Vista Home Network

[Brendan]

Not being technically fluent may I describe my problem simply:
My desktop runs Vista Ultimate and is connected to the internet via a
Vodafone USB modem (3G)
I have a laptop running WXP connected to the d/top via a crossover cable.
Previously (before I switched from normal WLAN to the Vodafone all was well
the computers shared and I could access the internet on both.
Now I cannot access the internet from the laptop. I believe that this is due
to TCP/IP setting problems and have experimented as directed by "Windows
Vista-Inside Out" No success.
Can anyone help, or point me in the right direction please?

 

[Mr. Arnold]

Not being technically fluent may I describe my problem simply:
My desktop runs Vista Ultimate and is connected to the internet via a
Vodafone USB modem (3G)
I have a laptop running WXP connected to the d/top via a crossover cable.
Previously (before I switched from normal WLAN to the Vodafone all was
well the computers shared and I could access the internet on both.
Now I cannot access the internet from the laptop. I believe that this is
due to TCP/IP setting problems and have experimented as directed by
"Windows Vista-Inside Out" No success.
Can anyone help, or point me in the right direction please?

You need to drop this crossover cable stuff and not use ICS (Internet
Connection Sharing) between two machines, usually it winds up being bad news
at some point.

You need to use a NAT router that will be that gateway device for the WAN
(Wide Area Network) and LAN (Local Area Network), with the machines
connected to the router. A much more simpler securer and stable solution
than what you're doing currently.

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp

 

[Brendan]

Sorry for seeming a bit obtuse but your obviously very valuable advice
floats a bit above my head. I would be very grateful if you or somebody
could outline the steps I should take, any hardware I would need etc. I am,
as I said earlier, not well versed in tech-speak.
Thank you for replying,

 

[Mr. Arnold]

Sorry for seeming a bit obtuse but your obviously very valuable advice
floats a bit above my head. I would be very grateful if you or somebody
could outline the steps I should take, any hardware I would need etc. I
am, as I said earlier, not well versed in tech-speak.

1) You need to do something with that USB modem, because a NAT router uses a
RJ45 connection type. So call your ISP and ask them for a modem that uses
the RJ45 connection type.

You can also buy the modem yourself that has the RJ45 connection type. If
you buy your own modem, then get one that's approved by the ISP that it's
going to work on their network.

And you might have to have the ISP provision the modem so that the modem is
recognized on their network ---- ask the ISP about this. A Linksys modem is
a brand name that most all ISP(s) will accept.

2) You purchase a router and again a Linksys router is well known, like the
BEF model wire not wireless series.

www.linksys.com

You'll want to get something like Wallwatcher (free) so that you can look at
the traffic in real time to/from the router with your machines making a
connection to dubious remote Internet/IP(s).

http://sonic.net/wallwatcher/

WW will work on XP. I don't know about Vista.

3) You might have to get some NIC(s) Network Interface Cards and cables (not
cross over cables) that use the RJ45 connection type so the machines can be
plugged into the router.

It's really not that hard.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

If you have a 3rd party firewall running, try disabling it and running with
the Windows Firewall only..

Not being technically fluent may I describe my problem simply:
My desktop runs Vista Ultimate and is connected to the internet via a
Vodafone USB modem (3G)
I have a laptop running WXP connected to the d/top via a crossover cable.
Previously (before I switched from normal WLAN to the Vodafone all was
well the computers shared and I could access the internet on both.
Now I cannot access the internet from the laptop. I believe that this is
due to TCP/IP setting problems and have experimented as directed by
"Windows Vista-Inside Out" No success.
Can anyone help, or point me in the right direction please?

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

 

[Brendan]

Thank you again Mr Arnold, Your suggestions may not be hard but they sure
seem radical and expensive.
What kills me is that I know that this can be done on ICS because I've done
it before with the same Vodafone USB modem but forgotten how.
The cost of your proposed modifications is out of proportion to the amount
of use I would get out of it.
Any suggestions (approved or otherwise) on an ICS solution?

 

[Mr. Arnold]

Thank you again Mr Arnold, Your suggestions may not be hard but they sure
seem radical and expensive.
What kills me is that I know that this can be done on ICS because I've
done it before with the same Vodafone USB modem but forgotten how.
The cost of your proposed modifications is out of proportion to the amount
of use I would get out of it.
Any suggestions (approved or otherwise) on an ICS solution?

Yes it may cost a dollar or two. However, a NAT router as the gateway device
for the home network is pretty much becoming a standard and is the only way
to fly IMHO.

The ICS solution is what you have between the two machines using the Windows
O/S.

This Vodafone is a wireless ISP is it not?

 

[Brendan]

Hi Mr Arnold:

Rather than me describe Vodafone USB modem to you I would refer you to
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/usbmodem

Regards

 

[Mr. Arnold]

Hi Mr Arnold:

Rather than me describe Vodafone USB modem to you I would refer you to
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/usbmodem

Did a driver or any other type of software need to be installed on the
computer when you connected that modem to your PC, in order to make things
work?

It looks to me like that modem with it's USB connection on one end of the
cable and the RJ45 connection on the other end of the cable being plugged
into the RJ45 connection jack to that laptop's NIC. It may work with a
router and its RJ45 connection type as is.

You should use Google and see what a RJ45 connection type is about -- get a
picture of it.

You should check with your ISP to see if a router can be used with the
modem. Because if it can be used by a router, it can be plugged into the
RJ45 WAN port and no driver is needed for the modem to make it work, then
you should be good to go.

Routers don't cost that much. You can get one on sale for as low as $20 here
in the US. Your computers already have the NIC's in them with the RJ45
connection types.

You'll be good to go IF that USB modem with its cable with USB on one end
and and RJ45 on the other end will work when connected to a router. You
should check with the ISP or manufacturer of the modem and it's ability to
work with a router.

 

[Brendan]

The modem is pNp- no driver or other software needed'
The connection cable has a standard USB connection on one end and a mini USB
on the other which connects to the modem itself.
Find it very difficult to get any info on connecting to a router from the
ISP or manufacturer.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

It will not connect to a router..

The modem is pNp- no driver or other software needed'
The connection cable has a standard USB connection on one end and a mini
USB on the other which connects to the modem itself.
Find it very difficult to get any info on connecting to a router from the
ISP or manufacturer.

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

 

[Mr. Arnold]

The modem is pNp- no driver or other software needed'
The connection cable has a standard USB connection on one end and a mini
USB on the other which connects to the modem itself.
Find it very difficult to get any info on connecting to a router from the
ISP or manufacturer.

The modem cannot connect to a router, sorry. It looks like you'll have to
figure out what's wrong with the configuration you have and MS's ICS. That's
why I don't like the ICS with O/S(s), because it's to flakey.

 

[Brendan]

Thank you Mr.Arnold, and you too Mike. The problem may not have been solved,
but I a wiser man as the result of your wisdom.

Regards

 

[Brendan]

Thank you both for your help. The problem remains but I am a wiser newbie
from your advice.
Regards,