I'm stumpped. Please help before the liquor runs out.

[tomamore]

Ok so here's my problem. I have recently built a new machine for my room with the intension of networking it to the one in the computer room, downstairs. The machine I built is a 1.6 GHz P4 on a ASUS P4S553 MOBO with 256 MB of DDR, an ATI all-in-wonder Readon 8500DV and an on-board SiS NIC. The machine downstairs is a run-of-the-mill 766Mhz E-machines with a Belkin NIC. Both are running windows ME. The routing is done by a Belkin 4 port gateway router. With that in mind let's get to the sympthoms. I can browse the internet on both machines with no problems at all. From the downstairs comp I can click on 'entire network' and see the comp in my bedroom but not vise-versa. In the bedroom if I click on 'entire network' it locks up for a few minutes and then tells me the network is not available. Sometimes it just locks up and it has to be nuked. I have tried to simply 'run' \\upstairs to intiante the process without using the entire network icon but to no avail. In the network properties I had Dial-up adapter 1 and 2, the SiS NIC , NDSI 1394 Netshare adapter, and WAN miniport adapter(AOL). Now when I remove the 1394 adapter and choose not to shut down right afterwards and attempt to look at my network it shows both computers. Though the downstairs computer is not available if I attemp to access it. When I restart the 1394 would be automatically put back on so I set the jumpers on my ATI card, which is where the firewire is coming from, to diable firewire. Now when it restarts the adapter is not loaded. This time I am back to the freezing. As I type this on the upstairs machine I am moving files, initiated by the downstairs machine that can see this one, to this computer. The cabling is fine and the router is showing two solid connections. What am I missing? I am at wits end here and am goign to throw this thing out of the upstairs window if this doesn't start working. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!

 

[tomamore]

^^^ Bump for a desperate man!

 

[minendo]

Are both computers members of the same workgroup? Do they both have Client for Microsoft Networks enabled? Do they both have File and Print Sharing enabled?

 

[tomamore]

Yep. Yep. And Yep.


I pullign out hairs here. Thanks for your input.

 

[Skywanderer]

couple of things. let me make sure that I have your setup down correctly first

cable/dsl is running into the router. Router runs out to both machines.

I noticed in your network properties you didn't mention TCP/IP? I assume that is what your using as a network protocol.

Where are your IP address coming from? Are they static, or is the router or a system acting as a dhcp server.

Also, what did you use to setup the network? Windows network wizard built into me? Or manually?

 

[tomamore]

cable/dsl is running into the router. Router runs out to both machines.

Yep. The DSL line runs into the WAN port of the Belkin Gateway Router and then Ports 1 and 2 run to the downstairs and the upstairs respectively.

I noticed in your network properties you didn't mention TCP/IP? I assume that is what your using as a network protocol.

Yes, I am using TCP/IP as the protocol and the adapter are binded to it.

Where are your IP address coming from? Are they static, or is the router or a system acting as a dhcp server.

The IPs are assigned by the router.

Q]Also, what did you use to setup the network? Windows network wizard built into me? Or manually?[/quote]

Oh here is the fun part. The router came with a 'network made easy' sort of disk. Very similar to the HomeNetworking Wizard in ME. That wouldn't run at first because there was more than one adapter. After removing the firewire I was able to use that setup disk but I couldn't access the network.

After that didn't work I went downstairs and set it up with the wizard in ME and made a network disk. I went up stairs and used the disk to set it up. Still having the same problems.....

Next I tried to manually set it up and still could get anything upstairs. So basically I tried it all. I have gone back to a 'vanilla' system with just the adapter, TCP/IP for that adapter, client for MS networks, and Fire/Printer sharing. I removed everything accept my ATI card because I do not have another card to hook up the monitor. I have tried removed every not essential from start, via MSCONFIG, and still go no Network connection.

Here's a few ideas that I would like to throw out.

1) Could it be the built in network adapter on the MOBO? I tried it with the original drivers and then downloaded the updated ones from asus.com. No luck here.

2)Is it the ATI card? Once again I used the original stuff and then updated the drivers but still get nothing. I hope it's not this because this damn card was expensive!!

3)Is there any sort of issue with firewire, which is not used as a connection method, and Home Networking with Cat5?



Thanks for taking some interest in my dilemma

 

[Skywanderer]

This is why I hate the wizards, if they work, awasome, if not, your screwed.

Okay, we know that your TCP/IP protocol works, becouse you can get online.

Your in the same workgroup, and all that jazz.

Here's my recomndation.

A: Start from scratch. You have way too many different attempts going at the same time.
1: Unplug your router and all network cables, and reset your router to factory conditions
2: Take out any info you inputed and then Delete all protocals and adapters from network propeties.
They'll reappear on a reboot, but thats fine, you want to wipe it clean.

B: Now for the redo
1: Plug all the cables in like before, and go though the setup routine for the router sans the easy network
wizard. Make sure that your not plugging a cable that goes to a computer into a shared WAN port! It will
probelly enable DHCP by default, it doesn't really matter, leave it on.
2: Setup static IP address for all your systems. Use whatever range that the router assined. Probelly
192.168.x.s. (192.168.1.10 and 192.168.1.11)
3: Set all machines on the same workgroup.
4: Make sure client for microsoft network is installed along with TCP/IP and your networking adapters, get rid
of all non-essential protocals, like aol dial up, netbios, etc, too many can mess up your system. ALso
enable file and printer sharing, and share your drives

In the end you will be on the same IP subnet and in the same workgroup and with the rest, that should enable you to see and use the other computers.

It may be the network card, but probelly not. I've seen this proble before and its always a b*tch to solve, buts its hardly ever the network card. Is ussually just windows being stubborn

Good Luck!