WinXp networking setup
Recently created a small home network. I have my old desktop pc (which now serves as a dedicated Grand Prix Legends server) and my laptop, which sits on the desk for myself and family to access the internet/email with and that I use to play GPL in the league. I dont have a monitor hooked up to the server, so I access it remotely from my laptop.
So, I bought a Linksys wireless access point. The computers are not networked using the wireless connection.
A buddy of mine suggested to create static IP's on each machine then turn off DHCP in the router software so I did that. Everything seem to work fine for a day or so, but then I logged onto the laptop this morning and was unable to access email or the internet. And, I was unable to connect to any of the network drives on my other machine, nor could I access the other pc remotely...
any suggestions on where to start to find out what this is and how I can set the network up so it's persistent?
Thanks.
Tracy
So, I bought a Linksys wireless access point. The computers are not networked using the wireless connection.
A buddy of mine suggested to create static IP's on each machine then turn off DHCP in the router software so I did that. Everything seem to work fine for a day or so, but then I logged onto the laptop this morning and was unable to access email or the internet. And, I was unable to connect to any of the network drives on my other machine, nor could I access the other pc remotely...
any suggestions on where to start to find out what this is and how I can set the network up so it's persistent?
Thanks.
Tracy
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Do you have a firewall on your machines ? It could be this which is blocking access.
what kind of connection
who is your internet provider?
can you connect if you plug the laptop directly to the modem (assuming not dialup)
what is your ipaddy?
who is your internet provider?
can you connect if you plug the laptop directly to the modem (assuming not dialup)
what is your ipaddy?
ASKER
Sorry for not giving this info. beforehand. Both machines are on WinXP Home version and I am on a cable modem with a Linksys BEFW11S4 router.
I just updated the firmware and I think I got it working by following Irmoore instructions regarding DHCP. I had disabled DHCP in the router software and statically defined an ip for each machine.
I enabled DHCP on the router, set each machine to get an ip address automatically and both computers can see each other and I can again run a server on the old desktop.
Now I have a question to create the best setup for mypurposes...let me know if I need to ask this in another question, but it's really meant as a follow up quetion.
I think that both computer have DHCP enabled and the router now has DHCP enabled? Should I disable DHCP on the computers?
On the old desktop PC, the GPL server and my ftp server need to be persistent. This was my original reason for statically assigning ip's to each machine because I thought that the lease on an IP would expire and to enable port-forwarding in the router software, I have to forward specific port traffic to a specific IP. If the IP changes for the old desktop, then I have to change the port forwarding settings and I'd rather not have to do this.
I'm under the assumption that;
1. the ip address of my old desktop pc can expire after a certain amount of time and this adversely affects port forwarding.
2. the order in which I boot up my laptop and old desktop can result in the old desktop being assigned another ip than the one I specify in the router software to foward specific port traffic to.
Considering the need to retain a persistent ip to keep the traffic going to the right place, how should I set up the router and server?
Thanks.
Tracy
I just updated the firmware and I think I got it working by following Irmoore instructions regarding DHCP. I had disabled DHCP in the router software and statically defined an ip for each machine.
I enabled DHCP on the router, set each machine to get an ip address automatically and both computers can see each other and I can again run a server on the old desktop.
Now I have a question to create the best setup for mypurposes...let me know if I need to ask this in another question, but it's really meant as a follow up quetion.
I think that both computer have DHCP enabled and the router now has DHCP enabled? Should I disable DHCP on the computers?
On the old desktop PC, the GPL server and my ftp server need to be persistent. This was my original reason for statically assigning ip's to each machine because I thought that the lease on an IP would expire and to enable port-forwarding in the router software, I have to forward specific port traffic to a specific IP. If the IP changes for the old desktop, then I have to change the port forwarding settings and I'd rather not have to do this.
I'm under the assumption that;
1. the ip address of my old desktop pc can expire after a certain amount of time and this adversely affects port forwarding.
2. the order in which I boot up my laptop and old desktop can result in the old desktop being assigned another ip than the one I specify in the router software to foward specific port traffic to.
Considering the need to retain a persistent ip to keep the traffic going to the right place, how should I set up the router and server?
Thanks.
Tracy
Tracy, I have a dlink (similar to the linksys) and there is a default scope for the dhcp server. On the linksys I think it's 192.168.1.(100-254)
so if you set static ip's of 192.168.1.(2-99) then you have no worries about confilicting ip's (as you are outside of the scope of the dhcp server of the router)
this way you can leave dhcp enabled on the router, and still use static ip's and forward the ports needed (this is what I do)
so if you set static ip's of 192.168.1.(2-99) then you have no worries about confilicting ip's (as you are outside of the scope of the dhcp server of the router)
this way you can leave dhcp enabled on the router, and still use static ip's and forward the ports needed (this is what I do)
ASKER
Thanks Steven. Sounds like a reasonable option to do. I'll give it a shot but I have a couple of follow up questions.
Maybe I don't understand what DCHP does. What would be the use of running DHCP when I'm going to set static ip's anyway? Can I disable it on the router and just assign static ip's on each computer?
Is it true that when assigning static ip's in xp, that dhcp on the xp box is disabled?
What does having DHCP enabled on the xp puters with dhcp enabled in the router do? Seems like overkill.
Sorry for all the questions, but I'm just interested in how this works exactly.
Thanks.
Tracy
Maybe I don't understand what DCHP does. What would be the use of running DHCP when I'm going to set static ip's anyway? Can I disable it on the router and just assign static ip's on each computer?
Is it true that when assigning static ip's in xp, that dhcp on the xp box is disabled?
What does having DHCP enabled on the xp puters with dhcp enabled in the router do? Seems like overkill.
Sorry for all the questions, but I'm just interested in how this works exactly.
Thanks.
Tracy
>What would be the use of running DHCP when I'm going to set static ip's anyway? Can I disable it on the router and just assign static ip's on each computer
yes, but if you add another machine (a friend brings over a laptop)you will have to configure it, and leaving the dhcp server running won't hurt a thing. also if I read the comments correctly, you had some issues with dhcp shut off
(you can also use the dhcp to provide dns, if you use 192.168.1.1 as the dns server)
now dhcp stands for dynamic host configuration protocol
and only one can be on the network (actually more than one, but the scope has to be different for each)
>Is it true that when assigning static ip's in xp, that dhcp on the xp box is disabled
no, it just won't try and recieve an auto ip address on the NIC that has the static ip assinged
What does having DHCP enabled on the xp puters with dhcp enabled in the router do
this allows it to recieve the ip info from the dhcp server as opposed to having to statically assigning it
It was originally implimented for network admins who have to administer large networks, to avoid assinging the same ip to multiple machines (it makes configuring automatic and simple)
It is now also used now so that people don't have to understand tcp to setup home networks (router and ICS)
most of the time it works well, but there are times when a static ip assignment is needed, like yours (and mine)
I run an ftp server on my xp box, and use a dlink router (dsl)
and so have to forward the port to the internal ip using static ips makes this more reliable
yes, but if you add another machine (a friend brings over a laptop)you will have to configure it, and leaving the dhcp server running won't hurt a thing. also if I read the comments correctly, you had some issues with dhcp shut off
(you can also use the dhcp to provide dns, if you use 192.168.1.1 as the dns server)
now dhcp stands for dynamic host configuration protocol
and only one can be on the network (actually more than one, but the scope has to be different for each)
>Is it true that when assigning static ip's in xp, that dhcp on the xp box is disabled
no, it just won't try and recieve an auto ip address on the NIC that has the static ip assinged
What does having DHCP enabled on the xp puters with dhcp enabled in the router do
this allows it to recieve the ip info from the dhcp server as opposed to having to statically assigning it
It was originally implimented for network admins who have to administer large networks, to avoid assinging the same ip to multiple machines (it makes configuring automatic and simple)
It is now also used now so that people don't have to understand tcp to setup home networks (router and ICS)
most of the time it works well, but there are times when a static ip assignment is needed, like yours (and mine)
I run an ftp server on my xp box, and use a dlink router (dsl)
and so have to forward the port to the internal ip using static ips makes this more reliable
some more explaination, there are two components in a dhcp relationship
the dhcp server and the dhcp client
when you choose auto assign ip info (for the tcp properties) then you are making the machine a client
your router is the server
In order to make XP a dhcp server you have to enable ICS (do not do this, because you have the router)
Now with W2K server or NT server (and linux) you can set up just a dhcp server to assign ip info
the dhcp server and the dhcp client
when you choose auto assign ip info (for the tcp properties) then you are making the machine a client
your router is the server
In order to make XP a dhcp server you have to enable ICS (do not do this, because you have the router)
Now with W2K server or NT server (and linux) you can set up just a dhcp server to assign ip info
ASKER
Thanks Steve. I'll do what you ask and I appreciate the advice.
I have awarded Irmoore the points for the first question, but would like to award you some points as well...can I open another question, assign it points for you?
Let me know how to work this.
Tracy
I have awarded Irmoore the points for the first question, but would like to award you some points as well...can I open another question, assign it points for you?
Let me know how to work this.
Tracy
Sure you can, just post a question titled stevelewis
and include a link to this one
Glad we could help
Steve
and include a link to this one
Glad we could help
Steve
If not, try restting the router, not just turn it off, but reset it to factory defaults