Networking Question

pkeno · 20-08-2007 9:42pm #1

If Dell ever get the finger out i'll hopefully have a laptop in the next few weeks. I am just wondering if i connect an ethernet cable between my existing pc and the laptop can i transfer files or do i need some extra equipment?
Both are running Vista.
I've been searching around and lots of sites mention "hubs". Will I need one?
Also, I assume if I have an ethernet connection it means I have a network card, correct?

Thanks for any advice.

Blowfish · 20-08-2007 9:48pm

If you are connecting them directly with just a cable in between, you need a crossover cable as a 'normal' one won't work. With just 'normal' cables you do need a hub/switch/router. And yes, an ethernet connection will be from your network card.

Avns1s · 20-08-2007 9:53pm

If you've Eircom broadband or similar, the Router supplied will provide the connectivity you need between your PC and Laptop, provided you're using BB on both machines and have them configured correctly.

DannyBuoy · 20-08-2007 9:55pm

pkeno wrote:

...connect an ethernet cable between my existing pc and the laptop can i transfer files or do i need some extra equipment?
...
Thanks for any advice.

Also ensure both have IP addresses on the same subnet... then plug in your cross over cable and away you go, also may have to turn off firewall? not sure in vista...

pkeno · 20-08-2007 10:11pm

Avns1s wrote:

If you've Eircom broadband or similar, the Router supplied will provide the connectivity you need between your PC and Laptop, provided you're using BB on both machines and have them configured correctly.

I do have a netopia router. Do you mean connect one via ethernet and another via USB?
Is the subnet the network i set up between the computers?
Can i manually enter the ip addresses or will vista do it automatically?

puffmullett · 20-08-2007 10:17pm

You've got to plug both in to the router using cat5/Ethernet cables, there should be ports labelled (1-4), your current PC will be in one, just use another!

The router should give the correct IP address & subnet masks (browse the web on the new laptop just to make sure), then just set up Network in Vista, it's fairly straight forward

Good Luck!

Avns1s · 20-08-2007 10:20pm

You could connect the PC via ethernet and presumably the laptop is wireless enabled. Is it a wireless router? If it is your laptop can connect over the wireless connection.

Probably easiest to enable DHCP on all (router, pc and laptop) and make sure the two computers are in the same workgroup. Then it should work ok.

pkeno · 20-08-2007 11:03pm

The router was the standard one supplied so it only has one ethernet socket and one usb socket! The laptop is indeed wireless but it's not a wireless router unfortunately.
I assume these cat5/Ethernet cables can be bought on Komplett etc?

puffmullett · 20-08-2007 11:12pm

You should be able to get Ethernet cables in any PC shop (think Tesco might even do them now). If your Internet Router doesn't have any Ethernet ports you should be able to pick up a D-Link Ethernet Hub for around €30

pkeno · 21-08-2007 1:28pm

Thanks for all the replies.

So basically I can:

1: Buy a crossover cable and connect the two directly
or
2: Buy a decent router with a few ports on it and connect both computers to that using standard ethernet cables.

Have I got it right?
Option 1 sounds the best to me, would these cables for example do the job?

http://www.elara.ie/products/cablesn.asp?available=checked&1P2ID=440&ECatID1=6592014336&Desc1=Crossover+cable

Kali · 21-08-2007 2:02pm

Yep those cables will do the job perfectly... CAT5 crossover is all you need.

pkeno · 25-08-2007 1:04pm

Right, got the laptop and bought the crossover cable.

However, i'm having a hard time trying to connect the two computers.
I've put them on the same workgroup called HOME, assigned ip addresses
192.168.1.100 to the new laptop and 192.168.1.200 to the old pc.
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 on both.
I can ping the pc from the laptop but not the other way around. I just get a time out.
I have shared the c:\ drive on the pc but i cannot access it from the laptop. I get an access is denied message.

Am I missing something? Did I skip a vital step somewhere?
I have network discovery turned on on both machines as well as file sharing.

Both are running vista.

Hope somebody can help me, I've spent hours trying to get this to work!

Thanks

WizZard · 25-08-2007 1:28pm

Have you the Vista/XP firewall turned off on both?

Also, FYI if both machines have Gigabit Ethernet you don't need a crossover cable - a straigh through one will do

pkeno · 25-08-2007 1:35pm

No i don't. I read that if it's set as a private network the firewalls don't play a part. Better disable them just to be sure!

Yesterday i managed to get my Media Player music library on the pc playing on my laptop but couldn't copy any of the songs across. As far as i remember that was with dynamic rather than static ip addresses though.

Thanks for the tip on the cables Wizzard, i'll keep it in mind!

pkeno · 25-08-2007 1:47pm

Well i disabled the firewalls and can now ping both pcs.
When i try to access the shared drive from my laptop i still get an access is denied message.
Maybe I didn't set the sharing settings correctly?

WizZard · 25-08-2007 2:17pm

You need a password on your main account on the computer you want to access to be able to access the shared drives (the default admin$/C$ shares anyway).
That's the quickest and easiest way to do it anyway IMHO

pkeno · 25-08-2007 4:11pm

Bingo. Got it. Thanks a million for all the help

WizZard · 25-08-2007 4:32pm

Good to hear it. Don't forget to turn on the Windows firewall when you are finished transferring the files across!

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