network cable unplugged displayed

[Ron]

Please help if anyone can suggest anything.

I have a pc with W2000 Server installed on it that has a
broadband connection to the internet, all seems ok with
this.

I also have a laptop with XP Home on it, this has a dial
up connection that works ok also.

I am trying to connect the laptop to the server and have
kind of come unstuck. The cable is there from the laptop
to the server, but there appears to be no connection, none
of the lights blink on the ethernet card on the server
and 'network cable is unplugged' is displayed on the
laptop all the time although the cable is connected. The
server will have it's own ip address as this is
permanently connected to the internet, but the laptop will
be issued with one apparently when it is connected. I have
tried running the 'wizard' on the laptop to connect it on
a home network, but it always asks for an internet
connection, this will have it's internet connection, but
it will be after the connection is successful.

I am completely new to this and have spent hours trying to
connect the two pc's without success. Any suggestions of
what to try would be very much appreciated as it is
probably something reasonably simple that I am doing wrong.

Thank you in advance for any ideas.

 

[BobC]

Please help if anyone can suggest anything.

I have a pc with W2000 Server installed on it that has a
broadband connection to the internet, all seems ok with
this.

I also have a laptop with XP Home on it, this has a dial
up connection that works ok also.

I am trying to connect the laptop to the server and have
kind of come unstuck. The cable is there from the laptop
to the server, but there appears to be no connection, none
of the lights blink on the ethernet card on the server
and 'network cable is unplugged' is displayed on the
laptop all the time although the cable is connected. The
server will have it's own ip address as this is
permanently connected to the internet, but the laptop will
be issued with one apparently when it is connected. I have
tried running the 'wizard' on the laptop to connect it on
a home network, but it always asks for an internet
connection, this will have it's internet connection, but
it will be after the connection is successful.

I am completely new to this and have spent hours trying to
connect the two pc's without success. Any suggestions of
what to try would be very much appreciated as it is
probably something reasonably simple that I am doing wrong.

Thank you in advance for any ideas.

If your computers are connected directly to each other (NIC to NIC) you
need a crossover cable.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Get a router/gateway/firewall appliance with a built-in switch/hub, and plug
everyone into it. It will do NAT for you, but if you have a domain
controller, best to disable DHCP on the router & have your server do DHCP.