Windows XP and TCP/IP Issues

[Guest]

I am having issues with obtaining an IP address on my computers. I have a Netgear FS150 switch. I have my cable modem plugged into it and I con obtain an address on my 98 computer just fine. I have two XP computers. If I obtain an address on one, I cannot obtain an address on the second one. I unplugged my cable modem to obtain the address on one computer and it knocks off the other. The 98 machines keeps running like a champ but the XP computers can't seem obtain addresses at the same time. I do not have the firewall "activated" on either computer. This is really strange to me. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[bcode]

Hey PCgirl,

If the computers are using XP Home edition, you might have a conflict, as
Home Edition will only allow 5 network devices at once, and even when you
have exactly 5, it acts kinda funny too ...
So your Switch (1), your Cable modem (2), your XP Box #1 (3), Xp Box #2 (4),
and perhaps you are sharing a printer, or a USB device? (5), or your router
has wireless access point? (6).

If you have XP Pro on the other hand, then this would not apply.

I hope this has been of some help.
bcode

-----Original Message-----
I am having issues with obtaining an IP address on my computers. I have a

Netgear FS150 switch. I have my cable modem plugged into it and I con
obtain an address on my 98 computer just fine. I have two XP computers. If
I obtain an address on one, I cannot obtain an address on the second one. I
unplugged my cable modem to obtain the address on one computer and it
knocks off the other. The 98 machines keeps running like a champ but the
XP computers can't seem obtain addresses at the same time. I do not have
the firewall "activated" on either computer. This is really strange to me. Any
help is appreciated.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Netgear FS150 switch. I have my cable modem plugged into it and I con
obtain an address on my 98 computer just fine. I have two XP computers. If
I obtain an address on one, I cannot obtain an address on the second one. I
unplugged my cable modem to obtain the address on one computer and it
knocks off the other. The 98 machines keeps running like a champ but the
XP computers can't seem obtain addresses at the same time. I do not have
the firewall "activated" on either computer. This is really strange to me. Any
help is appreciated.

Hey PCgirl,

If the computers are using XP Home edition, you might have a conflict, as
Home Edition will only allow 5 network devices at once, and even when you
have exactly 5, it acts kinda funny too ...
So your Switch (1), your Cable modem (2), your XP Box #1 (3), Xp Box #2 (4),
and perhaps you are sharing a printer, or a USB device? (5), or your router
has wireless access point? (6).

If you have XP Pro on the other hand, then this would not apply.

I hope this has been of some help.
bcode

There's no limit to the number of computers and other devices that can
network with XP Home Edition. Something else is causing the problem
that PCGirl is seeing.

The 5-computer limit that you're referring to is the maximum number of
other computers that can connect to XP Home's shared resources (files,
folders, printers) simultaneously. Computers that aren't actively
connected to a computer's shared resources don't count against the
limit. When a computer disconnects from a shared resource, it no
longer counts against the limit. See this site for more information:

Inbound Connections Limit in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314882

Switches, cable modems, printers, routers, etc, don't count against
the limit. Only other computers do.

Windows XP Professional also has a limit: 10 other computers
connecting to its shared resources simultaneously.
--
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.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I am having issues with obtaining an IP address on my computers. I have a Netgear FS150 switch. I have my cable modem plugged into it and I con obtain an address on my 98 computer just fine. I have two XP computers. If I obtain an address on one, I cannot obtain an address on the second one. I unplugged my cable modem to obtain the address on one computer and it knocks off the other. The 98 machines keeps running like a champ but the XP computers can't seem obtain addresses at the same time. I do not have the firewall "activated" on either computer. This is really strange to me. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Since your computers connect to the cable modem through a switch, you
need to get an IP address from your cable modem ISP for each computer
if you want the computers to connect simultaneously. If you get one
IP address, the first computer gets it and blocks the others. If you
get two IP addresses, the first two computers get them and block the
third. If I understand your problem description, you're getting 2 IP
addresses.

Possible solutions:

1. Contact your cable modem ISP and arrange to get an IP address for
each computer, or:

2. Replace the switch with a broadband router, which can share one IP
address between multiple computers.

If you continue to connect through the switch, you MUST run a firewall
on each computer to prevent Internet hackers from breaking in. An
un-firewalled computer will almost certainly be hacked in a very short
time. If you get a broadband router, it acts as a firewall,
protecting all of the computers.
--
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.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com