I hate computers

[low_delta]

Have I mentioned that lately? Yes, I think I have.

I'm trying to get the new computer networked with the other two. I don't understand how I can have a network card installed, and it's recognized by the computer, but it can't connect to anything. The light on the router is on. Its name showed up on the network list on one of the other computers, but it can't connect. How did it get on the network in the first place?

This is fucked up. I don't even know who to call for help. I guess I'll try tech support for the network card.

Comments

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

i'll see if i can send some tips/hints soon, but one thing to do is check that all the computers are in the same "workgroup" and set-up for network shares.

My Computer -> properties -> computer name would be the place.

Also, check the network settings for this interface, be sure it's set-up the same as the other two for DHCP and DNS services.

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

My advice to hit it on the side a good couple of times.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Um.. Okay, I just know how to run the network wizard. Divining any other info is kind of hit or miss. And some of the info that I can find on my own computer (WinME) is not in the same place on the new one (XP).

Let me give you an example. I'm pretty sure I've got the computer names and network name correct, but I can't follow the instructions in your second sentence. I have only an idea what you're talking about in your third sentence, and have no idea how to get check it.

Any idea why one computer thinks it's on the network, even though no computers can actually connect to it? This is probably a red herring.

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

Okay... i've got XP here and at work, but used to have Win2K, and WinNT at work, and 98SE at home. I'll try to go for "what seemed to work" on all of those... (i've never used ME, so I have no idea of it's quirks.)

-----

First let's see if sharing is enabled.

go to settings -> control pannel -> Administrative Tools. Open "Computer Management". In the left pain, select "Shared Folders" and "shares" - the right pane should show a list of what is shared, and the "shared folder" name. This should give a list of 'administrative shares' - we're not done yet!

Go down on the left pane to "Disk Management". The right pain should fill up with stuff about the disk drives and the partitions on the disk drives. For the partitions you want to share, right-click on the partition (in either the list or in the graphic part), open "properties", select the "sharing" tab, and click on the blue warning. This should open up the actual sharing options - in the bottom part, select "share this folder on the network" and set-up a share name. Now that this is set-up, click OK, and close the disk properties and computer management windows.

DHCP!
Checking the settings for this network device: DHCP and DNS...

(on to the next comment... DHCP.)

DHCP

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

Now we're on to "DHCP" - Dynamic Host Control Protocol. This is how the comptuer gets it's network information. The companion to this, DNS or Domain Name Services, is the way this computer looks-up other computers' addresses from their names (like "google.com" has an address of 216.239.37.99).

First off, let's check the settings the easy way. Go to
start -> run . In the box, type "command.com" and click "okay."

A "dos window" should open up. At it's prompt, type

ipconfig /all

This should give you a screen full of stuff. Do the same thing on one of the other computers. Check out ...

Connect-specific DNS suffix   (should be the same on both)
Dhcp Enabled    (should be yes)
Autoconfiguration Enabled   (should be yes)
Subnet Mask  (should be the same on both)
Default gateway (should be the same on both)
DHCP Server  (should be the same on both)
DNS Servers  (should have the same list on both)

We'll go for the easier bits first... if DHCP or Autoconfig are not enabled, go to settings -> network connections . Richt-click the icon for the device we're tweaking, and open "Properties". On the "General" tab, there should be a little window in the middle - scroll down to / select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" - and look at the other settings (there should be a click-box for "file and printer Sharing" - make sure it's clicked).

Okay - so we've selected "Internet Protocol" - click on the "Properties" button under the little window. This will open another new window.

This is the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties" window, there should be two tabs in it - select General tab.

There should be two blocks in this window. The top should be about "IP Address" - select "Obtain an IP address automatically". The bottom should be about DNS - click "Obtain DNS server address automatically".

There's an "advanced" button at the bottom. Click this. It should open up a new window "Advanced TCP/IP Settings, with 4 tabs: IP Settings, DNS, WINS, and Options.

Under "IP settings" there should be two white text boxes - the top one about "IP Addresses" should say "DHCP Enabled". The bottom about "Default Gateways" should be blank.

A little checkbox might be at the bottom called "Automatic Metric" - check this box.

Go to the DNS tab. There are two text windows and some selection thingies - one of the small selection thingies should say "Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes" - check this box. The rest should be pretty well blank.

Go to the WINS tab - this should have a blank text box, and something about LMHOSTS, and somethng about NetBIOS. Enable LMHOSTS lookup. For NetBIOS, start off with "Default". (When we're done, if you still can't talk to the network, you'll go back to this window and click "Enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP; for now let's hope we don't have to open this door.)

Go to the Options tab - this should be TCP/IP filtering. Click on "properties" - and make sure "Permit All" is clicked on all three boxes.

DON'T WORRY if some of this looks different on your computer, or even missing!

Select the "Alternate Configuration" tab. This should be something about "more than one network" - select "Automatic Private IP address".

Now.. before we click "okay" we're going to try something back at the DOS window... type "ping google.com" . If you see anything other than "Reply from ...", the network isn't at all happy.

Back in the Properties windows - click "ok" until all the boxes are closed.

This should leave us with "Network Connections" and the DOS window open.

Right-click the network device again, "disable" it, then "enable" it.
This should let it load-up the new settings. (with ME or other pre-XP versions, you had to shut-down and restart the computer to change network settings.)

Okay - go back to the DOS window, and try to "ping google.com" again.
(really, any network host name should do - google.com, yahoo.com, etc.)

If there's no change, hit the machine with a reboot.. then do the start -> run "command.com" thing again, and try to send out a "ping" again.

Let me know if any of this helps.

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

*whew*... okay, so those last two comments were long-winded and probably more than a little confusing. Appologies for that, but Windows doesn't do anything "easily" no matter what they say. Network stuff is also confusing - even if you've been doing it from the days when network cables were thicker than garden hoses (which I have).

Dig on it.. give it all a shot. It's the only way to get this all going...

Oh - I'm assuming that there's a CAT5E cable (network cable) plugged in between the PC and whatever router/switch/hub the other comptuers are plugged into.

If we don't make good progress on this, perhaps I can work a bit late one of these days soon and call you from there, walk through some of this stuff.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. Just in time for me to stagger off to bed.

Yes, there's a cat5 cable to a router. I know it works because the new comp gets internet. I only just discovered this. I wonder how long it's been functional. I kept getting an error message that I thought was telling me I had no net. I was wrong.

-later

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. Just in time for me to stagger off to bed.

I just realized that sounded a little ungrateful. My intent was to thank you and let you know that I wasn't going to be able to use your info just yet.

I thank you greatly for your assistance.

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

lol! I read it as "Kevin's been working on that damn thing into the wee hours, and his brain is fried", as opposed to anything else. :D

Glad to be of help...