I have 2 computers 1 running Windows XP, the other running Windows 98se.

My problem is, I have a broadband connection going to a router, that router has one computer connected to it and also another router connected to it.

I have one computer on one of the routers and another on the other one.

I am having trouble sharing files between the two computers because they aren't seen as being on the same network by windows. I have tried DMZ, opening ports 137-139 TCP/UDP and also 445 on TCP/UDP to no avail.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you in advance,
Justin

I know this question has been asked before, but I could not find a topic with an answer.

If you know of a topic that has already answered this, then please, just post a link to the topic.

Thank you in advance,
Justin

Why two routers when one is enough?

Do either one of these routers have a built in switch? If so use it. If the routers only have one Ethernet port, buy a switch and connect that to the router and the computers to the switch. Thats the simplest way of doing it.

Routers a meant to link two networks together. It is possible to have two routers on the same network but how you configure them is dependant on the routers. One thing you will have to do is disable DHCP on one of them.

Stuart

The reason I have 2 routers is, I have one in the room where I have my modem, and I have one in another room where I also need internet access. I have 2 computers and a gaming console that all need internet/network access. The second router also has a wireless access point built in.

Both of my routers have a built in switch.

Thank you for your reply, your help is greatly appreciated.

1. Connect to the second router's administration webpage. Turn off DHCP and set the router's IP address to an address in the DHCP range of the first router.

2. Connect the first router (the one connected to your broadband modem) to a LAN port on the second router, rather than the WAN port.

Congratulations, you just turned the second router into a switch. The second router's wireless access point will still work. Any computers connected to either router will be on the same network, and thus will be able to share files.

iamc, I followed your directions, but it didn't work.

I changed my second router to a static ip from DHCP

I connected the line that I had coming from one of the lan ports on my 1st router to the WAN port of the second, and connected it to an empty LAN port on the second router, but that didn't work.

If I am missing something please tell me.

Thank you for your help

never mind, I just needed to powercycle the second router. For some reason, it seems as though my second router isn't assigning the ip's now, it seems as though the first one is.

That's exactly right. The first router assigns the IP addy's now on your whole network instead of them both doing it. That's why you had to turn off DHCP on the second router. Now they can both exist on the same network without interference from each other. The second router is now basically invisible to your network. It just forwards packets on to their intended destination.

Congratulations.