Crossover help?

Hello. first I would like to appologize if this has already been answered, I looked but couldn't find it. Now that we have that out of the way. I have 2 computers, a desktop and a laptop.
Desktop (Home Made):
P4 2.4 ghz
512 DDR
XP Pro
ATI Radeon 9550
Gigabit LAN card (Don't know brand)

Laptop (Dell Inspiron 3100):
P4 2.4 ghz
256 DDR
XP Home
ATI Mobile card (Equivalent to a Radeon 7000 I think)
NIC (Again, not sure the brand.)

Anything else, please ask and I would be happy to provide any information I can find.

Now the problem. the desktop has a wireless connection via a Linksys USB network adapter. The model is WUSB54G. I don't really have the money to get another for my laptop, but I do have a crossover cable. I was thinking I could connect the laptop to the desktop with the crossover cable and get internet and file sharing between the two. So far, no dice. All my antivirus and firewalls are turned off and both computers have different, static IPs (192.186.1.112, and 192.168.1.111). I tried to run network setup wizard on both of them. Both are on the same workgroup but the desktop cannot see the laptop on it. When the laptop tries to connect to the destop, i get the error:

\\Ptc-mikes-deskt is not accessable. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the network path is correct and the destination computer is not busy or turned off. If Windows still cannot find the network path, contact your network administrator.

So there is my problem. I am headded to Radio Shack to BUY a crossover cable to double check it isn't the cable, but I am pretty sure that isn't the problem. Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Michael Cusick

 

Have you done the network setup wizard this may work

 

As for the Desktop not letting your laptop connect you need to:
Go to Start menu, control panel, Administrative Tools. Then open Local Security Policy (EVERYTHING EXPLAINED BY THE PARTS ABOUT LAPTOP I AM TALKING ABOUT YOUR DESKTOP)

Click Local Policies then user rights assignments. At the top there will be an option that says ACCESS THIS COMPUTER FROM THE NETWORK. Double click this and add your username and delete the rest. (Make sure your usernames on your laptop and Desktop are the same otherwise may not work.) Click OK.

Now go back to the menu at the side and click security options. Then scroll down to NETWORK ACCESS: SHARING AND SECURITY MODEL FOR LOCAL ACCOUNTS. Click this and make sure it is set as classsic. Once all this is done and you have applied it all. Try accessing again. It may ask for a username and password if so enter the one for your desktop.

some people may well do this differently but I find this a secure way of sharing files. Good Look

 

Mark, XP home does not have GPO like Pro does. If connecting to another computer without a Router, you have to go through the ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) steps, and that will make the other machine into a router for the other computer to utilize the network.

If a router is available, then you just need to hook up to the router via Ethernet and you can hook up wireless with the other computer. Mike, I would suggest hooking the desktop up to the router if you can (this may mean relocating the router to be near the computer), and using the USB WiFi adapter for the laptop. This is the easiest solution, since you already have enough equipment.

As for Mark's suggestion, you should not have to go through the Policy steps, due to the steps he mentioned are only if you are hooking up to a Domain, and will not work on the XP Home, due to XP Home does not have policies like Pro does.

 

Big Mike, here is a little more to chew on.

1. if your desktop is getting an IP of 192.168.1.X wirelessly then you cannot assign the nic card on it and the laptop on the same subnet. ie you have to make it 192.168.0.X

2. On xp pro uncheck "Enable Simple File Sharing" under tools, folder options, view in Windows Explorer. You wont have that option in Home edition.

3. It helps if you have a common accounts on both computers

4. do the ICS wizard like Brownizs reccomended and you should be good (Once you do this, step 1. is unneeded, it's just good to know)

 

you could try having the same account name/password on both computers.

 

Michael Cusick are you using any form of Norton Anti Virus software. I find that unless I unistall it it would block file and internet sharing

 

Mark, Norton A/V does not block file and Internet Sharing, it is the Firewall portion. Even then, all you have to do is go in and set the rules.

What this user needs to do first is get the systems to get a IP, then we can go forward from there. The easiest way to network, is take the USB Wifi and place in the Laptop, and connect the desktop to the Router, so that way you are using the Router to do the work, not trying to double NAT, which will cause problems.

Problem with using ICS, is that the other machine has to be on all the time.

Mike, try this site http://ezlan.net/basic.html
http://ezlan.net/Installing.html

 

When did he ever say he had a router. +Norton AV is a general pain that is why i brought it up. Slows pc performance and blocks certain things.

 

Wow, I just got back from Vegas. Lots of help to choose from. Thanks for the advice from everyone so far, I will see if I can figure something out. There are a couple things I should clear up. First, the laptop is a 5100 NOT a 3100, if that makes a difference. Secondly, I am currently unable to relocate the desktop to the router. It is in my roommate's room about 200' (we measured) away. Lastly, I do have Norton System Works 2005, but I plan to reinstall Windows XP Home on the laptop. It needs a cleaning and my subscription is up. Well, hopefully that can help some. Thanks again for all the help from all of you. I will get started on it and see what I can do!

 

Oh, I just thought of something else! If it would be easier, I could install XP Pro. Although it is a corporate edition that my university gives out to all its students, it is still a full fledged copy I believe. If thoufh would be better, I could do that. Whatever is easiest. Thanks again!

 

Well, after a little fussing with it, I have file sharing. YAY! Now I just need to figure out the internet sharing Thanks for the help so far and keep it coming (I don't mean to impose though).