setting up a small home network

[Neeraj_7]

Hello,

i m trying to set up a small home network consisting of 4 Windows XP running computers through a hub. All the computers have a lan card configured in it. I have configured the IP addresses in all of them as 192.168.0.1 to .4 sequentially. The subnet mask is also configured as 255.255.255.0 in all. But still i am not able to ping the other computers and also they are not visible in my network neighbourhood. Can you all point out what i am doing wrong, or is there any other way for it.

Thanks,
Neeraj.

[Arne Kunisch]

Dear Neeraj,

that might have a dozen of reasons and there are dozens of help files to get on home networking.

Try this step by step guide to check you configuration or type in google: setting up home network (20.200.000 hits)

http://www.geekgirls.com/windowsxp_home_network.htm

Microsoft Ressources:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/default.mspx

Some tips:
* check your cable settings
* check whether you get a light blinking on network adapter after connect to hub
* network name (must be different each pc)
* workgroup name (must be the same each pc)
* ip-settings (must be on same subnet and same ip-range (192.168.0.x x must be different from 1 to 255)
* use start - execute - cmd and the command ipconfig /all to show current configuration.
* ping your own ip-adress to check your adapter (loop back)

If you get more specific questions after check out the online ressources - get back, we will try to help as far it is possible.

Greetings
Arne Kunisch

[Jorge Pinto Leite]

Ho Neeraj

Some more tips:
1. Check firewalls of PC's
2. Share anything in all of them and see if it appears in network neighbourhood
3. Try to access by IP (i.e., in PC with IP address 192.168.0.1 type Start/Run and type \\192.168.0.2)

[B. Hulst]

Hi,

You should be able to ping them, unless:

- you enabled the Xp firewall
- your default gateway is not on the 192.168.0 network.

Set the default gateway to 192.168.0.1 and then see if you can ping it.

If ping works then the higher layers on top of ip should start to work.

Regards,
Bob

[Norman_21]

Hello Neeraj,

In my understanding, you are unable to ping any computer because there is no gateway configured. In other words, you don't have a router.
Therefore, in your case, you're setting up a peer to peer network P2P which simply needs two things to be setup.
Enable the File and Printer sharing Microsoft Service in all Windows XP computers and setup the Workgroup name to be the same name in all Windows XP computers. Static IP is not necessary.
I'm not sure if you have Windows XP Home Edition or Professionla Edition but this Microsoft Article should help you:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813936

Please keep us updated
Thanks

[Neeraj_7]

hello all,

thanks for your replies and support. i have gone thru all the articles & links. But still my problem is not solved. Currently i am trying for only two Pcs to connect, if it works i will connect my other two pcs. On the first PC, in my network places , it is showing shared docs of the same pc, so i guess on this pc , configuration is okay. but on the other it is not showing anythng. i have checked that the workgroups are same and also the Pcs have unique name. also all the network software are installed. the lights are also on , on the hub & network card, so i guess the hardware is okay.
The other PC has a bluetooth connection & also a modem, i tried disabling them both and then connecting , that also didn't worked.
plz help me may be i am doing some simple thing wrong.

[B. Hulst]

Hi,

Yeah, the XP home edition is only usefull to connect to msn.com. Not for setting up a home network.

Install on one pc the software called ethereal and sniff the network what is actually on the wire???

Regards,
Bob

[Norman_21]

Neeraj,

The Shared Docs at the first PC means that you run the Home Network Wizard at that PC. Did you run the Home Network Wizard at the other PC?

Go to the command prompt and type:
ipconfig/all

Do the same for the two PC's and post the results over here.

Thanks

[Les Ligetfalvy]

Well... ping is ping, and as long as there is no firewall enabled you should be able to ping the other computer without any wizards. Since they are both in the same subnet, the GW need not concern you.

Make sure the firewall is disabled on both PCs for the test. Once you can ping, then you can work on the finer points of networking.

[Neeraj_7]

Hello All

sorry for the late reply. i got busy in somethng. I have tried out a lot of things now, but still without any sucess. Even i am not able to ping my own computer. I have modem configured in both the computers, even i disabled/uninstalled them both, and tried connecting network , but that also didnt give any positive reults. I am attaching here the result of ipconfig /all command for both compauters. May be thn you all can have idea about my configuration.

Rgds,
Neeraj.

[Norman_21]

Hello Nerraj,

Use the following subnet:

192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.5

No Entry in GateWay
Remove IP's from DNS

I changed your ipconfig/all output. look at the attachment.

The Modem has nothing to do with your home network

[Norman_21]

Off course the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

[Neeraj_7]

Hello LATIF,

i tried what u suggested. But still i am unable to ping either of the two computers.

Rgds,
Neeraj.

[Les Ligetfalvy]

Disable the firewalls for testing with ping.

[Norman_21]

ipconfig/all again on both computers and post is here.

Did you make the LAN Cables yourself?
Did you try different ports in the hub?
Do you have a 3rd party firewall software e.g) Zone Alram?
Are you on SP2? If yes, is your Firewall truned on? Open the Windows Firewall icon in the control panel and see if the firewall is turned on? turn it off and ping.

Keep us updated please

[Neeraj_7]

Hello Latif and all,

thanks for all ur support and help. my problem is solved. May be there was a problem in the Lan card of both the computers, i m still not sure. I tried with the other two computers and it worked. but now when i add the 3rd computer(ip - 192.168.1.2)(the one which previously didn't worked) , it gets added to the network and it detects the other two computers on network, but the other two are not able to detect this or ping this. Even it is pinging the other two computers but it is not able to ping itself. And other two are also not able to ping this computrer. I find it very starnge.
Thats why i am thinking of changing the network card of this computer. Lets hope it helps.
Once again thanks for all your help.

Rgds,
Neeraj.

[Norman_21]

Neejra,
I still think that are some ports blocked due to firewall settings or so?
However, try to uninstall TCP/IP & reinstall it again.
Also, use the free utility from Microsoft PORTQRY.EXE to determine what port maybe blocked. Run this utility in both the working and the none working computers and compare the results.

Donwload it from here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310099

You have the option to download the portqry.exe command line or the Graphical portqryUI which is easier to use.

If you already resovled your problem, please tell us how?

Thanks

[David Morrison-Gardiner]

Neeraj,

I understand the point of setting up a small home network and I am curious... exactly how does this network connect to the WAN (External network a.k.a the net for example)?

If you are planning to connect a modem to one of the machines and use it for access or do you have a faster connection?

Have a look at the attached file and see how this goes.

Regards,

Dave