XP to ME Networking

[Guest]

Hello
I have Windows XP with SP2 running on my main machine with the other machine
running Win ME and they are networked by means of ethernet cards in each
computer and connected with a LAN network cable. The network doesn't work
however and I think it may have something to do with the Firewall in Win XP.
The Firewall is actually disabled because the XP machine runs through the
Norton 2004 Firewall and the ME machine is configured to use this also.
When I click <Control panel> <Windows firewall> I get 'Windows Firewall
settings cannot be displayed because the associated service is not running.
Do you want to start the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing
service?'
When I click yes the Windows Firewall tells me that it is off however the
Exceptions and Advanced tabs have boxes ticked and I must admit that I have
ticked a few boxex (but cannot now remember which) to try and get the network
running. I have had the network running fine until a crash on the ME machine
caused me to reinstall.
Could anyone please advise how I keep the Internet Connection Sharing
service on permanently and what, if anything, should go in the Exceptions and
Advanced tabs on the disabled Windows Firewall.
Would a wireless network solve these annoying problems?
Thanks
Andrew Wilson

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

AW

If you have a CAT5 cable running from one Ethernet card to the other, is the
CAT5 cable of the crossover type?..

 

[Guest]

Mike
Yes, it is a crossover cable and I have had the network running previously.
On some occasions I can connect to the internet very briefly on the client
(Win ME) computer as soon as I boot it up but this only lasts for a couple of
minutes before the network collapses again. This is why I think it may be
omething to do with the Windows Firewall even though it is switched off in
<control panel>. The internet connection on the host (Win XP) computer is
fine and I can browse and email.
Regards
Andrew

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Doubtful that it would be the Windows Firewall if it is not even running..
presumably, you have reset all settings within ME, maybe from scratch?..

 

[Guest]

Settings should be fine on the ME machine. I configured the network using the
XP Network Wizard and then by running the setup disk on the ME machine. When
that didn't work I set up the connection manually using IP addresses and that
didn't work either.
As I said in my first post when double clicking Windows Firewall from
Control Panel.
'Windows Firewall settings cannot be displayed because the associated
service is not running.
Do you want to start the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing
service?'
Do I need to have the Internet Connection Sharing tool switched on
permanently, if so how do I do this without activating the Windows Firewall?
Is there a way of deleting all previous network configurations on both
machines and starting anew?
Regards and thanks
Andrew Wilson


AW