Lan vista-xp issue...

Jecht

Jecht

New Member
Hi everybody! I'm just arrived on this forum cos i'm going mad at this issue... Hope to not post something already asked, but i think it wasn't...
What i'd like to do is to set up a LAN as showed by the picture, in order to share the internet connection and one printer:

The PCs are linked to the switch by direct patch cable, not crossover. The network adapters are configurated as below:
  • IP: 192.168.0.x (where x is from 1 to 3, one for each pc)
  • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
  • Gateway: 192.168.0.1
  • DNSs: the ones of my ISP
The only think that work is the connection to the internet from the main computer (the vista one...)

I don't thing the network isn't working for the different OSs, cos this happened even before to migrate the main computer to Vista...
Hope you can help me to solve my problem!...Bye! ;)


PS: i'm italian, so i apologize for my english if i did some mistake... :P :D
 
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Get a router to connect to the modem and the switch so that all computers can share the internet.
Or setup ICS on the Vista PC.
 
But if i connect the by a router,can they share files? (sorry i forgot to tell you...)
Honestly, i prefer to enable the ICS, but when i do that vista tell me that "an error occured"...
Anyway, they don't communicate at all for now...
 
Jecht said:
But if i connect the by a router,can they share files? (sorry i forgot to tell you...)
Honestly, i prefer to enable the ICS, but when i do that vista tell me that "an error occured"...
Anyway, they don't communicate at all for now...
Click to expand...

A router will share your internet connection. It will be connected to the switch and it will not affect file sharing.
Dose Vista give you a reason for the error when you try to setup ICS?
On your PC's see if you have the File and Printer Sharing Exception enabled in the firewall settings?
 
Camper said:
A router will share your internet connection. It will be connected to the switch and it will not affect file sharing.
Dose Vista give you a reason for the error when you try to setup ICS?
On your PC's see if you have the File and Printer Sharing Exception enabled in the firewall settings?
Click to expand...

obviously...not! it'll be too much for vista gives reason for what it's doing... :P
It just says "An error occurred while ICS was being enabled"... °__°
But first i'd like to connect them for sharing files, enable the ICS is secondary for now... The main computer (the vista one) has the file and printer sharing enabled on his firewall, an even the other 2 PCs have it...
Is the hardware correct? Did I mistake configuring something? Is something missing?
 
Can the computer ping each other?
Ping is a command prompt command. To ping another computer go to start -> run -> type CMD and hit enter -> then ping "IP of the target computer"

Are all the computers in the same workgroup?
 
no, they don't ping! (can't check the computer #3 cos it's out at the moment... it's a laptop...)
the workgroup is the same for all...


Hardware:
  • Switch netgear 8-port fast ethernet 10/100MBps FS608 v2 (compatibility:IEEE 802.3i 10BASE-t ethernet, IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-tx fast ethernet, IEEE 802.3x Flow), all cables are direct patch cable, not crossovers....
  • Main computer:
    • Windows Vista Ultimate
    • Realtek 8139 NIC fast ethernet adapter
    • IPv4: 192.168.0.1
    • Slot #1 on the switch
  • Computer #2:
    • Windows XP Pro SP2
    • Realtek 8139 NIC fast ethernet adapter
    • IPv4: 192.168.0.2
    • Slot #2 on the switch
  • Computer #3:
    • Windows XP Pro SP2
    • 3-Com integrated NIC fast Ethernet adapter (dunno the model at the moment...)
    • IPv4: 192.168.0.3
    • Slot #3 on the switch
 
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Give this setup a try:
# Main computer:
* Windows Vista Ultimate
* IPv4: 192.168.1.2
* Subnet: 255.255.255.0
* Slot #1 on the switch
* Default Gateway "IP of Modem"

# Computer #2:
* Windows XP Pro SP2
* IPv4: 192.168.1.3
* Subnet: 255.255.255.0
* Slot #2 on the switch

# Computer #3:
* Windows XP Pro SP2
* IPv4: 192.168.1.4
* Subnet: 255.255.255.0
* Slot #3 on the switch
 
Wouldn't you want to have the modem connected to the switch connected to the 3 pc's? Basically, as the diagram shows, moving the switch from behind the 3 computers to in front of them, connected to the modem. Then from the switch connect the 3 pc's...
 
Platinum said:
Wouldn't you want to have the modem connected to the switch connected to the 3 pc's? Basically, as the diagram shows, moving the switch from behind the 3 computers to in front of them, connected to the modem. Then from the switch connect the 3 pc's...
Click to expand...

I believe he would need a router for that. However some modems are also routers in which case this would work.

broadband_router_2.png
 
True, I'm thinking of how we have it set up here in my office. We can just plug in a switch and it splits the connection and works fine, but stupid me, I forgot that we are behind a router/firewall to begin with, which is exactly what you just said.
 
how can i found the modem ip?

If i connect my machines according to your last diagram, can they share files and the printer (currently installed on PC#1) or only the internet connection?
My modem is a "Modem/Router Alice Gate w2+" with 4ethernet ports,1usb and wi-fi...If I had to share just the connection, I would have linked the PCs directly to it...

EDIT:
Changing the IPs doesn't work: the don't ping anyway...
I've just notice that in the network connection on the main computer the icon of the realtek RTL8139 (the NIC connected to the switch) loop between this stauses: Network cable unplugged, unidentified network, identifying,enabled... it happens continuously...while the other NIC (the one connected to the modem) is in 'Network' status...Maybe the problem is in the NIC?

I tried this:
Connect the main computer to the switch by the other NIC (the usally use for the modem). Ping results: click here! Seems that the PC#3 doesn't reply...
 
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May I suggest this setup for you, after reviewing all of your components.

network_diagram.bmp


If your printer is ethernet compatible, connect it to the modem/router, or switch, your choice - they'll both work. You will need to install the printer driver on every computer.

Sharing it via the main computer, assuming the printer name is MYPRINTER, and the computer name is MYVISTAPC, use the following setup. Once the drivers are installed on all PC's, set the printer location to \\MYVISTAPC\MYPRINTER and all PC's will be able to access the printer. The main PC must be on to allow printing, but not if it is connected to the modem/router or switch.

The internet connection will be automatically shared, so if the setup shown is used, it will work. If you have more than 1 HDD's on the main PC, set one to use as a Network Storage drive. If not, create a partition. Anything stored on the network disk or partition, will be able to be accessed by any PC, but the catch is that the Vista PC needs to be on. I would recommend accquiring a networkable HDD, that either plugs into your modem/router or switch. These are about the same price as a normal HDD, or you can buy an adapter that converts an external USB HDD to Ethernet compatible.

If you need some info on how to setup drive networking using internal disks or partitions, post back and I will give you the info, but for now, I'll try to keep the post short.
 
Uhmmm... But in this case, i need the switch? My modem is a modem/router, and it has the possibility to configure VPSs (ITAlian page)...
Which differences are there between the configuration suggested by azwebs and the creation of a VPS? i'm sorry for my "noobness" :P
 
I would setup the LAN just as azwebs said. Connected to the modem/router at http://192.168.1.1 and setup DHCP. You should be able to find setup instructions on that website. Then I would set up all the computers to obtain their IP and DNS automatically.

I don't speak or read Italian but I believe that page is talking about port forwarding. If you had a service like an E-mail or Web Server you would use this to direct e-mail and web traffic to the correct computer.
 
Ok, i set up the network as you suggested, but i have this issues now:
  • Running the ping command, the main computer is the only pc that receive replies (0% loss) from the other 2 PCs. From there i can navigate the shared docs and folders located on the laptop (PC#3), but not the PC#2's even if it's possible to see it in "my network places" (but i can't acces...)
  • The PC#2 doesn't see anything at all
  • The laptop (PC#3) can only see but not navigate the PC#2's shared docs and folders (the same behavior on the main pc). It cannot connect anyway to the main computer (the laptop doesn't see it in my network places), and consequently can't connect to the shared printer (i've an USB printer, not an ethernet one)
  • PC#2 and #3 give this error, and then the connections freeze...
 
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Try turning off windows firewall to see is that allows you to ping and and share documents.
Do the other computers have internet connectivity?
Post the output of the ipconfig /all command from all the PC's

As for the error try running a Google search on it. I'm not exactly sure what would cause that.
 
Ok, everything just works fine now!
the XP PCs doesn't show the shared folders of the vista PC in "my network places" because Vista requires username and password... The vista PCs are visible by the XP ones in "entire network". If you try open them, user/pass form pops up. from now on, if you connect successfully, the Vista PCs' shared docs and folder are visible from my network places. I think was that to cause the ping issue...
Regarding the error, i googled it, and looks like the issue will be resolved by updating the XP systems...

Many thanks to you all! =)
 
No problem, the firewalls where blocking ICMP which is what Ping uses to test network connectivity. I also think that your firewalls might have been blocking file and print sharing. I would suggest you read up on how to setup Windows firewall or better yet see if your modem/router has a firewall. If it dose I would strongly suggest you set it up. It would probably be a better firewall than Windows firewall.
 
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