I have a Win XP Home edition PC and a laptop running Win 2000 pro and I'd like to set up a network between them. When I run the Wizard, it says the 2000 PC won't run with the XP host without special configuration. I can't find that configuration. I have a cable connection running into a hub that both the PC and the laptop are plugged into. I have Internet connectivity for both as is. But they don't talk to eachother or share devices. Any Help?
Maybe I don't understand something about your setup, David. I don't
see what you mean by designating one computer as a "host" and the
other as a "client". It looks to me like both computers are equal
peers.
This answer applies to computers that connect to a cable modem or DSL
modem through a hub or switch. It doesn't apply if they connect
through a broadband router.
Your network setup is described in the Windows XP Help and Support
program. Click Start | Help and Support, search for the topic
"Network configurations overview", and look at the section labeled
"Individual Internet connections".
The solution given there is to install the IPX/SPX protocol for file
sharing and to disable file sharing on TCP/IP. I've written a web
page showing how to do it:
Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm
There are two reasons to use IPX/SPX instead of TCP/IP for file
sharing:
1. If your cable or DSL provider assigns IP addresses in different
subnets to your computers, it isn't possible for them to communicate
with each other using TCP/IP.
2. Since your computers connect directly to the Internet through the
cable or DSL modem, they receive public IP addresses that are
accessible by everyone on the Internet. Using TCP/IP for file sharing
could let other people access your shared files.
An alternative would be to remove the hub, get a broadband router,
connect the cable modem to its WAN port, and connect the computers to
its LAN ports. In that case:
1. You'd only need to get one IP address from your cable modem
provider, which would save you money if your ISP charges a monthly fee
for more than one IP address.
2. The broadband router would assign private IP addresses to your
computers. Private IP addresses aren't accessible by other Internet
users, so your network would be safe.
3. You could use TCP/IP as the only network protocol, with no need for
IPX/SPX.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
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http://mvp.support.microsoft.com