LAN and 2 Laptops

Hello, I have not much knowledge on this issue, I am trying to link two laptops togethor that are running Windows XP in order to play Command and Conquer Red Alert 2. I have tried the following methods with no luck-first I tried a crossover cable, then I tried my wireless router, using the hard wired ethernet ports available on it. With the crossover cable I found out that you must set a static ip address and disable dhcp? (ok how the heck you do that?), my router was originally hooked up to my dsl modem and desktop, I removed it and tried just hooking it up between the laptops with ethernet cables and I was able to see shared files between the two laptops, however the game refuses to see the network when I try to play a LAN game. I would really appreciate any tips or knowledge on this, I am a computer noob but could follow any instructions given if you could help??? Thank You.

 

Well, it seems you are going a bit overboard just to run a lan. If you had the labtops on a wireless network already, they were technically connected already. Hosting a game at that point should word. However, wireless networks tend to have hosting issues (atleast to my experiences) so hard wireing the devices may be the better route. As long as both labtops are connected, it "should" run.

A great way to test the network (wirelessly or wire)-go to command prompt and type ipconfig /all <enter>
A list of info will run through listing your ip address. With the other labtop, run command prompt and type ping "-insert ip address here- <enter>

See if it works. if it pings, networks fine. If it doesn't, check firewall settings, and connection settings.

 

Red alert 2 requires the installation of the IPX protocol on the network, otherwise it won't recognize the network.

So here is what you do, after you've established a network (i.e you can share files), go to network connections from the control panel and right click the connection then hit properties. After that hit Install button and choose protocol from the window that popped up, then hit add. Another window should open up, select the one with IPX/SPX in it and hit ok. Once you've installed the protocol on both PCs you should be able to play RA2