Trying to network 2 PCs with a ethernet crossover. Shared files not showing

Heres is my problem. Im using a Ethernet crossover cable to network my laptop and my desktop through the NIC card. Both have firewalls disabled and file sharing enabled for the network but not of the shared folders or drives on the laptop show up in my network places on the desktop and the but all the shared on the desktop show on the laptop.

I dont know what went wrong as it was working at one point. I used the network setup wizard to setup my network and ive tried manual. I gota get this going to install a couple DVD roms on my old Piece of crap desktop. Any ideas?

 

What ip addresses did you give the 2 computers?

 

Try typing \\ followed by the desktop computer's name or IP address into a file explorer window on the laptop. Does anything show then?

 

Ok Both computers are reading connected on the network and not limited connection. laptop is IP 198.162.1.101 and the desktop IP is 198.162.1.101 with the mask the same between the group and the workgroup name the same.

Ive got the desktop showing up on the laptop and I can play with any files on the desktop with the laptop but nothing on the laptop will show up on the desktop.

Also when I ping from the laptop everything works great but when I ping from the desktop i get 100% loss on 4 packs. Both computers are sharing the full hardrives and all shared drives and I have checked all drives between the 2 computers for confliting device names and such. Also both comps have file sharing enables on the network and firewalls are down for the home network (no internet on these 2) and I have TCP enables on both machines

 

Ive read somewhere you have to have a guest account enables or made on xp? I only have a default log on for xp this isnt the problem is it?

The laptop with xp has 2 user acounts both are full admin acounts. The desktop with the xp pro only has the one user account with full admin rights. neither the laptop or the desktop have passwords on the users.

 

Typo before laptop ip is 192.168.1.101 and desktop is 192.168.1.102 with same mask. On the laptop i noticed that windows ics services are not runing and cant be started.

 

you don't need ICS running on either.

go to a command prompt (start->run->CMD), type in "ipconfig /all" (without the quotes) and post the results from both here.

Side note: sometimes XP policies do not allow for blank administrator passwords, so sharing information across the cable might not be possible one way. Add a user named "share" on both machines, and give them both matching passwords. Log on to both machines with the "share" account and try again.

 

Ill have to write the ipconfig checks down cause both computers have no internet access. Ill try the 2 share accounts also to transfer the files ill set both up with matching passes and admin rights. give me a few hours to have the results up from the check as if im not here at my friends I have to post with my cell.

 

Sorry 4 any typos posting from my cell. IP config result on laptop the 1 seeing both pc. Host name:edie node type: hybrid ip routing and proxy: no 3com mini pci adapter physical adress: 00-04-76-52-57-78 dhcp: no ip: 192.168.1.101 mask: 255.255.255.0 desktop results name: brandon node type: unknown ip routing and proxy: no 3com ethernet xl physical adress: 00-01-02-38-25-d3 dhcp: no ip: 192.168.1.102 mask: 255.255.255.0 thats it. and i made a share user for both

 

Have a read through this KB article - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

 

A crossover cable is the simplist of networks so this shouldn't be that hard.

First, can you ping from the 192.168.1.101 machine to the 192.168.1.102? And visa versa? If we can't ping we are dead in the water. I read one of your coments that you are unable to ping from the desktop. We need to investigate that further.

Next, START > RUN and enter \\192.168.1.101 from the 192.168.1.102 machine. What do you get?

Next, START > RUN and enter \\192.168.1.102 from the 192.168.1.101 machine. What do you get?

Once we get to this point and everything works ok, we can go onto the next step.

Do you have simple file sharing turned on?
Are both machines configured on the same workgroup?
Do you have the same userid's and passwords on both machines?

 

Ok the microsoft link was no help and to contact microsoft cost 60 bucks for help wich is BS.

Anyways you are correct I can ping from the laptop (192.168.1.101) to the desktop (192.168.1.102) but no vise versa. Ill do as you asked when I get home and see what comes up that way so we can move on.

Simple file sharing is on with both machines and both are in the same workgroup (MShome) and both machines are loged onto the user account named Share with the same passwords on both. Firewall is off on desktop and on the laptop Microsoft security center doesnt launch at all so the firewall should be off as security center is crashed and can not be relaunched.

Would it have to do wiht the desktop running a dual booth with 98 and XP pro with 98 running the boot sector?

Anyways give me a few and ill get those results up for you. I agree this should not be hard ive done it before no issues. Ive also did a system restore back tot he lastime the computers networked properly and it did no help.

 

The fact that you can't ping from 102 to 101 is a problem. I wouln't expect much else to work until we get that sorted out. Are you sure your cable is good? Are you sure it is a crossover cable?

 

I know its good. Same one used last time the network worked. I made it a year ago myself from some good cat5 i stole off the phone guys truck when we got the house rewired. and if i swap what end is pluged to what pc it doesnt change what pc is working right.

 

Humm....you can ping from the laptop to the desktop but not visa versa. On the desktop can you ping 127.0.0.1? From the desktop (192.168.1.102), can you ping 192.168.1.102?

 

Sorry so long 4 reply had cell probs. Bought a crossover cable but solved nothing. I havnt tried to make the desktop ping itself ill do that tonight. If it ends up hardware ima be ticked i have no money 4 a new nic. ill see what it does

 

No clue its not the Nic im on the desktop now on my parents ethernet and its flying through the pages. Though at first I had to use conectivity diagnostics for it to get going im on. Now im even more lost.

 

Interesting. You do have the firewall turned off in both machines, correct?

 

The laptop has no firewall options. Windows security center had a crash a long time ago and is permantly lost. As far as the desktop yes firewall is off along with virus protection when I try.

 

Go to Device manager on the desktop system and delete the network card. Make sure you have the drivers just in case. Then reboot the machine and let Windows configure the network card and TCP/IP. Lets see how that goes.