Networking 2 Laptops With Crossover Cable

[HTFiddler]

The bane of connecting my laptops with a yellow crossover cable is
always that first 5 minutes. Seems like no matter how many times I
reboot, plug and unplug the cable, run ipconfig release/renew, turn
off and on Windows Firewall, etc. etc., it's to no avail ......... and
then by some stroke of magic the Computer Browsers wake up and do
their thing and the connection finally works, usually around 5 minutes
into the whole trip.

Isn't there an easier way? Both machines are running Windows XP
Professional. Isn't there some magic command I can give these puppies
and get them to talk to each other without all the hassles and the
wait?

Thx in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

The bane of connecting my laptops with a yellow crossover cable is
always that first 5 minutes. Seems like no matter how many times I
reboot, plug and unplug the cable, run ipconfig release/renew, turn
off and on Windows Firewall, etc. etc., it's to no avail ......... and
then by some stroke of magic the Computer Browsers wake up and do
their thing and the connection finally works, usually around 5 minutes
into the whole trip.

Isn't there an easier way? Both machines are running Windows XP
Professional. Isn't there some magic command I can give these puppies
and get them to talk to each other without all the hassles and the
wait?

Thx in advance for any suggestions.

Have you tried using fixed IP addresses instead?

Or, save time, get the cheapest router you can find (I've paid as little as
$10), and use standard cables. The router will handle the DHCP services,
and the networking on the laptops won't have to be changed.

HTH
-pk

 

[htfiddler]

Have you tried using fixed IP addresses instead?

No ... not recently, although back in the old days I do recall using
10,0,0,1 and 10,0,0,2. I think the subnet mask was 255, 255, 255, 0.
Does that sound right? You think if I do it that way, it will work
right away?

Or, save time, get the cheapest router you can find (I've paid as little as
$10), and use standard cables.   The router will handle the DHCP services,
and the networking on the laptops won't have to be changed.

I have a router but am often out on the road and don't want to haul
all the extra stuff and have to hustle 110 AC outlets, etc. I just
want to plug in my trusty yellow xover cable and move some files
around.

Thx ......

 

[John John - MVP]

Look in the Event log to see if any relevant errors are logged.

Stopping and restarting the Browser service will force the Master
Browser to rebuild the browse list, try that and see what happens.

Also take a look at your Alternate TCP/IP Configuration to make sure
that things are properly set.

John

 

[db]

tried turning off your antivirals
and firewall?

--
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DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[htfiddler]

Look in the Event log to see if any relevant errors are logged.

I do this sometimes, but often forget. Thx for the reminder.

Stopping and restarting the Browser service will force the Master
Browser to rebuild the browse list, try that and see what happens.

OK ... so I go to Services in Computer Management and find the
Computer Browser.
1. Do I really need to stop it? When I click Restart, the dialog says
it is trying to stop it, so it looks like I just need to "click
Restart", rather than having to "click Stop and then Restart".
Correct?
2. Do I need to do this on both computers? I never know which one is
the Master Browser.

Also take a look at your Alternate TCP/IP Configuration to make sure
that things are properly set.

My General tabs are at "Obtain ... automatically". My Alternate
Configuration tabs are at "Automatic private ...". This is the
default. I never change anything. Patrick suggested using fixed IP
addresses. I haven't done that in years. What do you think?

 

[htfiddler]

tried turning off your antivirals
and firewall?

Firewall yes ... antivirals no. When I turn off the firewalls,
sometimes it goes right thru ... other times it continues to hang.
Duh???

 

[John Wunderlich]

:

The bane of connecting my laptops with a yellow crossover cable is
always that first 5 minutes. Seems like no matter how many times
I reboot, plug and unplug the cable, run ipconfig release/renew,
turn off and on Windows Firewall, etc. etc., it's to no avail
......... and then by some stroke of magic the Computer Browsers
wake up and do their thing and the connection finally works,
usually around 5 minutes into the whole trip.

Isn't there an easier way? Both machines are running Windows XP
Professional. Isn't there some magic command I can give these
puppies and get them to talk to each other without all the hassles
and the wait?

Thx in advance for any suggestions.

Here's a summary of what is happening...

1) When you first connect the two computers and they both notice that
there is a new connection, they both attempt to acquire an IP address
from a DHCP server. There is no DHCP server, but it takes them a
while to realize this. Once they realize this, you usually get a
window pop-up that says something like "There is little or no
connectivity". At this point in time (and if so configured), they
assign themselves an IP address of 169.254.x.x using Automatic
Private IP Addressing (APIPA).

2) When they both have an IP address, then they need to discover each
other using Windows Networking. This can take a while as they have
to elect a browse master and discover each other -- and MS Networking
is not fast in this regard. It takes even longer or fails if a
firewall on one of the machines gets in the way.

You can eliminate delay 1) by assigning fixed IP addresses. But by
the time you do this manually on both machines, the DHCP time-out
could easily have occurred... and then you probably will have to un-
do the change so that you can connect to a network later on.

Once you get to step 2) and get the little or no connectivity, you
can find the IP address they've assigned each other:
o right-click on the network connection -> Status -> "Support" tab
o or "ipconfig" from a command prompt window
and you can connect immediately to the other machine using its IP
address by Start->Run-> then entering the 169.254.x.x IP address of
the other machine in the form "\\169.254.123.123" (or whatever). It
should then connect, bypassing the master browser functions.

You might also want to consult:

'How to use automatic TCP/IP addressing without a DHCP server"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/220874>

BTW: You can determine which machine is the master browser by issuing
the following commad to each computer:
nbtstat -a computername
or
nbtstat -A computerIPAddress

and look for the computer that returns the line that contains
"__MSBROWSE__"

HTH,
John

 

[John John - MVP]

I do this sometimes, but often forget. Thx for the reminder.


OK ... so I go to Services in Computer Management and find the
Computer Browser.
1. Do I really need to stop it? When I click Restart, the dialog says
it is trying to stop it, so it looks like I just need to "click
Restart", rather than having to "click Stop and then Restart".
Correct?

I almost always prefer to do this from the Command Prompt, stop the
service then restart it:

net stop browser
net start browser

2. Do I need to do this on both computers? I never know which one is
the Master Browser.

Stopping and restarting the service on any one of the machines will
trigger a browser election, if only one machine is set to be Master
Browser it will force it to rebuild the browse list.

My General tabs are at "Obtain ... automatically". My Alternate
Configuration tabs are at "Automatic private ...". This is the
default. I never change anything. Patrick suggested using fixed IP
addresses. I haven't done that in years. What do you think?

I would follow Patrick's advice and assign fixed IP addresses, it isn't
hard to configure and it will give you answers to some of your questions.

John

 

[htfiddler]

That was great ... I learned a lot! However to muddle things even
further, I sometimes use ICS to get Internet svc to my 2d laptop.
After much trial and error, and consulting the docs, I learned that
ICS won't work over fixed IP addresses. It forces the whole thing
onto \\192.168.n.n. So I am living with the 1 minute DHCP/APIPA hang
and then either using the \\192.168.n.n to connect, or the net stop/
start browser. This has sped things up and removed confusion
considerably.

I still have a problem with ICS occasionally and it apparently has to
do with Windows Firewall on the host machine. I can see the files on
both machines just fine, but the client laptop won't display web
pages. If I then turn off the firewall on the host, the problem is
fixed, however I am then lacking the firewall on the host. Any ideas
why this is happening and how to fix it?

Thanks for the great advice!
Henry

 

[John Wunderlich]

That was great ... I learned a lot! However to muddle things even
further, I sometimes use ICS to get Internet svc to my 2d laptop.
After much trial and error, and consulting the docs, I learned
that ICS won't work over fixed IP addresses. It forces the whole
thing onto \\192.168.n.n. So I am living with the 1 minute
DHCP/APIPA hang and then either using the \\192.168.n.n to
connect, or the net stop/ start browser. This has sped things up
and removed confusion considerably.

It occurred to me that \\computername may work just as well as it may
generate an immediate broacast to locate the computername. Also,
doing a search for the specific computer name may speed up the
process as well
Start -> Search -> Files or Folders -> Computers or People
-> A computer on the network
Then enter the computer name.

I still have a problem with ICS occasionally and it apparently has
to do with Windows Firewall on the host machine. I can see the
files on both machines just fine, but the client laptop won't
display web pages. If I then turn off the firewall on the host,
the problem is fixed, however I am then lacking the firewall on
the host. Any ideas why this is happening and how to fix it?

It sounds like a configuration issue in the Windows firewall on the
host.
Try the following article:

"Description of the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP Service
Pack 2"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/843090>

HTH,
John

 

[htfiddler]

It occurred to me that \\computername may work just as well as it may
generate an immediate broacast to locate the computername.  Also,
doing a search for the specific computer name may speed up the
process as well
  Start -> Search -> Files or Folders -> Computers or People
        -> A computer on the network
Then enter the computer name.

Well ... nice try. I tried all the above, plus net stop/start
browser, and all to no avail. My shares just show up whenever Windows
XP Pro damn well gets around to it ... sometimes 15 minutes after
connecting the yellow crossover cable. Ho hum. Of course, after they
all show up all of your suggestions DO work, and it is nice to know
this alternative syntax is available, since it is definitely easier
than typing \\192.168.0.100, etc. But the \\192.n.n.n form always
works immediately after the DHCP servers do their thing.

Thx again for all the help and suggestions!

Best,
Henry