I Need some help with Network Cards!

Pharaoh

I bought two network cards and installed them into the pc's,but I'm at a loss now as of what to do next.
It's only for playing games so I need some advice on what my next step is.
Any help would be much Appreciated!

Snaga

Hi,

Well if you ever plan to add another machine to the network then a nice 4 or 8-port hub would do the job nicely. You just give each machine a private ip address and plug the net cable into the hub.

Install tcp/ip on both machines and make sure that they both belong to the same workgroup. (control panel -> networks -> identification tab) Call it anything you like, just make sure its the same.

Give both machines ip addresses like '10.1.1.1' and '10.1.1.2'. These are private ip addies so they are just meant for use on LAN's that dont have direct access to the net.

If you dont want a hub you should be able to buy a 'crossover' cable. This lets you connect 2 machines via standard network cable with no hub involved. Peats should be able to sell you one, or any other major retailer, just specify its for a 2 machine network with _no_ hub.

Then set them up just like the ones above.

Pharaoh

Snaga,
There wont be more than two pc's on the network.
I have a lead to connect the two of them,I've also changed the computers name and work group,but were do I put the ip address?

chernobyl

go to networks.
right click and then properties.
select the TCP/IP of the network adapter(and again properties)
now check "use the follwing ip or even assign an ip".
put in 192.148.2.1 (card1)
put in 192.148.2.2 (card2)
subnet is 255.255.255.0 for both
now make sure the work group names are the same (properties of "my computer")..then reboot.

Skeptic1

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pharaoh:
Snaga,
There wont be more than two pc's on the network.
I have a lead to connect the two of them,I've also changed the computers name and work group,but were do I put the ip address? </font>

As Snaga said, make sure this lead is a crossover patch cable. Most of the off the shelf cables will be designed for connecting a computer for a hub.

Most good shops will be able to cut and make up a crossover cable for you if they don't have them in stock. (In fact, i've never seen these available in packets).

Pharaoh

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Skeptic1:
As Snaga said, make sure this lead is a crossover patch cable. Most of the off the shelf cables will be designed for connecting a computer for a hub.

Most good shops will be able to cut and make up a crossover cable for you if they don't have them in stock. (In fact, i've never seen these available in packets).</font>

I bought the cards in itdirect they gave me a cable with them,it looks like an ISDN connection on both ends,how does that sound?

Pharaoh

Hmmmmmmmm....I'm not having much luck getting this to work,nothing is easy in this PC world, thanks anyway guys,but i'll have to get someone in to set it up for me.

The boy is getting impatient with me!

MiCr0

can you get any data between the two cards?
can you ping?

btw what os?

Skeptic1

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pharaoh:
I bought the cards in itdirect they gave me a cable with them,it looks like an ISDN connection on both ends,how does that sound?</font>

Crossover patch cables look just like ordinary patch cables that connect the computer to a hub or wall socket. The end connection looks a bit like a phone or isdn plug.

It is more likely that you got standard network patch cables rather than a crossover patch cable. A crossover cable should only cost a couple of quids. A lot cheaper than buying a hub if you're only connecting two computers. Standard patch cables, of course, will not work.

Chowmein

Phar u did not tell me u had 2 pcs, shows how much we talk enh?

po0k

i have it set up at home. You also have to set teh frame type for IPX if u plan to use it.
the RJ-45 standard (chunky phone cable uses 802.3 standard 10Base-T)
the Co-axial tv aerial looking one needs a T-adapter for the cable and terminators at each end. Its 802.2 10Base-2.
What cards do u have? are they Combo ie having both the co-axial and phone type sockets or what? what chipset? check the disks for any setup programs for adjusting the EPROM on the card.
You also have to install file and printer sharing if u want to copy files across. Also u might have to be logged on, but use 'Windows logon' to get around this.

Pharaoh

The cards are not combo,just phone jack type.
The make of the cards are Genius GF100TXR III Series.
Hey Chow,How about you coming over and setting this up for me?

Zee Dude

here is a good web site for home networking.

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/index.htm

Should be able to get yuo up and running.

po0k

Look at teh actual chip on the card.....
Thats a 100M/bit chip from what i can tell by the Genius model no.....
you might need CAT5 cable.
i really don't know much moe thne what it takes to set up a lan game between a few pcs...and assigning IP numbers
Sorry

Pharaoh

Thanks guys,
I'm sure I'll get it sorted out eventually.

quozl

IT direct are pretty good, and probably gave you the right cable. Hold both ends side by side, and see if any of the coloured wires are in different order. If they are. You have the right cable. If both plugs are wired exactly the same. Thats not the right wire, its a patch cable.
Assuming you have the network card drivers installed (if you havent do so). Then like said above, enter in an ip and a netmask, examples ones (just use these) are
192.168.0.1
192.168.0.2
Put one address in the ip section of one cards network settings, and the other address on the other pc (make sure there's a different one on each pc).
in the box labeled netmask put in
255.255.255.0

Plug in the crossover cable. Then go to a dos prompt. Type command in the run box
Then try
ping 192.168.0.2, if you're on the machine numbered .1 (or 192.168.0.1 if you're on 192.168.0.2)
You should hopefully get some text with reply succesful. And number of packets successful. If you get any packets sucessful your cards and cable are working fine.
You can then set stuff like workgroups and filesharing in the windows networking section. This only matters for file/resource sharing. If you can do the ping bit above, you can play games.
As for needing cat5 cable, you do for 100mbit netcards. But once again IT direct isnt ****. I'd be surprised if they had a cat3 cable lieing around (you can see if cat3 or cat5 is written on the cable plastic).
The hardest part with windows networking is the **** network drivers. Make sure they claim to be installed succesfully in the device manager before you start messing with network ip settings.
quozl

Pharaoh

quozl,
All the coloured wires are in different positions,and on the cable is.......HIGHWAY LAN CAT 5 ENHANCED UTP.
I'll set it up again and give your suggestions a go.

Pharaoh

quozl
Dos prompt returned......
Reply from 192.168.0.2 bytes=32time<10msTTL=128...........X3

Reply from 192.168.0.2 bytes=32time<1msTTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.2
Packets: sent=4 Received=4 lost=0 <0% loss
Approx round trip time in milli-seconds:
Minimum =0ms Maximum =1ms Average =0ms.

How does all that sound?

Stephen

If they can ping each other, you should be able to play games. Most games these days use TCP/IP which is what you've got there, but some still use IPX/SPX protocol for lan games. If that's the case, add the ipx protocol in your windows network control panel.

Pharaoh

I think it's sorted now,both pc's ping each other ok,and sharing stuff is up and running.
I just need to patch up some games on the other pc and it should be sorted(fingers crossed).
Thanks for all the help people,two days I'm at this now and without your help I was F****D.