This old chestnut.

2 Pc's, crossover cable, Xp Pro SP2, Xp Home SP2. I need to network the two. Ive run the wizard, give 2 different IP's, same subnet mask, same workgroup name, but when the wizard finishes, the two computers cant see eachother in "My Network Places" or "View Workgroup Computers"

...


Hold on, i just checked. On one computer, under "View Workgroup Computers" I can now see the other PC, but when i try the same on the other PC, the window crashes (stops responding).

If i leave the window, and dont close it, a message eventually appears: "MSHOME is not accessible...You might not have permission...list of serves for this workgroup not currently available..."

Any ideas?

Sounds like one of your computers is using MSHOME as its workgroup. MSHOME is the default workgroup windows xp creates.

Ok, i changed the workgroup name to "STUDY", but the i get the same shit. Only this time obviously the message refers to "STUDY".

I just hit. "View Workgroup Computers" again, and this time, on one computer, i can see the other, yet on the other, it can only see itself.

Edit: But when i click "My Network Places" for each computer, I can only see the folder of the corresponding computer, not the other computer too.

You got the firewalls turned off?

Nope. Ill give it a shot.

Now computer A can see computer B in "View Workgroup Computers", but B cant see A. It only shows itself.

Also, A can see B's "Shared Folder" so i guess its working one-way so far. But i need it two-way.


Edit: Also, it can see the files in that folder too. So its definitely working one-way.

Okay, now after doing nothing but waiting and thinking in my chair, A appeared in B. So files can now be exchanged both ways. I hope i dont need to wait like this all the time just for the damn network to start working.

Now i need to get internet to B.

I restarted the two computers, and its being the most erratic piece of shit ever.

The windows firewall on both computers wont switch off at all, even if the "off" radio button is selected. This means i can see the "shared folders" of both pc's fine, but i cant browse them, cos it crashes, just lile as if it has a firewall on.

Right, im getting Xp Home on the other one.

FFS MICROSOFT DIE YOU BASTARDS DIE DIE DIEDIEDIE DIE

They both werent XP?

Ok I need a better explaination of your network.

You need to network 2 pc to your internet?

No router or switchs?

If this is the case then what you need to do is this.

put 2 NICS in one computer. Lets call this pc1.

From your internet connection you have a cable going from your modem to pc1 nic1. Then you have a cable going from pc1 nic2 to pc2.

Then on pc1 that has XP installed on it you highlight both nic1 and nic2 and select bridge connections.

Bang done.

This is the only way your going to be able to get both pc's on the net with a switch of somekind.

don't do this if you do connection sharing like 11b described!

o disable your xp firewall reliably and undeniably, go into services

(start | run | services.msc)

Find "windows firewall / internet connection share (ICS)"
double click
set startup type to disabled
hit stop

BAM! Firewall is down and will never come up again until you change the startup type.

@ 11b

1.

Now both have XP Home.

For pc1, the network connections are...
connection1: USB Modem
connection2: PCI NIC

For pc2, the network connections are...
connection1: Integrated NIC

As you can see, pc1 is connected to the internet, via USB to the modem.

2.

pc1 and pc2 are connected by a Cat5e crossover cable. (NIC to NIC), both have the same subnet mask, workgroup name, different IP.

3.

pc1 recognises that one of its LAN "places" is pc2's shared folder, but it doesnt have "permission" to access it.

pc2 does not recognise the pc2 shared folder as above, but it does recognise the workgroup (called STUDY) because it shows pc1.

pc1 does not recognise pc2 as a workgroup computer. It doesnt see it.

4.

So for now, a simple network doesnt work, let alone an internet connection for pc2.

Your making this harder than it needs to be.

Read this

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articl ... brdge.html

On your pc with the usb connection to internet and your nic that connets you to your 2nd pc you need bridge those connections.

And you dont need a crossover cable for this.

Your going to have to create this bridge because you dont have a router.

I tried to bridge them, but it doesnt let me because the internet connection is "shared". How do i make it unshared so i can bridge them?

Edit: Ah, found it. Okay, i successfully made the bridge...

Ah, we have a problem. I made the bridge, but as soon as i make the network using the wizard on this computer, the bridge gets removed. Its got something to do with the "shared" internet connection.