Need a Plan to Link WinXP PC with Win95 PC to Share Internet and Resources

[jaykchan]

I have the following computers and devices that I want to link together
into a home network:
- PC with WinXP Home Edition
- Old PC with Win95 SP1
- Two network media players (MediaMVP) that require the use of DHCP.

I want those two PCs to share the following resources:
- Primary: Internet connection (DSL)
- Secondery: Files transfer, printers

Current Configuration:
- LinkSys BEFSX41 router/switch with 10/100 4-port.
It can work as a DHCP server; but I have a feeling
that it cannot work as a DNS server.
- The WinXP PC and those two network media players are
connected to the router using DHCP. The WinXP PC has
no problem getting access to Internet. Those two
network media players have no problem getting access
to video files in the WinXP PC.
- All use TCP/IP protocol, and all use DHCP to get IP
address.

Now, I need to connect that old Win95 PC to the network. And that is
where I have a lot of problem: (1) I cannot use DHCP on that Win95 PC
even with the patches that were supposed to fix it. (2) I can ping
between the WinXP PC and the Win95 PC; but I cannot use network
neighborhood to see each other.

Instead of trying to figure out what I have done wrong in that Win95
PC, I need to step back and review the overall network to see if I am
missing someting. Basically I would like to know this:

- How would you connect all these computers/device together?
o Will you use DHCP or static IP given the fact that I
cannot get DHCP to work in that Win95 PC?
o Which network protocol to use?
o How do you get the IP-to-hose-name issue resolved?
Will you use DNS or WINS or any other mean?

I know someone is going to say "get a Mac", "use Win98", "buy a new
PC". But none of these options are available, and I definitely need to
use Win95 (don't want to spend any more money on that old PC). I am
thinking of running a minimum installation of Linux on that old PC; but
I will hold on with this idea until I am totally done with the Win95
idea.

Jay Chan

 

[Guest]

Hi,
I do not understand how you can say that you cannot use DHCP on the Win95
machine. Your DHCP server should be handing off an IP address to the win95
machine. What IP address are you using to ping between XP and win95? also the
Win95 machine needs to be using an account on the XP machine to be able to
"see" it in network neighbourhood.

Jake

 

[Bob Willard]

I have the following computers and devices that I want to link together
into a home network:
- PC with WinXP Home Edition
- Old PC with Win95 SP1
- Two network media players (MediaMVP) that require the use of DHCP.

I want those two PCs to share the following resources:
- Primary: Internet connection (DSL)
- Secondery: Files transfer, printers

Current Configuration:
- LinkSys BEFSX41 router/switch with 10/100 4-port.
It can work as a DHCP server; but I have a feeling
that it cannot work as a DNS server.
- The WinXP PC and those two network media players are
connected to the router using DHCP. The WinXP PC has
no problem getting access to Internet. Those two
network media players have no problem getting access
to video files in the WinXP PC.
- All use TCP/IP protocol, and all use DHCP to get IP
address.

Now, I need to connect that old Win95 PC to the network. And that is
where I have a lot of problem: (1) I cannot use DHCP on that Win95 PC
even with the patches that were supposed to fix it. (2) I can ping
between the WinXP PC and the Win95 PC; but I cannot use network
neighborhood to see each other.

Instead of trying to figure out what I have done wrong in that Win95
PC, I need to step back and review the overall network to see if I am
missing someting. Basically I would like to know this:

- How would you connect all these computers/device together?
o Will you use DHCP or static IP given the fact that I
cannot get DHCP to work in that Win95 PC?
o Which network protocol to use?
o How do you get the IP-to-hose-name issue resolved?
Will you use DNS or WINS or any other mean?

I know someone is going to say "get a Mac", "use Win98", "buy a new
PC". But none of these options are available, and I definitely need to
use Win95 (don't want to spend any more money on that old PC). I am
thinking of running a minimum installation of Linux on that old PC; but
I will hold on with this idea until I am totally done with the Win95
idea.

Jay Chan

I'm sure that W95, even the original, used to support DHCP with TCP/IP.

But if it doesn't, simply assign a static IP address to that W95 PC,
choosing an IPA that is in the same subnet as the other nodes on your
LAN; e.g., if your other nodes are 192.168.1.100-192.168.1.104, then
give your W95 PC an IPA of 192.168.1.99 -- beyond the scope of your
DHCP server, but in the same subnet.

I suspect you'll eventually find that your problem is not DHCP, but
something else. Meanwhile, with a static IPA in the right range,
that won't be a concern.

 

[jaykchan]

I do not understand how you can say that you cannot use DHCP on the
Win95

machine. Your DHCP server should be handing off an IP address to the win95
machine. What IP address are you using to ping between XP and win95?

The Win95 keeps showing an error message saying "DHCP client was unable
to obtain an IP network address from a DHCP server" when I enable using
DHCP to get IP address. According to messages in Win95 newsgroup, I am
supposed to be able to fix this problem by applying some patches on DUN
and WinSock. I did that; but I still have that problem. I am trying to
get around this problem by using static IP address. And yes I can at
least ping between the WinXP PC and the Win95 PC. But the Win95 still
cannot browse the network neighborhood, and the WinXP PC cannot see any
shared resource in the Win95 PC (WinXP can see the name of the Win95 in
the network neighborhood though).

also the Win95 machine needs to be using an account on the XP
machine to be able to "see" it in network neighbourhood.

Can you explain a bit more on this? You may be onto something.

I logon to both PCs using the exact same user name and I leave the
password blank in both PCs. Is this the same as "using an account on
the XP machine"?

Jay Chan

 

[jaykchan]

I'm sure that W95, even the original, used to support DHCP with
TCP/IP.

Somehow, this Win95 PC cannot talk to the DHCP server in the
router/switch. I have already applied service-pack-1 and DUN and
WinSock patches that were supposed to fix this problem, and I have
re-installed Win95 at least three times. But I still cannot use DHCP to
assign IP address to that Win95 PC.

But if it doesn't, simply assign a static IP address to that W95 PC,
choosing an IPA that is in the same subnet as the other nodes on your
LAN; e.g., if your other nodes are 192.168.1.100-192.168.1.104, then
give your W95 PC an IPA of 192.168.1.99 -- beyond the scope of your
DHCP server, but in the same subnet.

Yes, I have assigned a static IP address to that Win95 that is outside
the range of IP addresses for DHCP. Now, at least I can ping between
the Win95 PC and the WinXP PC. But I still have problem in network
neighborhood.

In Win95 PC, I cannot browse the network neighborhood.

In WinXP PC, I can browse the network neighborhood and I can see the
name of the Win95 PC. But I cannot browse the shared resources in the
Win95 PC.

I suspect you'll eventually find that your problem is not DHCP, but
something else.

You may be right. And one way to find out is to install a different
version of O/S into that PC. Eventually, I may install Win98 or Linux
on that PC just to see if that fixes the problem. But I really don't
want to do this until I have tried all the possible ways in Win95
first. This is the reason why I want to step back and review the
overall picture of my network configuration to see if I am missing
something.

How would you configure this home network? Which way would you setup
DNS considering the fact that the router/switch is not a DNS server?
Which protocol would you use?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

 

[Bob Willard]

TCP/IP.

Somehow, this Win95 PC cannot talk to the DHCP server in the
router/switch. I have already applied service-pack-1 and DUN and
WinSock patches that were supposed to fix this problem, and I have
re-installed Win95 at least three times. But I still cannot use DHCP to
assign IP address to that Win95 PC.




Yes, I have assigned a static IP address to that Win95 that is outside
the range of IP addresses for DHCP. Now, at least I can ping between
the Win95 PC and the WinXP PC. But I still have problem in network
neighborhood.

In Win95 PC, I cannot browse the network neighborhood.

In WinXP PC, I can browse the network neighborhood and I can see the
name of the Win95 PC. But I cannot browse the shared resources in the
Win95 PC.




You may be right. And one way to find out is to install a different
version of O/S into that PC. Eventually, I may install Win98 or Linux
on that PC just to see if that fixes the problem. But I really don't
want to do this until I have tried all the possible ways in Win95
first. This is the reason why I want to step back and review the
overall picture of my network configuration to see if I am missing
something.

How would you configure this home network? Which way would you setup
DNS considering the fact that the router/switch is not a DNS server?
Which protocol would you use?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Some A's to those Q's:

1. For simplicity, use no protocol except TCP/IP. Use NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
Check the F&P Sharing box, and check the Client for M$ Nets box.

2. Log into your router, look at the WAN-side params, and see what the router
has for DNS server IPAs; use those for the PCs. {Or, see what the XP PC
has for DNS server IPAs, and use those for the W9x PC.}

3. Make sure the XP PC can ping the router. Then, if the W9x PC cannot,
find out why. If ping-by-number works and ping-by-name doesn't, you
probably have a DNS problem; if ping-by-name doesn't work, remove all
firewall and AV software. Then, try a different cable and a different port
on the router. Then, try to remove and then reinstall the network
software. Then, try to remove and reinsert the NIC; better yet, try a
different NIC.

 

[jaykchan]

1. For simplicity, use no protocol except TCP/IP. Use NetBIOS over
TCP/IP.

Check the F&P Sharing box, and check the Client for M$ Nets box.
Done.

2. Log into your router, look at the WAN-side params, and see what the router
has for DNS server IPAs; use those for the PCs. {Or, see what the XP PC
has for DNS server IPAs, and use those for the W9x PC.}

I will try this when I get back home.

3. Make sure the XP PC can ping the router. Then, if the W9x PC cannot,
find out why. If ping-by-number works and ping-by-name doesn't, you
probably have a DNS problem; if ping-by-name doesn't work, remove all
firewall and AV software. Then, try a different cable and a different port
on the router. Then, try to remove and then reinstall the network
software. Then, try to remove and reinsert the NIC; better yet, try a
different NIC.

Currently, WinXP PC can ping Win95 PC using IP address, but not the
host name.
Win95 PC can ping WinXP PC using both IP address and host name. I will
try again after examining the WAN settings.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

 

[Bob Willard]

the router


the XP PC



I will try this when I get back home.



different port


try a



Currently, WinXP PC can ping Win95 PC using IP address, but not the
host name.
Win95 PC can ping WinXP PC using both IP address and host name. I will
try again after examining the WAN settings.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Sounds like the XP PC has the name translation problem, not the W9x PC.
Can the XP PC ping www.whitehouse.gov? If not, then it probably has bad
DNS params; if ping-by-name works for WAN nodes but not for LAN nodes,
then I'd suspect that NetBIOS over TCP/IP was not selected on the XP PC.

 

[jaykchan]

Sounds like the XP PC has the name translation problem, not the W9x
PC.

Can the XP PC ping www.whitehouse.gov? If not, then it probably has bad
DNS params; if ping-by-name works for WAN nodes but not for LAN nodes,
then I'd suspect that NetBIOS over TCP/IP was not selected on the XP

PC.

Thanks for the advice. I will try these when I get back home.

Jay Chan

 

[jaykchan]

Sounds like the XP PC has the name translation problem, not the W9x
PC.

Can the XP PC ping www.whitehouse.gov? If not, then it probably has bad
DNS params; if ping-by-name works for WAN nodes but not for LAN nodes,
then I'd suspect that NetBIOS over TCP/IP was not selected on the XP

PC.

No, the problem was definitely in the Win95 PC. I have replaced Win95
in that PC with Win98SE. And the PC has no problem getting IP address
from DHCP right after installing Win98SE and the device driver for the
network card without any further tweaking. And the WinXP PC and the
Win98 PC can see each other and share resources.

I am glad that this problem is over.

Jay Chan

 

[jaykchan]

As mentioned else where in this thread, I have fixed this problem by
replacing the Win95 with Win98SE. Now, the machine can get IP address
from DHCP right after installing Win98SE and the device driver for the
network card without any further tweaking. And the WinXP PC and the
Win98 PC can see each other and share resources (riight after I enable
files-and-printers-sharing in Win98 PC). Now, I just need to call the
ISP to ask them to give me instruction of setting up DSL connection on
that Win98 PC.

Seem like the version of Win95 that I have may not be the best version.
That version is the very first public release of Win95 right after it
came out of beta. Somehow, applying SP1 and other patches cannot fix
the problem. I don't want to investigate any further why that version
of Win95 doesn't work. I am just happy that I can get the PC to network
using Win98.

Jay Chan

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

No, the problem was definitely in the Win95 PC. I have replaced Win95
in that PC with Win98SE. And the PC has no problem getting IP address
from DHCP right after installing Win98SE and the device driver for the
network card without any further tweaking. And the WinXP PC and the
Win98 PC can see each other and share resources.

I am glad that this problem is over.

Jay Chan

Hi - glad you got it resolved. I don't bother doing anything with Win95
anymore. Even Win98 is ancient stuff and I don't recommend it - but I guess
if I had to pick, I'd choose Win98SE over WinME.... my true preference being
WinXP.

 

[jaykchan]

Hi - glad you got it resolved. I don't bother doing anything with
Win95

anymore. Even Win98 is ancient stuff and I don't recommend it - but I guess
if I had to pick, I'd choose Win98SE over WinME.... my true preference being
WinXP.

Unfortunately, my Pentium 200MHz is way too slow for WinME and WinXP.
On the other hand, it works very well with Win98se. Now, I can do
wordprocessing, spreadsheet, browsing internet, and even games (Doom
and Quake) in that PC. Therefore, I will not sell short on Win98 and
old PC.

Yesterday, with tech support's help, I discovered that the firmware in
the LinkSys broadband router is buggy. It cannot allow me to connect to
Internet -- not from the WinXP PC, nor the Win98se PC (only worked with
a dialer). And I needed to downgrade the firmware to the older version
in order to connect to internet without the use of a dialer. I am
wondering whether the problem that I have experienced with Win95 might
have to do with the router itself, and might not have to do with Win95.
Anyway, I will not know for sure because I am not going to replace the
Win98se with Win95.

Jay Chan