Why does XP home networking hate me? - Technology Forum - Home Theater, Computer, Televisions, Personal Electronics and more!

iceman99 · 08-10-2006, 01:24 AM

For all the useless tidbits of info I know about PCs, my Achilles heel is networking...in all forms. As such, my two home systems aren't speaking.

I ran the XP wizard on both systems, and in the end what I have is both systems telling me the cable is unplugged. I've got a pair of icons in the system tray, both sporting big red Xs, on my main system and one more on the second system.

I'm beyond frustrated trying to get this supposedly-simple and automated task to work. If I wasn't the guy that paid for this equipment, I'd have tossed it all out the window by now.

Can anyone walk me through troubleshooting this non-sense? XP's own trobleshooting thingie is totally useless.

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 01:24 AM

You need to give us a little more information.

Hub/Router/Switch

Crossover cable?

Sharing broadband Internet access?

XP pro or home?

iceman99 · 08-10-2006, 01:25 AM

XP Home SP1 (yea, yea...I know)

One PC has on-board 10/100 by Realtek (Abit AI7 MB) plus an Intel 10/100 PCI card (which is currently the one connected by direct cable to the 2nd PC which has on-board 10/100 also (an SiS MB).

Sharing plain ol' dial-up...but not for much longer.

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 01:25 AM

First off basically every network cable will say patch on the sheath. This is because technically speaking all network cables are patch cables, and it is the way in which the ends are wired are different. So when by patch cable what is actually being called for is a straight through cable. So for general usages patch cable and straight through cable are the same thing, it is just a matter of symantecs.

A straight through "patch" cable just means that both ends are wired to the same standard (TIA 568B in case you were wondering). A crossover cable wires each end to a different standard (one TIA 568B and the other TIA 568A). This is so that like devices can be directly connected, two PCs in your case. The problem is that both PCs are using the same pair of wires to transmit/receive data. They are expecting to transmit on one pair and receive on the other. Well since you used a staright through cable PC A transmits to the NIC on the pair that PC B would use to transmit too, and PC B doesn't see the incoming data. A crossover cable will cross these pairs so that when PC A transmits data it gets to PC B on the pair that PC B is expecting to receive on.

Here is some more info on it if you want to be a real geek and know more than you ever know was possible on this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIA-568B

As far as removing the extra icon for the unused connection just disable it. That will remove the icon, and if you ever wanted to use it later you can enable it easily.

I will second the router recommendation. It will make things much easier for sharing internet, files, and printers. It also gives a simple firewall for when/if you ever get broadband service.

iceman99 · 08-10-2006, 01:25 AM

XP Home SP1 (yea, yea...I know)

One PC has on-board 10/100 by Realtek (Abit AI7 MB) plus an Intel 10/100 PCI card (which is currently the one connected by direct cable to the 2nd PC which has on-board 10/100 also (an SiS MB).

Sharing plain ol' dial-up...but not for much longer.

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 01:25 AM

If you are sharing dial-up but not for much longer, go and get a router. Otherwise if it says cable unplugged, you most likely have a patch cable and not a crossover cable.

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 01:26 AM

To keep it simple, a patch cable connects a PC to hub/switch/router. To connect two PC's together you will need a crossover cable.

iceman99 · 08-10-2006, 01:26 AM

BTW- a little side-note-

How do I eliminate the extra icon in the system tray? There's no 'delete' option under properties...only 'disable'. Once the connection is corrected, I'd like the 2nd icon gone.

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 01:26 AM

Couple of things to check:

Any firewalls on either PC? XP SP2 has one enabled by default that will block traffic.
To share files in a workgroup you will need to create identical accounts with matching passwords on each PC involved.

iceman99 · 08-10-2006, 01:26 AM

I just wanna kill something...preferably someone connected to the creation of networking and the pointlessly complicated design of the whole thing. 'Wizard', my a$$!

Got a crossover cable, cutesey icon in the tray says all is just peachy. I've gone to the other PC and it shows the same. I've shared every dirve and folder on the second unit, the network name is the same, each system has a unique name for itself, my 'View Workgroup Computers' link shows the other system's name, but all attempts to access it come up with an error suggesting I may not have permission to access the other PC. Since the only login on my PC is me (no separate admin), there are no such restrictions.

Why oh why won't I just bite the bullet and buy a Mac.....I hate this crap!