OK. so I got 2 Biff boxes - now what

[Biff]

I had enough parts to build a P3 933 box running W98 SE. I intended to build this to crunch DC for XPc NEO project.

Now this is where I get bamboozled, it seems I need an internet connection to upload completed files. Even if the aforementioned wasn't true I'd like to be able to transfer some files back and forth between Pc's. I got only one lan plug in the wall and that is plugged into my onboard AMD duallie box thats running W2K. I have got a couple of network cards lying around, but got no idea where to start.

Appreciate any insight or helpful links members can give me..:)
Biff

[Axel]

ok - want you want is an inexpensive network hub with - and this is important - an uplink port -

you might try to get a netgear DS-104 minihub - 4 ports of which one can be converted into an uplink port with the push of a button. Plug the uplink port into the wall outlet and the 2 PC's into the other ports.

you can expect to spend about $35 to $50 for a good minihub new and might be able to find something cheaper used.

That and three known good network cables and you'll be all set once you've installed those NIC's int he PC's and set up the TCP/IP protocol properties on the PC's

[Biff]

Hey, thanks for the speedy reply Axel, I'll check that out this afternoon..:)

edited to include what I've done.
So I got a hub with upload port on it, that is wired into the wall, two other ports used for both Pc's. How do I figure out the properties of the second box? it comes up with network conflict if I use my original boxes properties

Hehehe, this is like being a newbie all over again huh..lol
Thanks Axel - Biff

[Ski52]

2 machines + 3 NIC's and a crossover cable and you're in business.
Using Windows
2 NIC's in the main box, 1 for the LAN/internet connection and 1 for the mini 2 machine network. Make sure both machines are in the exact same workgroup but have different names, and Winderz should walk you through the rest. That's what I use, and XP even set-up ICS (Internet Cinnection Sharing) all by itself. Made it idiot-proof - which helped me a lot!!

Good Luck
Ski

Oops I see you already got a hub...........

Good Luck anyway!!:)

[Biff]

With the new hub installed it seems my internet connection is slower. Could this be due to a slower hub than required? It's a cheapie hub I guess, Mine only mentions 10Mbps, now I see others that say 10/100. My ISP is a small independant, but I think it's just as fast as cable.

I'll check out the workgroups and names and re enter the properties and see what happens..:)

Thanks for the info ski

[Mntsnow]

well if your browsing on both computers at the same time you will of course see slightly slower speeds and your sharing the available bandwidth

[smokin]

It wouldn't be the hub slowing things down..as 10Mbps is way faster than your ISP can dish it out..
;)

[Biff]

hehehehe, I'm not that far yet mntsnow, I'm browsing only on my original biffbox (AMD duallie)

So how do I set up a network? I tried setting the TCP/IP properties in both boxes the same but with different computer names. All I got was errors mentioning conflicts.

I'm totaly lost here and appreciate any help with the settings.

Thanks - Biff

[smokin]

How do you connect to the Internet? Cale?/ADSL?/Dial up?

How many IP numbers does your ISP provide? If they allow 2, and many do, it should be as easy as setting up the network properties on the second computer the same as your main one.

[Biff]

I'm not sure what connection I got, it's not cable or dial up. I got a network wire running into my sute, and it seems just as fast as when I had cable in my old place.

Sorry smokin, that's the best answer I got.

As far as 2 IP's I'm not sure here is what I got.

IP address xxx. xxx. xx. 6

default gateway xxx. xxx. xx. 5

prefered DNS xxx. xxx. xx. 5

Alt DNS xxx. xxx. xx. 4

It's a freebie service I'm getting, I work at a commercial building and live on site as I'm on call eve & weekends. The ISP is a tenant in the building and they wired me up no charge. I'd be a little dubious about asking em for another ip...lol

I got another network card, whats this crossover cable? would that give me the same effect? or is using the hub a better way to go?

Many thanks Guys...:)

[smokin]

Hey Biff
Looks like a few posts went AWOL.
Here is a link or two for you

http://www.homenethelp.com/home-networking.asp

http://www.helmig.com/

:)

[fshanda]

First turn off the systems.

If you have a cable running into your studio you should just plug it into the first port of the hub and not the uplink port . You shouldnt need to use the uplink port unless you add a second hub. Then run a cable from the biff box to the 2nd port and a cable from the second box to the 3rd port. Make sure the cables are not crossover cables and are standard networking cables. With the cable running to your studio I would assume that ICS is allready setup somewhere in the building and you are just getting a line from a server.

Then fire up the first system and then the second.

[Biff]

Hehehe, you guys are a life saver...:)

Yeah a few posts went awal smokin, thanks for reposting the links.

So I wired it up wrong. I had the cable from the ISP to the uplink port, then 2 cables from reg port to each box.

From what I've read, I should be able to use all the same settings for both boxes, but use different computer names, and make sure they are in the same workgroup. Would that be correct?

Looks like I got some more testing to do eh guys.
Thanks for hanging in there...:) Biff

[smokin]

Sounds right to me. That's what I do here.
:)

[Axel]

that doesn't sound quite right to me -

if you have your computers set to DHCP in the TCP/IP settings, then all you do need is different computer names -

You seem to indicate that you are using TCP/IP static addresses in the settings - so simply having 2 different computer names won't do it - you need to go DHCP and let your local network / router assign you IP addresses, or you need 2 IP's - otherwise your conflict will continue and one of your speed problems is that you have an on-going network conflict.....

The cheapie 10BaseT is faster than most ISP's, but it is a choke point - recommend you go up to an auto-sensing 10/100 TCP/IP minihub -

As for not having to use the uplink port - if you want to get out - I'm reasonably certain you'll have to use the uplink port depending on what kind of network arrangement you are connecting into. Otherwise - you are connecting as if you were peer computers - not 2 PC's trying to effectively share one TCP/IP RJ-45 jack -

At the moment - you need more information - what are you connecting into at the other end of your suite network drop? Depending on what your supplier has set up - you'll have to either get another IP or get their help in configuring your second computer.

One note on the computer name - on most networks - the TCP/IP address or DHCP setting matters most - the computer name is a secondary consideration. The computer name is cross referenced in the DNS server on the network if your ISP gave you a name with the IP address.... if not, then the network doesn't know anything about your computer name until someone browses the network for you - This is a little different in newer networks running windows 2000 server that uses active directory which actually grabs some of this information "for" you,....

Network naming heirarchy is as follows:

adapter MAC address - hard wired on the NIC
TCP/IP address - either in the network settings or assigned by the DHCP server
and last
computer host name - either as coded in the computer software settings, or as assigned within the DNS server to that TCP/IP address.

Once a network senses the MAC address from the network adapter on the computer - it assigns a network IP address to that MAC based on what it finds on the PC network settings, or what it finds in the DNS tables - it then ties any PC host name to that IP address and, by translation, to that MAC address. It first uses what it has coded in the DNS server and if there's nothing there, it takes the PC host name off the computer. You can get some interesting conflicts and errors when the dns entry , and the pc host name have the same IP but a different pc name.

So talk with your service provider if you can and ask what you are connecting to so we can give you better advice on exactly how to set this up.

[Biff]

Thanks for dropping by Axel

I believe you are right as far as my ISP's cable needing to go to the uplink port. Any other way and I can't get online.

I will take your advice and do 2 things.
1) I'll go up and see the guys who hooked me up and see what they come up with.
2) I'll go to the store and get a auto-sensing 10/100 TCP/IP minihub

There is one thing that has got my feathers all ruffled though. I thought it would be a good idea to set up my 2nd box on its own, I mean only my ISP cable going to it. It came up with conflict errors even then. I'm not really sure what is going on, I got the same error with nothing hooked up on reboot, could it be stored in memory?

This is what I got (providing I did it right)
well it didn't show up, it was just a jpg explaining the error (conflict for ip blah blah at hardware address 00:02:4A:4F: 84:1C


At this point I feel like going ARGGGGGGGGG but it is close to bedtime, enough is enough.

I look foreward to posting back tomorrow and letting u know how I made out. Many, Many thanks for hanging in there guys
Biff

[Axel]

I see two possibilities -

Change your IP address or see if you can locate that MAC address -

Best bet - change your IP - the chances of you finding that MAC address , unless it's your second box, are so incredibly remote as to not be worth your time.

best of luck -

[Biff]

AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

OK. So here is the scoop, hehehe thanks for hanging in.

1) I got 4 IP's now...lol
2) I got a 5 port 10/100 full duplex ethernet switch.

I can now get online with both boxes, no conflicts come up on boot up.

NOW
On my second box (biffbox2, W98SE) it shows in windows explorers network icon biffbox and biffbox2. Clicking on the biffbox icon its empty as in not reading anything from my AMD duallie running W2K. Now I have 3 primary network logon choices for the second machine biffbox2 W98SE, these are
Windows logon
Microsoft Family Logon
Client for Microsoft Networks - I tried all 3 choices.

On the W2K box (biffbox) are ya still with me .....lol.. I got no network neighberhood icon on desktop or in windows explorer. In computer management services the shared folder shows all my drives with $ nxt to em?

I looked in add remove programs, windows components and there is no network neighbourhood to install. I can't remember where the logon type is ( Windows logon Microsoft Family Logon Client for Microsoft Networks) if there is one, all I know is I now gotta log on - bummer

Appreciate help, boy I gotta be close huh?
Thanz Biff

[smokin]

Hmmm
Do you have shares set up on biffbox? Nothing will show until you share a drive or a folder....
There should be a "my network places" icon on your 2k box..
maybe reinstall the network card..

[Biff]

Will try that smokin, thanks.

U mean remove the onboard drivers and reinstall right?. Hey the good news is if I screw that up, I can post back from biffbox2 ..lol

I'll also check and change shared, will post back

edited to include.....HOLEY MOLEY......it's there on biffbox2

I set up a new shared drive and that now shows up on biffbox2 and I can transfer files. I'm really dubious bout removing and reinstalling onboard lan card, but will do. I'm now gonna work on getting the network neighbourhood icon back.... See ya soon

Thankz - Biff

[smokin]

Yeah, that's it. Just uninstall/reinstall the ethernet card..you are getting there
:)

[Biff]

Hey WE are getting somewhere ...:)

It all works, but I still got no network neighbourhood icon. I removed and reinstalled network card, no icon. In windows explorer there is no network neighbourhood icon for me to click on.

I was able to get to it by using the help and typing in share, then hit display. Once there, there is a shortcut to network neighbourhood. I got it bookmard now too! Once the shortcut is clicked the network neighbourhood & biffbox & Bb2 come up in explorer.

I'm not going to worry about that, as I'm going to be putting in my 15k rpm. SCSI drive once I get the cables. I guess we can all get some rest before I post my network prob after installing new hdd.....ROFLMAO

Hey thanks everyone for hangin in there....Coffee & donuts on me tomorrow.:bunny:
Biff