peer to peer on two Win98 machines

I am trying to set up a peer to peer network on two windows 98 machines. I followed the steps noted on the tutorial somewhere in this site, including appling the latest MS patches on both machines, and had no luck. The machines can not see each other.
NICs and cable are okay, manufacturer's diagnostics passed okay too and I have been able to network them okay using linux.
I installed SyGate software and then the machines could see each other but only from within the SyGate's manager, not from explorer or network neighborhood icon in the desktop. dhcp server from this software works ok tho, it assigns the client machine an ip on each boot but after dat no further connection can be achived.
I have checked the settings on both machines a hundred times.
Now this may sound a realy dumb question but can that be that i am using an errouneous user/pass combo at log in?
How do I reset or erase even those to new ones?

2. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
lbyard Jul-03-01 02:55 PM
In response to message 0

If you are logging in and not aborting the login, that is not the problem. Check these requirements: http://duxcw.com/faq/network/brreq.htm. Try installing NetBEUI in addition to TCP/IP. Larry

3. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
panda Jul-04-01 01:16 PM
In response to message 2

All of the Requirements for Browsing a Windows Network mentioned in that URL are met. And yep, I have tried NetBEUI, TPC/IP, NetBEUI and TCP/IP as noted in MS technote. Dial up network works okay on both machines, i have tried to disable the TCP/IP protocol bound to the dial up interface obtaining the same results.
I do have one quiestion regarding that document tho, what do you mean by enable/disable a browse master?
I appologize if all of my questions sound dumb but as u can see, I am a complete newbie at networking in windows.

4. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
lbyard Jul-04-01 05:10 PM
In response to message 3

http://duxcw.com/dcforum/DCForumID2/1025.html. What is your workgroup name? Do you see it under Network Neighborhood, Entire Network in the Windows Explorer? Larry

5. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
panda Jul-06-01 08:17 AM
In response to message 4

The workgroup's name is "home.lan" but I have tried from "workgroup" to anything You can imagine.
Yes, the network neighborhood is sometimes accesible and I can browse the local machine's shared forders. The workstation is named correctly after the name entered in the id tab in the network control panel, the network is named too after the workgroup You entered in that same tab.
By "sometimes" I mean randomly, it would just tell you the network is not accesible and you cannot even see the local machine.
When the network neighborhood is accesible, I "see" the other machine but even then if I double click on it, it would take like 30 secs to 1 minute to tell me that machine is not accesible and check to see if its still in the network.
This is only true if both TCP/IP and NetBEUI are installed and bound to the LAN card.
The NICs are Genius GFT100TXR III Series.

6. Rules for Assigning Computer and Workgroup Names in a Microsoft Windows Network
lbyard Jul-06-01 03:27 PM
In response to message 5

1. Each computer must have a unique name.
2. Workgroup and computer names can be up to 15 characters long.
3. Workgroup and computer names may not contain blank spaces.
4. If the network has a server, Domain Controller, such as Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server, than the workgroup name must be identical to the domain that the computer logs into.
5. Larry says: Don’t use any “funny” characters in computer or workgroup names. All caps is the safest choice. WORKGROUP is a good workgroup name.
The Resource kit for Windows 98 states that the following characters can be used in workgroup and computer names:
! @ # $ % ^ & ( ) - _ ' { } . ~
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article ID: Q250927, How to Configure a Peer Network, at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q250/9/27.ASP? states that the following characters should not be used in computer and workgroup names:
/ \ * , . " @
There is also a problem using alternative workgroup names with lower case characters.
Larry

7. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
lbyard Jul-06-01 03:37 PM
In response to message 5

Try uninstalling and reinstalling everything network on both computers with a reboot in between. This will often fix otherwise unexplainable network problems. How are the computers connectd together? Larry

8. RE: peer to peer on two Win98 machines
panda Jul-08-01 05:55 AM
In response to message 7

I use a crossover cable to hook them together and I know it works correctly cause if i boot to a DOS prompt ( pressing the CTL key ) and I run the diagnostic software that is bundled with the NICs it passes ok. I have also mannaged to work under a network correctly using linux ( both machines have a dual boot system using linux's LILO ).
I have tried to ping from the working scheme I told u above to one under windows and they wouldn't know of each other.
I am considering on reinstalling everything from the top, windows and all but that involves a major deal of work considering all of the software loaded in one of the machines.
Thanks alot Larry, I will let you know where this all ends up.