OK, here's the story... Got a new laptop with a port replicator, and I'd like to be able to network the laptop to the Desktop. The laptop is a P-III 700, 128 Mb Ram, 10/100 ethernet card, running Windows ME. The Desktop is a P-III, 450, 256 Mb ram, 10/100 Ethernet card, running Windows 98. I was able to connect them direct using a crossover cable, and I can file shar til I'm blue in the face. However, once I downloaded and installed the Win ME drivers for my printer, and established the network path for the printer on the laptop (through the Desktop it's connected to) I'm still not able to print to it. I know the drivers are loaded because if I connect it directly, I can print. If I connect it to my little network, and select the printer through the network connection, it errors out and says it can't establish communication with it. Suggestions? am I doing something wrong?

That's problem #1. Problem #2 is worse... I can't get my Desktop set up to allow the laptop to share the internet connection... I can probably use WinGate from what I understand, but I haven't gotten that far. Supposedly Win 98 has some type of modem sharing software built into it, but it's not showing in my add/delete programs file for windows.... suggestions??

Thanks for any light you can shed on this stuff...

-Joe-

 

Hey GIJoeCam,

Here is what I have done. It is what you want to do, but a different configuration.
Cable modem connected to a Linksys Ethernet cable / DSL Firewall-Router-Switch. Connected to this is my NT4.xx server and my 333 PII workstation. Both PCs and my laptop have 10/100 cards, I'm running @100. My printer is attached to my server directly for print spooling. You have to make sure that the printer is "shared" (will have a little hand under the icon). Make sure File and Printer Sharing is installed, on the PC your printer is attached to, and enabled (I want others to access my printers). Check your security structure on the PC sharing the printer. You may need to login to the laptop with the same username you login to the PC with. Can you "see" the printer by pathing to it from the other PC? After installing the new driver, the PC may need to have the path to the printer redone. Also make sure the printer port on the attached PC is set to bi-directional or ECP.

Windows 98 is able to share the Internet connection. Check the Windows 98 CD for addin components (and not through Windows setup). I don't think it is that hard to setup, but I have never tried it.

I hope this helps, if not let me know..

 

http://support.microsoft.com/supp ort/kb/articles/Q139/7/10.asp?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=modem%20sharing&rnk=1&src=DHCS_M SPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=W98SE
Try the above link for problem #2 make sure to read thru it before you start to make sure this is what your looking for.

As for problem #1 I guess you have file and print sharing on your 98 box(If you do be careful Read end of post) try sharing your printer on your 98 box and then go into network neighborhhod from your laptop and double click it, it should automatically install the drivers(It may ask for a Windows ME CD)then you should have a mapped or networked printer on your laptop.

As for "file and print sharing" while you are online there is a program that some people use to search for computers that have this feature enabled and someone can get into your computer very easily even passwords on shares are very easy to get around This is a real big problem to people like me with cable or dsl modems because of the high speeds you can do alot of damage very quickly.



[This message has been edited by InfiniteMhz (edited 01-26-2001).]

 

The above link supplied by InfiniteMhz references "dial up" networking. More commonly used for establishing an internet connection. Basically, how you connect to your ISP via modem. It doesn't realy address your internal networking problem.
In regards to file and printer sharing, he is correct. It is a way for other people to see your PC. There are many other ways as well, some more sophisticated than others. In order for two PCs to communicate with each other, there will always be a level of file sharing… nature of the beast. Don't share files or folders on your PC, unless you have to.

To learn how to protect yourself and your network while on the net, check this site:

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
It will allow you to run a port scan of your PC and report back to you what is ok, and what is not. It will give you tips on fixing the problems as well.
Also see:
http://www.linksys.com

There are a number of software "firewalls" available as well, such as "Black ICE". Hard ware firewalls tend to be more reliable. I currently use a hardware firewall.

You at least have to have the same clients and protocols running on all the PCs. Most commonly "Client for Microsoft Networks". The protocol that commonly runs with this client is NetBEUI. Both the client and the protocol need to be installed on all networked PCs. You can also use TCP/IP, but this gets more complicated. NetBEIU can be routed through TCP/IP, where as NetBEUI alone is a non routable protocol.

Also the printer needs to be shared, and a name given to it. Its' "Share name". Right click the printer icon in the printers folder. check to see if there is a choice for sharing on the menu or search for it in the properties section of the right click menu.

You may want to look into getting a small 10/100 hub instead of using the xover cable.
They run about $50-$100 depending on complexity and number of ports. Good luck.

 

I've got everything set correctly on the printer front, it's just unable to connect it via the network? I don't know why.

It's all for naught at this point, though... I was connecting it to my TV Saturday, and the cord swung down and touched the screen, and it actually arced (like a bad static arc) from the TV screen to the video cord... zapped something in the computer. Now, I don't even get a post-beeb when I turn it on. The external CD player controls work, and the hard drive spools up at power-up, but nothing happens. It's getting shipped back today (under warranty of course) so I should hopefully have it by the weekend.

I don't want to make the ME system the server, in case I'm too lazy to get it out of the car, I still want to be able to connect via the desktop, and eventually I'll have a DSL running to them. I think the hub might be necessary at that point.... not sure yet.