Hi.

I'll try to keep this simple. My main aim is to share files (and at some point my printer) between my Home PC and my laptop. My pc is ageing and filling fast, thus the need to transfer files so that I can look into backing up, cleaning, formatting or upgrading my pc or getting a new one.

I recently bought a Fujitsu-siemens amilo laptop with a Ralink RT2500 wireless card installed.
I also bought a U.S. Robotics 8054 wireless access point and router. I thought it best as I have a broadband connection to my pc via a U.S. Robotics 9003 ADSL ethernet/USB router. After quite a few attempts I managed to get my wireless card and router working and have been able to access the net. However when it comes to setting up a home network I have just been going round in circles.

I have tried all types of websites, guides and programs including windows network setup wizard. I have got to the point where my laptop has a shared documents folder set up and a NAT gateway(???) in place. I have tried to give both computers the same workgroup name. Turning off firewalls (win xp firewall isn't on anyway) and anti virus software. I've followed the network setup wizard on both computers taking a usb memory stick of network information between them both as instructed. However they still can't see each other.

I'm not sure if somewhere along the line a piece of my kit may be causing the problem.

I have win xp pro sp2, ethernet ports and a wireless card on my laptop.

However my pc is now quite old and it also has been handed down. It is running a version of win xp pro thatÂÂ! I think (according to microsoft) was initially a buisness license / dodgy so I can't upgrade to sp2. Also my ADSL modem is linked to my pc via a USB not ethernet as I do not have a ethernet port on my pc.

My internet configuration is such:

INTERNET

to

US Robotics 9003 ADSL Ethernet/USB router

via USB toÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! +ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! viaÂÂ! ethernet cable to

PCÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ!wireless (WAN port) to

ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! Laptop



I wouldn't call myself a complete novice pc wise however it's quite obvious that I'm not a pro either!

I really would appreciate any help at all

Thanks

Kizza

Your configuration sounds horrible :-\

Let me get it straight.

Your desktop's gateway to the WAN (internet connection) is an ADSL Router. Your Desktop doesn't have a Ethernet port, so you're using USB instead.
Your laptop is connected to a Wireless Access Point, which is connected to the ADSL Router by an Ethernet cable.

If this is the case, first thing you need to do is make sure that the ADSL Router can operate in both USB and Ethernet mode. Usually they cannot, functioning either as an ADSL Modem/Gateway/Switch device, or as an ADSL Modem/Gateway/USB Network Adaptor device, but not both.

Secondly (I’m presuming that you’ve got the laptop connected to the Access point, have a WEP key, etc.), you need to make sure that the Wireless Access Point, that your laptop is connected to, is issuing relevant IP Addresses.

Lets say your Router’s IP Address is 192.168.0.1 (common and logical). The Desktop should be issued an IP address automatically, in the 192.168.0.[2-254] range (eg, 192.168.0.128). The Gateway address (also sometimes called Default Route) should be equal to the Router’s (192.168.0.1 in this example). The DNS address can be translated (192.168.0.1) direct from ISP (something completely different, like 202.89.104.17).

Now, in order for your laptop to get in on the fun, it needs an IP address in the same 192.168.0.x range, different from the desktop, and the correct Gateway, DNS etc. If it doesn’t get these details automatically, there is a configuration problem.

What IP detail does the desktop have, and what does the notebook have?

Hi syphus.

Thanks for the reply and yes your right my configuration does sound a bit of a mess. However you have it correct.

(Your desktop's gateway to the WAN (internet connection) is an ADSL Router. Your Desktop doesn't have a Ethernet port, so you're using USB instead.ÂÂ! Your laptop is connected to a Wireless Access Point, which is connected to the ADSL Router by an Ethernet cable.)

If this is the case, first thing you need to do is make sure that the ADSL Router can operate in both USB and Ethernet mode. - How do I do this?

(I’m presuming that you’ve got the laptop connected to the Access point, have a WEP key, etc.) - Yes to the access point, er not sure about the WEP key? As I was setting up the wireless connection I entered various wep keys without much luck. Then after switching the access point on and off AGAIN it finally started to work. I believe I am running an unsecured wireless connection (eek!)

What IP detail does the desktop have, and what does the notebook have?

desktop ip details

IP:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! 192.168.1.3
Subnet:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
DNS:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ!192.168.1.1

Notebook ip details

IP:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! 192.168.123.100
Subnet:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! 255.255.255.0
Default: Gateway:ÂÂ! 192.168.123.254
DNS:ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ! ÂÂ!192.168.123.254


Er ok?

Kizza

Thanks kizza, that information is very helpful.
First, the only way to know if the Router supports both USB and Ethernet is by checking with the manual. If it does, then read on…

We can now see that your problem is that the notebook and desktop are not in the same IP network. I'll try to show you what I mean (it should help you in the long run). If you know basic IP theory, skip untill you see [size=14px]Possible Solution Begins Here[/size] ;D

In order for two network devices (computers, routers, access points, anything) to communicate with IP, they need to be on the same IP network. The Subnet Mask (usually shortened to Subnet) is literally, an IP Address mask. It allows you to identify which parts of the IP Address are the Subnet Address which is shared with all members of a network, and which part is the Client’s address, and must be unique. The 255s are parts of the mask that cover up numbers, and the 0s are parts which expose numbers. For two computers to be in the same subnet, all the numbers that are hidden by the subnet mask must be the same. In your example, for the desktop:

255.255.255.0
192.168.1.3

This means that the network is 192.168.1. Now, the notebook:

255.255.255.0
192.168.123.100

[size=14px]Possible Solution Begins Here[/size]

The notebook is in the network 192.168.123. A different network to the desktop; this is why they cannot communicate.


The reason for this is, the facility which automatically issues IP addresses, called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is being used by both the access point and the router. To do this, you need to reconfigure the Access Point. You should be able to gain access to the Access Point’s control panel by browsing to the address 192.168.123.254 on your notebook. The default login credentials are usually Admin/password or Admin/admin. First change the IP details on the access point to the following:

IP: 192.168.1.254
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Then you have two options. Either change the DHCP configuration to the following:

Address range/pool: 192.168.1.128 to 192.168.1.199
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
DNS: 192.168.1.1

Or enable DHCP pass through, and point the target at 192.168.1.1. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you specifically how to find these options, because each model uses a different control panel layout. Just make sure you apply the changes carefully, or you can lose the ability to gain access to the control panel. For example, if you change the IP Address to 192.168.1.254 and find you cannot access if from the notebook, you should be able to from the desktop. This is because the IP address is now not in the Access Point’s DHCP subnet, but it’s now in the desktop’s.

If you do have to configure a new DHCP pool for the Access Point, it is recommended that you access the Router’s control panel by browsing to 192.168.1.1 from the desktop and adjusting the DHCP there to the following details

Address range/pool: 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.127
All other details remain.

This is to make sure the Router and Access Point wont end up issuing the same IP Address to different clients (bad). While you’re in there, double check that DNS forwarding is enabled.


Post back on anything you need clarification on.

Hi again.

Sorry to have taken so long.

Well i'm not really sure how I did it but it appears my computers are talking to each other and I can share files!

To recap what I did do.

Firstly I checked the drivers for my usb/ethernet modem. They needed updating, so that is what I did. After a brief scramble of lost information I managed to get back online. However my configuration utility does tell me that my router is connected to the internet but that I need to check my internet network settings?

Secondly I got hold of a Ethernet network card and installed that no problems. I also changed the link from the modem from usb to ethernet.

After a few reboots, I also reset my wireless access point and reconfigured the ethernet link from the modem to the access point into a LAN port (not WAN).

It was at this point I checked my connection status etc.

The desktop:

address type assigned by DHCP
IP Address 192.164.1.5
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
default gateway 192.168.1.1

The laptop:

address type assigned by DHCP
IP Address 192.164.1.6
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
default gateway 192.168.1.1

I then went through setting up a small or home network on both computers and used the win xp pro disc that came with my laptop to finalise the networking process.

I then placed the ip address in each of my trusted areas within my firewall and low and behold I could start to share files.

Is this all ok? I still seem to be running an unsecured wireless network.

Thanks.

Kizza