i have a windows xp pro s2 desktop and a windows 2000 pro laptop and i have tried connecting them via a crossover cable and they both cannot see each other on the network. and they both have manually confiqured ip address and subnet masks. i was also wondering because the destop has the internet connection adn via the crossover cable i want to acces the net on the destop i have ICS enabled, my problem is that the destop says it send via the lan connection and the laptop dosen't recieve any thing and the laptop says it send but the desktop does not recieve. broiek123

key here is having the right cable. try a different store bought crossover cable. Give a person a fish you feed them for a day. Ask a person to internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

It is possible you have a bad crossover cable. Check the ends of the cat5-- with the clip down, one end should have a orange/white stripe wire in the left position while on the other end there would be a green/white strip in the left position. If the ends show the same color arrangement then you don't have a crossover.

Also make sure the 2 computers are on the same workgroup

Most newer computer's don't require a crossover cable. The network interface card can autonegotiate. Anyway, the computers should have IP's and subnets that are in the same region. They don't have to have the workgroup but it helps being the same. I's suggest using the IP address to contact each other. Be sure you "share" a folder on at least one machine. You have to enable what you want to share. Use the built in help and support pages.

the problem i am having is they cannot ping each other. last night they could but today they can't. i have the desktop pc connection to the net with a static ip and the laptop connection to the desktop with a staic ip but with the desktop connection to the laptop i am not sure what to put the ip address to .

ok, the desktop should have a ip address like 192.168.1.1 and the laptop 192.168.1.2, The subnet 255.255.255.0. Set both work group to the same. DISABLE WINDOWS FIREWALL. and also if you have a third party firewall, (i.e. norton internet security firewall), disable it or tell it to allow/exclude the ip address of the other computer. They should be able to ping each other, assuming that you have a good cable. From what I understand, you have your desktop connected to the internet. If you want to share that internet over your LAN, it can be done easily with a proxy. http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm Hope that helps! George Please respond after you have solved your problem to notify who helped you and what solved the problem. Both sides benefit when you do.