Accessing the internet on 2 home laptops at the same time

[Bill Zanetti]

Dear Ernest,

My apologies but the cable was not connected at the time I did the ipconfig/all. As the colours on the cable did not seem to match I might have been using a cross-over cable especially as it was a cable that someone had helped me setup a home network elsewhere previously.

So I have connected the cable as is and I have connected to the internet on the host computer and repeated the ipconfig/all. Here are the results:-

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : bznewhp
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-35-F5-53-79

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 C+ Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-4B-66-03
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth LAN Access Server Driver
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B3-6D-59-D4

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : BZMULTIMEDLTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 C+ Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-3F-D2-1F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

PPP adapter 21ctl:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.2.148
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.2.148
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.7.1
80.248.6.5
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

As I was doing the ipconfig on the host a yellow danger triangle appeared in the tray saying that there was an ipconfig address conflict.

Finally I should say that I donâ t have a choice concerning my ISP, and that the problem might be with them as the service is not good? However the yellow triangle seems to suggest the problem is with me.

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[Ernest Ford]

Bill

You do have an ip address conflict, as both systems are showing 192.168.0.1 as the ip address.

It looks like you may have run the ICS setup on both systems - you're only supposed to do it on the one with the internet connection that will be shared. The second system (in this case the one at the top of the list) should show DHCP enabled and an ip address of 192.168.0.2, with default gateway and DNS server of 192.168.0.1.

[Bill Zanetti]

Dear Ernest,

I thought the problem was with the setting up of Internet Connection Sharing so I redid the whole thing with the cable connected but to no avail. It still gives me page not displayed.

Here are the â ipconfig/allâ

Host:-

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : BZMULTIMEDLTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 C+ Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-3F-D2-1F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

PPP adapter 21ctl:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.2.13
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.2.13
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.248.7.1
80.248.6.5
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

And here is the client:-

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : bznewhp
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139C+ Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-4B-66-03
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth LAN Access Server Driver
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B3-6D-59-D4

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

I am sure you will readily note that both are saying the different computers are hosts and on the supposed client DHCP is not enabled.

So I am back to the forum looking for help.

Just to note I used the following for setup:-

â How to configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID : 306126
Last Review : June 23, 2005
Revision : 3.9
â

Thanks again for all your help.

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[Ernest Ford]

I find it odd that the "client" doesn't show DHCP enabled but no matter, let's do some troubleshooting.

Make sure the first system is connected to the internet, and that you can browse, and then go to the client system and open a command prompt and try to ping the ISP dns server - ping 80.248.7.1 - you should get back 4 replies, with a bunch of numbers, anything other than a time out is probably ok.

Once that works try - ping www.yahoo.com - and - ping 68.142.226.36 - let me know the results.

The first ping tests the systems ability to communicate across the internet and the second two check for dns resolution, between them we should have a reasonable idea of where the problem lies and how to fix it.

[Bill Zanetti]

Dear Ernest,

I tried pinging the host machine and got the following - I tried with 3 different cables that I have picked up over time:-


C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ping 80.248.7.1

Pinging 80.248.7.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 80.248.7.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ping 80.248.7.1

Pinging 80.248.7.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 80.248.7.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>ping 80.248.7.1

Pinging 80.248.7.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 80.248.7.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\Documents and Settings\BillZ>


I am presuming all 3 cables are the wrong type but they appear different:-

Ist cable not in above order


One end:-

From Above

Top LtoR

Red Orange Blue Green

Bottom from above L to R

Red Orange Blue Green

Other end

From above
Top L to R

Red Green Blue Orange

Bottom L to R

Red Green Blue Orange

I therefore presune this is cross-over


2nd cable

one end

From above

Top Lto R

Red Green Blue Orange

Bottom

Red Green Blue Orange


other end

From above

Top Lto R

Red Green Blue Orange

Bottom

Red Green Blue Orange

This one is straight across.

Both cables gave the same ping result.

is it the the cable?

All the Best

Bill Z

[Ernest Ford]

Bill - the cables should have eight conductors and RJ45 plugs. Wires should be in color pairs - blue & blue/white - orange & orange/white - green & green/white - brown & brown/white. If your cables only have four conductors, they are definitely the wrong type.

There are two possible wiring configurations, what we call TIA568A & TIA568B, which would dictate the colors used in a straight-through cable, but no standard exists for a cross-over.

With the clip at the bottom, looking from the top, the connectors are numbered from left to right, 1 through 8. You need 1-3,2-6,3-1,4&5 don't care,6-2, 7&8 don't care.

[Bill Zanetti]

Dear Ernest,

Before you replied I tried the ICS again with the cable I thought was cross-over. This time I said for the connection to obtain IP automatically and DHCP is enabled.

AS for the cables they were made for me in China by a technician and worked for connecting PC to laptop - from my recollection - three years ago. The reason I mention that is that thye would not have industry standard. I am now in Nigeria where I am even less likely to get a cross-over cable as you specified, but I will try.

Otherwise I can get one at Xmas when I travel.

Thanks again for your help.

All the Best

Bill Z

[Ernest Ford]

Bill

I don't know how difficult it is to find this sort of stuff in Nigeria, but if you can find an inexpensive network hub or switch and a couple of regular (straight-through) ethernet cables, you can connect both laptops to the hub and it should work that way.

[Bill Zanetti]

Dear Ernest,

Everything is difficult in Nigeria but I will give it a go. I will try to investigate buying this cable but unless I am absolutely certain what I am buying they will sell me a cow.

Let me be clear about the 4 cables that I do have. They were used for broadband or ADSL. Does that make them unusable?

I hoard cables so I have no idea when I used them. For example I used broadband in the UK two years ago, ADSl in China the year before, and Adsl in Bahrain the year before that. I throw the cables in a bag and when you said rf47 and the end fit I assumed wrongly?

I found some writing in the cables - maybe that can help you advise me.

UP Broadband 3061004CSL ENHANCED CAT 5e UTP 24AWG 4PR CM(UL) C(UL)CMG-FT4-ETL VERIFIED TIA/EIA 568A 913176FT (I THINK THIS ONE IS CROSSOVER)

ANPU ZEYUANXUN ENTERRPISE 24 AWG NETWORKING CABLE CAT 5E 4UTP YD/T926.2 16:30 0230396 FT 2001.12.28 (I THINK THIS ONE IS CROSS-OVER)

YFC UTP CAT 5E PATCH ISO/IEC 11801 & EN 50288 &TIA/EIA 568B.2 3P VERIFIED FOR GIGABIT ETHERNET 24 AWGx4P TYPE CM(UL) C(UL) CMH E164469-F3 (ITHINK THIS ONE IS STRAIGHT ACROSS)

AMP NETCONNECT CATEGORY 5e CABLE E138034 1300 24AWG CM/MP (UL) C
c(UL) CMG/MPG (UL) VERIFIED TO CATEGORY 5 000079266FT 0238 (I think this one is straight across).

Do you think I have anything useful to solve my problem?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[Ernest Ford]

From the markings on the cables they would be Cat5e and certainly the correct type - the question now becomes one of how they are wired.

In your earlier post, you speak of

One end:-

From Above

Top LtoR
Red Orange Blue Green
Bottom from above L to R
Red Orange Blue Green

which seems to suggest you have two rows of four conductors, which I have not seen in an ethernet environment - normally it's eight conductors in a single row.

We could try another round of ping tests - you would need to temporarily disable the Windows XP firewall on both systems for this - try to ping the two systems from one another - ping 192.168.0.1 - and - ping 192.168.0.2 - this really should have been the first of the ping tests, but I skipped it because it requires disabling the firewall.

I think there may be a remote possibility that your problem is being caused by the firewall, so if this works try going online with the firewall disabled.

I suggest this step only as a test, if it does allow ICS to function we would need to work out how to get ICS & the firewall to work together, because using the internet without a firewall is a distinctly risky proposition.

The potential problem is I have ZERO experience with the XP, SP2 firewall and ICS, I got broadband in 2002 and replaced the W98SE PC running ICS that I was using to share dialup with a Cisco SOHO 71