I was wondering if you might be able to help me solve a problem I am having networking too computers together. On one computer I am running windows98 and the main computer is windows XP. The problem is, on the XP computer, when I go to Start/Settings/Network connections the local area connection icon has a red X on it and it say’s network cable unplugged, there is also a computer icon on my taskbar that has a red X on it. I have replaced the network cable 3 times with new one’s. I also have replaced the network card itself with a new one that is XP compatible, and now both network cards are the same (Netgear 10/100 Mbps PCI Ethernet Network Card). Still no good. I have never networked a computer before so maybe I’m leaving out something. Hear is what I have done. I installed the NIC cards, I plugged the cable directly from one computer to the other (nothing in the middle). I used the floppy to install the drivers on the 98 computer and I think Windows XP automatically loaded the drivers for it’s “nic”. (how do I know for sure if it did load the drivers?). On the XP I used the network setup wizard and it told me that there was no connection on the LAN (theres is a connection to my ISP) so I selected the ignore the connection box. I selected to make a disk from XP to use for setting up the other computer on the network. So I used the disk and setup the 98 computer and it seems to be alright, although I’m not really sure how to tell, I just know there is no red X or any errors. When I click on My Network Places on the XP and click on the entire network icon and a few other folders it brings up an error message .


If you can help me out with this it would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks for your time:
Robert

PS: I have the phone line connected to the XP modem. I have nothing hooked into the windows98 modem, is this right?.

The network cable, is it a cross over cable?
If you are directly connecting two pcs together without a hub, you need a cross over cable. I wont go into the details of why it is so. Get your money back on the others as the crossover is a little more expensive.

Thanks Steve, I am not using a cross over cable, so that must be it. thanks again.

yep.. i got the same problem as you,, and i think the problem might come from the cable,, i will try it this way,, x-over cable may help,, i bought a dell desktop and the network status keep flashing,, but,, it 's happen the same in win 98,, i'm running 2 OS and they both are fine,, except the network,, should be the cable,, since the hardware and the drivers also the setting are fine....

Im having the same problem!! I had a cable made by a local comp store. They said that it was what I needed. How can you tell if it is a crossover cable??

I've got the twisted pair cable but I don't have any information on setting it up in windows. If you could send me some information I would appreciate it.

Thanks

I'm also having a network problem in XP similar to the one at the top. I'm using a cross over cable to connect two computers, a 98 machine and XP. One network card is only a 10mb ISA card, this is in the 98 machine, the other is a 10/100mb PCI card. I did the usual set up a couple of times and everytime there was the same problem stating that the cable was unplugged, I had a look, the cables were fine. The error was on the XP, 98 seemed to accept that it had a network.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I get a msg saying that the network cable is unplugged but when I check the cable, it's fine. We have a router and 4 computers are connected to the network. Could you please help me. I would appreciate it.
Than you

To add to the documented occurrences...

I have just started having this problem today - after months of no problem. Network cables are fine (I can swap them over and used them in a different machine no problem). Rather irregularly, but up to several times a minute the system tray icon will pop out a bubble saying 'A network cable is unplugged' then a split second later it will say 'Local Area connection is now connected' - it really can't make up its mind - blooody thing is driving me crazy!!

Other info: I am using a Dell Dimension 8200 running WinXP Pro, with a CNet Pro200WL NIC (which also baulks at running in full duplex mode, but that is another problem). The Pro200WL diagnostics find no fault on the card. There are other machines on the LAN, running WinME and Win95 (which run fine); all connected through a NetGear DS309 10/100 hub.

Same error message "network cable unplugged"
However, never attempted to network the computer and consequently cannot log onto the internet using a TCP/IP connection.

We log on thru a primary ISP then log on to another using that connection (TCP/IP). But for some reason, this 'network cable unplugged' error message with the red x of death included, stops us from doing so.

All the help we can get, is what we are seeking.

Thanks.
Liny

I have the same problem with the popup message. Drives me crazy and I can't figure a way to disable it. My computer used to be running WinME which had its own instability problems, but it never complained about the network connection ... now with "improved XP" it seems like this network thing occasionally causes the system to hang up.

Anybody have a solution?