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UNCLE!!!

Here's my immediate goal (besides stop pulling my hair): network 2 computers in addition to adding a Cisco 760 ISDN lan modem (trying to sqeeze more speed out of the ISDN connection since both the modem & my ISP support compression ....so they claim anyway).

The cast of characters:

* A home grown system, based on a FIC VA-503 mother board with an AMD K2-350, with an SMC ISA eitherEZ8416 (I do not have an open PCI slot on this machine)

* a Packard Bell P 200 with an Linksys LNE100TX Fast eithernet

* a Linksys 5 port hub

* Cisco 760 lan modem

For protocols, both machines have installed on them:
* Client for Networks
* IPX/SPX
* TCP/IP
* File/printer sharing

The TCP/IP are set as 192.168.0.1 (home grown Frenkenstein), 192.168.0.2 (the Packard Bell), and 192.168.0.3 for the Cisco.

The submask is set to 255.255.255.0 on all

Bindigs on both checked for client for networks and file/printer sharing.

DNS disabled.

Gateway blank.

WINS config disabled.

Workgroup name is the same (even checked the spelling .... several times)

I have pinged and each system will only detect itself.

There are no apparent IRQ conflicts on either machine.

------

The problem: Under Network Hood, neither system will see the other (even when promissed bribes). as for setting up the Cisco, forget it, as it freaks out, due to the lack of cooperation between the two systems.

Short of going postal on this set of fine computing equipment, can anyone come up with any suggestions?

Thanks a bunch for your anticipated suggestions, as well as for offering this forum.

sibrag

This appears to be a low-level hardware problem. Remove Cisco from the “equation” and get the LAN working first. If you don’t need IPX/SPX, get that out of the equation as well. I would remove and reinstall all networking software and install NetBEUI first (see http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/win98se/buildnet.htm). Get it working before stepping-up to FTP/IP. That way you will know that the hardware is functioning. If NetBEUI doesn’t work, you probably have a hardware problem. What do the LEDs on the hub and adapters tell you? You may have a bad cable. Try running the adapter diagnostics, which come on the floppies with most adapters. Make sure you don’t have IRQ conflicts with the adapters. In particular, check the ISA adapter. If it is a Novell NE2000 compatible, Windows will assign IRQ 3 to it regardless of how it is set or jumpered and that will conflict with COM2:. I usually manually set them to IRQ 11. You can change the IRQ form 3 to 11 in the Control Panel, Device Manager. 300h is usually a safe I/O address, but not always. Try to force browsing/connecting by right clicking the Network Neighborhood, selecting Find Computer, and entering //othercomputersname. Use Start, Help, Troubleshooters, Network Troubleshooter. Please come back if you need more help, or tell us if we did help. Larry

Larry,

(I think) I have the problem cornered to my NEW Linksys card, which accroding to the Diag program is failing the loop-back test (as of right now that means nothing to me but I am sure that after a few hours on hold with tech support, I'll get some kind of an answer (correct or not that is another story)) . Of course it could not have been the SMC card, since SMC has 24/7 toll free support - what is a little insult to the injury.

I'll keep you posted and again thanks a bunch for your time and effort.

sibrag

Thanks a bunch for your time and effort.

sibrag

The loop back error is what you should get unless you have a loop back adapter connected to the card. The adapter loops the transmit pins on the card back to the card's receive pins (see http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/cable/cable5.htm). Open a DOS window (Start>Programs>MS-DOS Promt). Type
C:>net /?|more
to display the net commands
Type
C:>net diag
on one computer
Answer N
to initiate diag server on that computer
repeat net diag on the other computer and see if they can talk to each other at the DOS level. Kill the server on the first computer when done.
c:>net config
and
C:>net view
are also useful
Larry

Larry,

Well ..... the good news is: I got to speak with a humanoid in tech support at Linksys. Actually spoke with 3 of them. The bad news is that all 3 were at a loss & couln't explain what is going on. BTW, one of them was level 2 support!!!!!

It is obvious that these suckers are suffering from "Irreconcilable differences". As best we can tell the problem may be either in W98, or perhaps a bugaboo with the FIC 503 mobo - I'll check their website next.

We attempted making a "love connection" with all protocols installed. just as in the past, just once, one system (the Packard Bell) was able to see (but not access) both, while the other selfish pile of s....ilicone refused to cooperate. After that they returned to each seeing only itself.

Among the tricks we tried:
* connecting to various slots on the hub,
* in Device Manager >system > PCI Bus >IRQ steering we unchecked "use IRQ steering"
* removed and reinstalled all network items (client, protocols, etc)
* enabled netbios under IPX
* ..... heck, can't remember all we did during about 1 1/2 hours spent on the phone with them, sufice it to say, about the only thing I did not do (YET) is club this things into "tiny components".

Thanks a whole bunch for your generous help and I'll keep you posted (should there be anything to report).

Should you have a brainer, I am willing to give it a spin.

sibrag

Level 2: that's a step down... If the board is good and I had that computer in my shop, I could fix it. I cannot understand why they would turn-off IRQ steering when that may be the only thing that will untangle the IRQ problems (sometimes it does make problems). Sounds like Easter; everyone easter-egging. Good luck; let us know what happened, OK? Larry

Larry,

I cannot understand why they would turn-off IRQ steering

If I recall correctly, it was in an attempt to "clean" any possible corrupted IRQ settings. Again, you might be able to read between my lines, than I was able to express IN the lines - was trying to focus on what in heck I was doing as well as trying to remember the "yellow brick road" back for just in case I was left out in the left field.

In any case, it did not work and I have reset it to its initial setting - as is the entire system, as best as I can recall.

Did check FIC and was unable to find squat ...;(

I am very much wondering if Mr Bill's brain child (W98) is not the problem here?!?! Perhaps a corrupted file.

I doubt it is the mobo or the cards since they see themselves, in addition to system 2 (Packard BEll) on 2 ocasssions did "see" both systems - but I might be grasping at straws, as I am now swiming in uncharted waters for me.

BTW, I already removed and reinstalled the ISA card for just in case there was an yeeky connection someplace.

I'll keep you posted.

sibrag

peer to peer needs netbeui and ipx protocols and you might need to force the pc's to see each other using the unc's at the browse button not just browse as usually i the first one isn't seen unless you type in the share or unc.

Wanna bet? A peer-to-peer network does NOT need the NetBEUI and IPX protocols. One can have a peer-to-peer network and share disk drives and printers with just TCP/IP installed. Larry

mistery solved!!!!!!!! system crashed when i uninstalled the explorer. reintalled w98. once i reset the networking settings .......it worked like a charm. thanks for your help.

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