Hi

I have two machines which have been networked and working Ok when both had 98SE installed. I upgraded one to XP Pro and cannot get them to see each other. I've done all the usual things both manually and using the wizard on the XP machine and mostly left the 98 machine alone. My setup is connecting via a Speedtouch 510v4 router/modem. Is it worth the hassle of keeping trying or should I give up and go back to 98, which was certainly a lot more straightforward -- and faster!!

Hi,

I have XP Pro & 98SE networked without any problems. Initially using a Netgear hub & ICS when I had ISDN.

Now with a Netgear wired, not wireless, broadband ADSL router. It all works very well. I have a 30 metre cable between the two machines.

Swapping out the hub for the router was a seamless and painless exercise.

Check what protocols you have installed

On the XP machine I have

Client for MS Networks
File and Print Sharing for MS Networks
Q&S Packet Scheduler
TCP/IP

On the 98SE machine

Client for MS Networks
MS Family logon
NETBUI
TCP/IP
File and Printer Sharing for MS Networks

Both machines have Netgear NIC's
either FA310 /311 or 312's

The Netgear ADSL router has a mains switch which I find very useful as I can simply switch the router off and be totally disconnected and protected from the outside world.

Either or both machines can connect and only need the router switched on. The router has an internal Firewall, I should be able to get by without a software Firewall but use Zone Alarm Pro & free on the machines.

I can also unplug the modem connection and have not Internet connection and do anything I need or want to on the network without any worries about being connected to the Internet.

I can even disable the Firewall as I don't need to worry about having it running if I have no connection.

hth

Ceri

Thanks very much for your help. Checked the protocols and they were the same settings as yours. Turned out to be XPs firewall blocking traffic. Seems to be set up Ok now - fingers crossed.

Paul

Hi,

I would suggest you disable the XP firewall, the help pages will guide you to this.

The XP Firewall does not monitor outgoing traffic only incoming.

Then install the Zone Alarm firewall free v 4 on both machines.

STAY AWAY FROM VERSION FIVE OF ZONE ALARM WHATEVER YOU DO, apologies for the capitals.

ZA 5 is the subject of a vast amount of traffic on the Internet as it is causing major issues with AV programs.

ZA 4.5.594 is available here

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/1023_zl/zlsSetup_45_594_000.exe

or here

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/cits2/software/download/zlsSetup_45_594_000.exe

Set up each of your computers as a trusted zone in ZA free. This is normally an I.P. address of 192.168.0.x where x is 0, 1, 2 or 3

hth

Ceri