I suck at network configurations, but after looking at countless guides and forums I'm pretty sure I'm not a total newbie, I understand how to setup everything, and have tried every combination, but obviously I'm missing something, because FTP never works for me properly. I'm having problems with my connecting to my Xbox at the moment, but I've always had problems networking my computers. Ages ago I hooked up 2 PCs directly to a FBR-1412TX router, and also hooked up a laptop to one of the PCs with a crossover cable. But when file sharing with all three, I could only take files from the shared computer, but could not send files to it. But I gave up and accepted it as good enough, I mention this now because I'm sure it's connected to the reason I can't get my xbox to connect to the pc with the same crossover cable. I have all of the ip addresses right, tried static and dhcp, can't connect on either end. Know how to navigate Evox and trying to use FlashFXP, connection always fails. Have no firewalls running, have pccillin but firewall is off and no difference when not running program either, tried port forwarding in router setup countless times with multiple configurations from all the guides I've read, and guessing, but to no avail. But if I can't access the xbox from the PC end then there's no way I can backup the game onto my pc is there? Trust me I've spent days and days googling and reading everything, either I need some network genius to help me here, or I've missed something ridiculously simple, regardless I'd be eternally greatful if someone can lead me in the right direction so I can get this right once and for all. Thanks.

Make sure you DON'T have the network protocol NETBEUI installed to your laptop or any of your clients. NETBEUI is an obsolete Microsoft network protocol and while it works OK for direct PC-to-PC connections it doesn't work across a routed network which is probably part of your problem. On the PC the device will be connected directly to run the ICS wizard. On the laptop set TCP/IP to "Assign IP Address Automatically" and "Use DHCP Server for WINS resolution". Disable the XP firewall on the laptop and when you enable file sharing on a drive or folder set permissions to allow users to read and write to the resource. For the Xbox assign it a fixed IP Address like 192.168.0.100 and port-forward any needed game ports to that address under ICS. I really don't see why you don't connect directly to the router (via straight-thru cable) because the overhead of running ICS on the host PC will lag the Xbox.

I managed to gain access to the xbox by fixing the default gateway, now that my brain is refreshed. Not concerned about getting xbox hooked up to the internet, just wanted to use FTP to backup my games. Just some other general questions for networking. First I want to make sure that my setup is right and to confirm that I should be able to have file sharing and Internet access on both PCs and the laptop with my existing hookup. Both PCs are hooked up to the router directly with standard LAN cables. I hookup my laptop to one of those PCs on a second NIC with a crossover cable. I only get one way file sharing on all ends, and can’t share Internet access through second NIC to the laptop because turning on ICS kills the connection to the PC. Microsoft site says you can’t turn on ICS on a second LAN because of that reason. Just occurred to me, if I changed the gateway on the PC to the laptop’s IP then I might get two way file sharing, but wouldn’t get Internet because the PC is no longer has its gateway set to that of the router’s. So how am I supposed to share the Internet access without the use of ICS? Confused. Why do I lose my Internet connection when I manually input the IP address etc to the same settings as the DCHP sets? I have to let the IP on the first NIC of the PC be set automatically otherwise I lose my Internet access even though the LAN says it is still connected fine. Is that a condition of the router or something? GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! Finally managed two way file sharing, thanks. But now that I’ve been changing settings back and forth some new problems have appeared. I can never have my cake and eat it. Had ICS on without killing connection earlier, but it didn’t last. In order to get FTP access to the xbox I have to manually configure the second LAN connection so I can set the gateway to the appropriate xbox IP address. But for some demented reason when I set it to manual, I can’t access websites in my browser even though the first LAN connection(hooked to the router) has no complaints whatsoever, says it’s still connected. WHY!!!!!!! When I change the second LAN back to automatic IP I’m allowed on the net again, but it consequently gives the second connection a retarded IP, so I lose FTP access to the xbox. How can I get around this stupid situation without having to change configurations every time I want to access the xbox? On another note, I have both PCs hooked directly to the router because I have never been able to successfully use ICS without losing a connection. Also, should I be able to share the internet connection from: router----LANcable-----PC-----crossovercable-----Laptop? Never been able to. Geez I HATE NETWORKING!!!!