Local network works no longer

[Guest]

Hello,
I have a strange problem with my local network

It is of the simplest kind : computer A (windows XP SP2) is connected to
computer B (windows XP) with an Ethernet cable. There is no Internet
connection. The two computers are connected only occasionaly.

I configured the network several months ago and it worked perfectly until...

the connection did not function anymore. Then I reconfigured the network,
and at the second trial (don't ask me why) it seemed to worked again. I
though the problem was over, but recently I made the connection again : it
did not worked and this time I could not acheive anything despite several
attempt to reconfigure it from the beginning.

Now the situation is as follows :

- the cable seems OK since when I unplug/plug it the computers react
normally (messages about the cable being disconnected or about the network
being active);

- computer B sees only himself in the workgroup;

- computer A (the first in the configuration) sometimes sees both A and B,
sometimes only A, sometimes nothing in the workgroup. When B is seen, when I
click on it I have an error message telling me that the path is not found;

- in the properties of the network (for both A and B) : paquets are sent but
none is received.

What happened between the time when it worked and the time when problems
started ?

Well, I installed some softwares, some of then a bit old. It trigerred
another problem : the automatic execution of CDs was disabled. I solved this
problem with Tweak UI which changed the data type and value of a register key
involved.

Since I am not able to restore the system at a date earlier than when the
problem first occur, I feel helpless.

Please help. Thanks.
Alain

 

[Henry Hicks]

Are you using a crossover?

Check here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305621

The best and easiest way to connect would be through a router, mostly plug
and play, set both computers network adaptors to DHCP and your good to go.
And this option has the possibilities of adding more computers, video games,
printers and who knows what else.

 

[Guest]

Well sorry but the page in the kb you gave me is not relevant. My cable is
not a serial or parallel cable, it is an Ethernet (RJ45 crossed) cable,
connecting directly the two PCs.
My network is a local area network using tcp/ip protocol.

What is a crossover ?

I browsed the KB in search of ideas but it seems quite complex, I am not
sure there is anything that can help me at first sight.

One thing : I made sure that the firewall is not active.
I also insist on the fact that this network configuration did word and that
there has been no hardware changes since then.

Do you have any idea considering the strange symptoms I have ?
Thanks
Alain

 

[news]

did you test the cable by tester.... are you insure that you have make the
right sort for cables to be crossed.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

How can I test the cable ?

What I observe is that when the Pcs are connected and I switch one on or
off, the icon (of the other computer) in the toolbar of windows reacts : it
says "a cable as been disconnected" or it shows an active connection,
displaying the speed.

For the kind of cable : yes I am sure it is the right one (It did work
properly before).

The last tests I made :
-both computer have a IP adress of the type 169.254.x.y
-local ping is OK on both computers
-distant ping is not responding, from any computer
-ICF fire-wall is inactive on both
-there are no proxy
-the arp -a command gives a "no entry" answer
-the network diagnostic (netsh diag gui) shows no error on both
-in the LAN wokgroup of computer A (host) I see computer A and B (the later
cannot be open : "path not found")
-in the LAN workgroup of computer B I see only computer B
-the LAN where configured with the same workgroup name on both computers

Thanks
Alain.