewood]

is it normal for windows XP to take at least 30 seconds after going to the desktop to recognize the LAN connection? I have a Linksys PCI LAN 10/100 card.

My laptop does the same thing.

I assign IP # to my desktop so it recognize the LAN connection faster.
My laptop is set to obtain IP automatically because I bring to school often.

 

[sharkeeper]

Those delays most definitely are *NOT* normal. We have notebooks connected to the network and the speed is very acceptable. Almost as fast as browsing the local hard disk.

Cheers!

 

[thorin]

Also, is it normal for windows XP to take at least 30 seconds after going to the desktop to recognize the LAN connection?

I don't think that's the problem. Once you're at the desktop your machine has already obtained a IP (assuming DHCP), the only reason it should be doing anything from the LAN when it gets to the desktop is if it's trying to restore a open window from a lan connection or if you have somethin LAN related in your startup items.

Thorin

 

[abovewood]

My laptop recognizes the LAN connection very fast at school where there is a DHCP server.
But it takes 30 seconds longer when connected to my hub at home.

Now is this normal?

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: abovewood
My laptop recognizes the LAN connection very fast at school where there is a DHCP server.
But it takes 30 seconds longer when connected to my hub at home.

Now is this normal?

Yes that's normal. It still has to look for a DHCP server and request an IP and time out. Why don't you setup 2 different hardware profiles one with your NIC set to DHCP [for school] and one setup with a static IP (so that it doesn't have to try and search/obtain one) [for home].

Thorin

 

[fcastle]

Ok - to claify something. When I initially installed the LAN card, the TCP/IP properties had a static IP in the "general" tab. I did not do this and the only reason I know is because I went to a wireless connection that at first would not work. My ISP had me go into the TCP/IP properties and change both the IP address and DNS address selections so they would obtain them automatically. This is the only way I can log onto my ISP's intranet which connects me to the internet. Is this where the problem lies?

 

[sharkeeper]

Just make sure you have a DHCP server that is properly set up on your end. This makes life so much easier.

Cheers!

 

[fcastle]

And you do that how?

 

[jjyiz28]

since you're using xp on your laptop, there is a way for you to use a dhcp address and if one if not found NOT to use 192.168.0.1 address but a address you specify. called tcp/ip properties. look around in your properties for your network adapter. enter a static IP address that is the same subnet address as your desktop computer.