Why can't I set up a network between my laptop and my desktop?

The desktop is running xp , the laptop is Win2K .
I ran the wizard on both machines and no matter what I do I can't get it to work . I just want to do a simple direct link between the two .
WHAT am I doing worng?

Have you connected them?  
Actually, check the workgroup name to make sure they are the same.

do you have layer 1 ?? (link light)  if your going directly between two network cards you need a crossover cable)
If you do, then if you have sharing enabled you should just be able to use search and brows for computers and find your 2k machine...  or pick map network drive and do the same.  

what kind of connection? Wireless, wired? If wired, do you have a hub?

Are you running a standard cable between the two? If you use a direct cable, it has to be a crossover.


ETA: 38 seconds. There were no replys when I hit the button.

I bought a ethernet cable , but that didn't work so my little bro in law went to radio hack and bought a cable that he uses at LAN parties for me . He said the cable should work , but I can't get it to work for nothing .

Quoted: I bought a ethernet cable , but that didn't work so my little bro in law went to radio hack and bought a cable that he uses at LAN parties for me . He said the cable should work , but I can't get it to work for nothing .

Well, that's a bit different.  He probably thinks it's a crossover cable, but my guess is that it's a standard ethernet cable.  

Quoted: I bought a ethernet cable , but that didn't work so my little bro in law went to radio hack and bought a cable that he uses at LAN parties for me . He said the cable should work , but I can't get it to work for nothing .

need to know what the connections are tho

computer to computer needs a crossover cable

otherwise, regular cables can be used if you're going into a hub of some sort.

Quoted: Quoted: I bought a ethernet cable , but that didn't work so my little bro in law went to radio hack and bought a cable that he uses at LAN parties for me . He said the cable should work , but I can't get it to work for nothing . Well, that's a bit different.  He probably thinks it's a crossover cable, but my guess is that it's a standard ethernet cable.

Quite possibly, most of the lan parties I was at were over a dozen people and we used a 24port hub which used all straight cables.  

So If I grab a hub I should be ok than if the other cable is wrong?

Quoted: So If I grab a hub I should be ok than if the other cable is wrong?

You can, but if you have no intention of connecting more computers or broadband internet too it, you probably wasting money.  if you go to radio shack, staples, office max, best buy, circuit city, etc.. they all bad a cable listed as a "crossover cable"  thats is what you need to get a link between the two computers.   the cable shouldnt cost you more than 8bux  (probably less than a dollar if you order one online)  

Quoted: Quoted: So If I grab a hub I should be ok than if the other cable is wrong? You can, but if you have no intention of connecting more computers or broadband internet too it, you probably wasting money.  if you go to radio shack, staples, office max, best buy, circuit city, etc.. they all bad a cable listed as a "crossover cable"  thats is what you need to get a link between the two computers.   the cable shouldnt cost you more than 8bux  (probably less than a dollar if you order one online)

I don't have any of those places here . In the future I am going to go with a wifi set up and cable modem , but this is a just for now thing so I can swap some files from one PC to the other . Being that the desk top is faster I want to use it to do my music editing still , but I have the laptop set up for on the road stuff so I can work on tunes while I am out of town . I don't want to burn a cd every time .

I've done this through a ethernet router; I found that to get my two WinXP computers linked, I had to have both TCP/IP and netBIOS enabled on both computers. On both, open the properties for the ethernet connection, and it will show what is enabled. (-I had TCP/IP enabled for internet, but had disabled everything else because [for internet use] nothing else should be necessary anyway).

All the how-to pages for setting up Windows file-sharing tell you about needing TCP/IP but I looked for a long time until I happened across one that mentioned you also needed netBIOS enabled as well.

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Also--most all ethernet cards will work with crossover cables, but some still don't. Lots of people assume they all do, but if the specs of BOTH of the ethernet cards do not explicitly say that they will work with a crossover cable, then the fact is that they aren't guaranteed to do so. And both need to work, for this to work at all. ......If you are using a crossover cable and have tried everything else, then try using a hub and two regular cables.
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So I checked the package It is a cross over cable . I guess I need to look into the Ethernet parts to see if they will support the cross over cable and go from there .

If it is just 2 computers, get a cheap hub, works at layer 1 but no biggie for 2 'puters...

Else get a switch if you want full duplex (still cheap) ETA: switch works at layer 2 (yes I am taking a class on communication protocols right now )

Before you buy anything else, spend a little time looking through here www.practicallynetworked.com/  There is a good deal of good info for you.

Quoted: If it is just 2 computers, get a cheap hub, works at layer 1 but no biggie for 2 'puters... Else get a switch if you want full duplex (still cheap) ETA: switch works at layer 2 (yes I am taking a class on communication protocols right now )

I just set up two layer 3 switches for a new ethernet circuit today..  7206 <shourt haul gig fibre>3550 <long haul gig fibre> 2950 <> 20meg ethernet hand off to the site.. It was a fun project

Quoted: Quoted: If it is just 2 computers, get a cheap hub, works at layer 1 but no biggie for 2 'puters... Else get a switch if you want full duplex (still cheap) ETA: switch works at layer 2 (yes I am taking a class on communication protocols right now ) I just set up two layer 3 switches for a new ethernet circuit today..  7206 <shourt haul gig fibre>3550 <long haul gig fibre> 2950 <> 20meg ethernet hand off to the site.. It was a fun project

We briefly touched on layer 3 switches, haven't wraped my brain around that yet vs. a router.