Cannot connect two computers via ad hoc wireless connection!

[MS]

I have two laptops, both running Windows XP Pro. One was recently upgraded
to SP2. The other had all the recent updates not including SP2.

They both have PC card wireless cards--one D-Link (only b), the other
Netgear (b&g).

I do not have an access point. I would just like to connect the two
computers occasionally to transfer files, etc. In other words, an "ad hoc"
connection.

File sharing is enabled on both computers, in the root directory of the boot
drive, for the whole drive.

I can sometimes get it so both computers say they are connected to the
"default" network, In looking at the status windows of these connections,
both say that they have sent data, but received nothing, 0 bytes.

I can find no way to access the hard drive of the other computer. In "My
Computer", "Tools", I click "Map Network Drive", but no network drive is
found, that can be mapped to a drive letter.

I tried the new "Set up Wireless Network" (or whatever it's called) applet
on the SP2 computer, but that is apparently only for infrastructure
connections, not for ad hoc connections like I am trying to create.

Is there anyone reading who could give me any advice, on how to get this to
work? I would appreciate it very much. Thank you.

 

[A-Design]

Disable your firewall and follow the link below to setup your computers:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02aprill08.mspx

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Disable your firewall and follow the link below to setup your computers:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02aprill08.mspx

This link doesn't work for me. Maybe the article is no longer
there or it has moved.

Hans-Georg

 

[Andy Anderson]

This link doesn't work for me. Maybe the article is no longer
there or it has moved.

Hans-Georg

Http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx

Maybe this link will help to find the articles by Barb Bowman!

 

[Andy Anderson]

This link doesn't work for me. Maybe the article is no longer
there or it has moved.

Hans-Georg

Http://outlook.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02a
pril08.mspx

I think this is the correct link, and I only looked at it a couple of
days ago!

 

[Barb Bowman [MVP-Windows]]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx
just worked for me...

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx
just worked for me...

Ah, Barb, good to see you here!

The first link had a double L in "aprill". Took me a while to
find, because at first they looked the same. I already thought
I'm going crazy. -)

Hans-Georg

 

[MS]

Thanks for the article, Barb. I'll go through it step by step, and see if I
can get it working.

In the meantime, with my trying to get it to work, my wireless connection to
my printer doesn't work any more.

I have a wireless printer server (D-Link DP-311U) (USB), had it connected to
my printer, set up as an ad-hoc connection to my computer (which being a
laptop, is not always near the printer, so the wireless link is handy). This
wireless connections worked before, but doesn't know. I don't know what I
did to make it stop working, but probably something in my changing settings
in order to try to make a wireless ad-hoc connection between the two laptops
(which I never got to work), I messed up what had been a successful wireless
connection to the printer, and can't get that to work again. I hope I get
that working again too.

 

[hans]

I do not have an access point. I would just like to connect the two

boot drive, for the whole drive.

Hi, i have had the same experiences.

I have spend months trying to get this to work.
Of the many attempts I have succeeded twice, able to see the
hard drive from one computer to the other. Not the other way
round. I could read files an FTP.

My impression is that this part of the software is under
developed, or parts missing.

Main problems is regarding ip-addresses.
I had a LAN address of 10.0.0.138 for the modem/router
so everything is based on this network address.

When your wireless card is looking for a transmitter, sees
the signal, tries to get connnected and doesn't see a HDCP
server it set up one of its own addresses, 169.154.something
class B.
Then, with this you can try as long as you want but it will
never work. So first step is to be sure the settings are
correct. Force addresses by manual setting.
-------
Next the matter of the channel. Could they be on the same
channel? I don't think so, but who finds whom first?
Is the first one serving as a mini-AP?
-------
I never switched on ICS. It is not needed.
---------
There are many other problems, often I went mad...

What helps are netstumbler, look@lan, lanspeed2, netinfo,
and Net activity diagram
You can download this stuff free at cnet.com
---------
Anyway I gave up. In the end it not is not worth while.
Why debug silly software? For 60 euro you can have an AP.
With an AP it works immediately. Stop wasting your time.
"Ad hoc" is ill designed and unlikely to work (all test were
in windows xp, both)

hope this helps....
hans

 

[Guest]

I have had problems similar to MS, but of a slightly different nature. And
though i haven't spent months (that seems crazy) the past few hours have been
frustrating enough.
Cut a long story short, after trying to set up the wireless connection,
neither computer will detect any wireless connections (the desktop im sitting
at, and the wireless on my lap).
I first tried setting up using the XP wizard. But of found this doesnt work
for adhoc connections, then creating a connection with most of the settings
copied from the failed wizard attempt, and finally using the article by Barb
Bowman, and though i saw some different screens from those 2 years ago (in
her article), i managed to follow the instructions... only to have both of
the computers fail to see each other.
Apart from me not doing something right, the only thing i can think of is my
network card isn't working in my brand new desktop... though windows has
picked it up, and cant find any problems with it...
Any help greatly appreciated

 

[Guest]

I have the exact same problem that Biscuit has. My desktop PCI card and my
laptop PCMCIA card are said to be working correctly by my Windows XP Home SP2
on both computers. I managed to follow Barb's instructions but the computers
can't see each other.

I once got the computers to see each other and was able to transfer files
and even access the internet, but it only last about 2 mins. After that, the
computers were never able to see each other again.

Like Biscuit, I wonder if I have hardware problems.

Any help would be truly appreciated.

Thanks,
bohemia

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I have the exact same problem that Biscuit has. My desktop PCI card and my
laptop PCMCIA card are said to be working correctly by my Windows XP Home SP2
on both computers. I managed to follow Barb's instructions but the computers
can't see each other.

I once got the computers to see each other and was able to transfer files
and even access the internet, but it only last about 2 mins. After that, the
computers were never able to see each other again.

Like Biscuit, I wonder if I have hardware problems.

Any help would be truly appreciated.

bohemia,

you could use http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm to solve this
problem.

Hans-Georg