NT 4.0 networking problem

[wee96]

Just installed NT 4.0 w/SP4 on my system downstairs, which I've had 98 on for months now networked with my two systems up here (all running 98). I got the NIC working (finally) on the NT machine and now I can't seem to get the systems to see each other. Anyone have any ideas why? The cabling isnt the problem, the NIC's arent the problem, im just probably forgetting something (Ive never used NT, new to me). Thanks.

[jbob]

If you go into Network neighborhood, do they see themselves? What protocals are you using? If TCP/IP, can you ping 127.0.0.1?

Need more info.

[sab3864]

What exactly does pinging 127.0.0.1 do?
My understanding is it's like a internal ip address built into every card to see if the card is working properly. If it returns correctly then there is no problem with the card right?

[wee96]

When I goto the neighboorhood, I can see my own computer, but not the others. Yes I can ping 127.0.0.1, but I'm just not getting anything from the two 98 machines. Those machines can see each other fine. How can you check to see if your NIC is working properly in NT? Doesn't it tell you at bootup if theres a conflict of some sort?

[jbob]

Yes, if the NIC isn't working, the driver will not load. There will be a message at startup that says "A device or driver failed to load, use Event Viewer...Yada, yada".

Pinging the 127.0.0.1 actually pings itself to make sure you have TCP/IP set up properly. Another thing to check, if you're only running TCP/IP, is that all the computers have the same subnet mask. If you dont have a specific IP address, use 192.168.0.0 substituting 1, 2, 3, or whatever for the last 0, must be different on each machine.Then use a subnet of 255.255.255.0. Workgroup names must be the same for them to show up in Network Neighborhood. Computer names must be unique.

If you have NetBEUI, there should be no other configuration. They should see each other fine.

If you have a hub, make sure you're not plugged into the "uplink" port. That's to cascade another hub with a cross over cable. If you only have two computers, and are using a cross over, make sure it's wired right.

Hope this helps.

[wee96]

That might be my problem. I have a coaxial line running through this house and I have it connected to the uplink port of my hub (its the only BNC connector there). It worked fine with 98, but does NT have a problem with it? I havent had the message come up at startup telling me the NIC is setup wrong, and the IP/subnet mask is all setup correctly.

[jbob]

When you use BNC you don't need a hub. Put a tee on the back of your NICs, and string computer to computer(daisy chain, like SCSI). Make sure there are 50 ohm terminators at each end, and you should be good to go.

[wee96]

Yea I know, but only one computer uses coax, the rest of the network is twisted pair, so I need a hub. Would using the uplink port make NT confused? Because I used it with 98 and it worked just fine.

[jbob]

You can't use both. You can use one or the other. If you have one that uses coax and only coax, you need to change cards to use one or the other.

[Axel]

did you add the 98 machine to the domain you put the NT machine for - if they aren't in the same domain or at least "trusted" to each other, then you won't see the 98 box on the NT network neighborhood.

Also, if you have the systems named (like Bonnie for one system, & Clyde for the other) you'll need to have WINS resolution running and make part of the NT box your WINS server.

Next thing will be, do you have anything on the 98 box or the NT box "shared" - if they don't share anything, there's nothing to see.

Also, on something as small as a home network, you might not have to run TCP/IP, but you can run NetBEUI as your protocol.

Perhaps one or more of these items is what's holding you up.