Computers won't network with XP

[Tony Pente]

Ok, I'm on day two and I'm not impressed with XP's
supposedly easy networking.

Here's what I have:

Two Sony VAIO computers running XP
One cable modem
One intel 5-port ethernet hub

It's set up, cable modem, to hub, to both computers

I can only get internet with the main computer and I can
not share anything between the two.

When I run set up a home network.

I select "Other" then "this computer connects directly to
the internet through network hub"

I select "local area connection, Realtek NIc card"

I name the network MShome

It comes back with Cannot complete the network"

I selct finish. I'm done...

I've tried everything and I'm stuck. Anyone have any
clues to what I need to do. I just want to network the
two computers together and share the cable modem.

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

In article >, "Tony Pente"
> wrote:
>Ok, I'm on day two and I'm not impressed with XP's
>supposedly easy networking.
>
>Here's what I have:
>
>Two Sony VAIO computers running XP
>One cable modem
>One intel 5-port ethernet hub
>
>It's set up, cable modem, to hub, to both computers
>
>I can only get internet with the main computer and I can
>not share anything between the two.
>
>When I run set up a home network.
>
>I select "Other" then "this computer connects directly to
>the internet through network hub"
>
>I select "local area connection, Realtek NIc card"
>
>I name the network MShome
>
>It comes back with Cannot complete the network"
>
>I selct finish. I'm done...
>
>I've tried everything and I'm stuck. Anyone have any
>clues to what I need to do. I just want to network the
>two computers together and share the cable modem.

Using a cable modem connected to a hub, you need to get two IP
addresses from your cable modem provider to allow both computers to
connect to the Internet simultaneously. If you only get one IP
address, whichever computer starts up first will get it, and the other
computer will be left out.

The simplest solution is to replace the hub with a broadband router.
The router can share one IP address between both computers. If you
get a router, tell the Network Setup Wizard that the computers connect
to the Internet through a "residential gateway".

If you keep the hub, you need two IP addresses and a more complicated
network setup. Run the Windows XP Help and Support program, click
Start | Help and Support, search for the topic "Network configurations
overview", and look at the section labeled "Individual Internet
connections".

The solution given there is to install the IPX/SPX protocol for file
sharing and to disable file sharing on TCP/IP. I've written a web
page showing how to do it:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm

There are two reasons to use IPX/SPX instead of TCP/IP for file
sharing:

1. If your cable modem provider assigns IP addresses in different
subnets to your computers, it isn't possible for them to communicate
with each other using TCP/IP.

2. Since your computers connect directly to the Internet through the
cable modem, they receive public IP addresses that are accessible by
everyone on the Internet. Using TCP/IP for file sharing could let
other people access your shared files.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
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