Network keeps breaking on restart...

[TheInternal]

Howdy.

I have two computers, a switch, and no money. Both boxes are currently running windows XP Media Center 2005, fully patched. I've no floppy drives because I frakking hate the damn things with a passion. The network is laid out in a very simple fashion:

Cable modem <===> Monolith (ISC computer) <===> Switch <===> Stubby (DVR computer)

If I run the windows network setup wizard and set Monolith to the ICS, and Stubby as connecting through another computer on the network to get on the internet, it will sometimes successfully work. When it works, I can surf the net with no issue while on Stubby, and see the shared folders I set up and access them/not access them how I want to on both systems.

The problem is that anytime I restart one of the computers (or it gets restarted by an automated microsoft update), the network dies, and I often can't get it reestablished for no obvious reason. I've tried running the windows network setup wizard like I always do. I killed the firewalls on both systems. No luck. I'm running Bitdefender 2008 Antivirus on Monolith and an older version of McAfee on Stubby, but neither anti-virus has built in firewalls.

I'd like to hope that there's a simpler way of doing this. I would LIKE to have Monolith automatically identify and assign IP addresses to ANY computer plugged into my switch, so that way Stubby or any computer can access the internet through Monolith, or see files shared on Monolith.

Help?

 

[TheInternal]

Still having the same problem. Haven't been able to get the network back up in over six tries. *sigh*

 

[DullesGuy]

The easiest solution is to plug your cable modem into port 1 (or port 0, uplink port, etc). Your cable modem, unless it's reallyyyy old, probably will assign at least several IP addresses, meaning you can plug your network clients (your Media Centre PC and regular PC) into your switch.

Of course, if that doesn't strike your fancy and you still want a complex, crazy network (I'm the same way), how is your ISC computer and your DVR getting their IP addresses? Are you always just doing that Network Setup thing in Windows?

On either computer, go to Start > Control Panel > Network Connections. Right-click the connection to the switch and go to Properties. In the box that is in the Properties dialog, look for Internet Protocol or IPv4 or something like that. Click Properties.

Does it say "Use the following IP address" or "Obtain an IP address automatically"? If the former, copy down here what both machines' IP addresses, subnets, gateway, etc. are.

 

[kevnich2]

Quick answer: Buy a cheap router (anywhere from free up to $60), use that to share the internet, hook all machines to that. Even a cheapo router will work better than what you're trying to use. Not to mention saving you hours of trying to "fix" what's broken.