See if the tutorial at the following web site helps you solve the problem:

www.homenethelp.com

Steve

A cross-over cable should work.  Have you enabled file and printer sharing on both computers?  Which versions of Windows are running on the Gateway?  Have you disabled XP's built-in firewall on the 2400 (assuming it is running Windows XP)?  When you say "nothing happens on the second one", what do you mean?  What do you expect to happen?  Is the internet connection you are trying to share a dialup connection (not cable or dsl)?  Which computer is going to be making the internet connection?  It is so very difficult to troubleshoot these problems without being able to see your set up, that I need to ask all these questions in order to get an idea about how things are set up.

Steve

Thanks,Steve, that link helped,but now I need to know if I need a HUB for that cat 5 crossover cable or can I just run it straight from one computer to the other one.  We live in a small 40' trailer.  One computer is in the living room and the other one in the bedroom.  It is a straight shot.

We have the cat 5 cable plugged into the ethernet ports in both computers but nothing happens on the second one.  What are we doing or not doing?

I am such a babe in the woods when it comes to this technical stuff, it goes right over my head.

Steve, both computers are running windows xp. The Gateway computer is the host computer and using dial up connection.   How do I uninstall the firewall on my 2400?

How do we share files and printer?  I am sorry to be so dense, but I am not too sharp with electronic equipment. 

I really appreciate your help.

To disable the firewall, click on you network connection and select Properties.  On the Advanced tab remove the checkmark next to the Protect my computer and network......  Did you try the tutorial at www.homenethelp.com to get file and printer sharing enabled?

Steve

I don't know whether McAfee has a firewall or not.  I don't have Norton.  How do I find out?

Steve, There was no check mark by " protect my computer......." does that mean the firewall was not enabled?

I tried the tutorial on files and printer enabling and am completely lost.

How can someone be soooo dumb?  I am sure it is an easy task and I am probably making it harder.  Please be patient with me, it is important that I get this thing linked.

Thanks for your time.

Are there any other firewalls running with programs such as Norton or McAffee?

I found out McAfee doesn't have a firewall enabled.  I have a new and different thing happening now.  I was messing around with the network set up wizard and then after I got online, my connection was  broken and the other computer went on line, all by itself.  This happened twice.  No one was sitting at the computer but it was turned on but not connected to the web.

Really strange  feeling, anyone got an explanation?  I am still not able to connect to the other computer by network.

HELP someone. PLEASE

Review the tutorial at www.homenethelp.com at post back what protocols are installed.  It sounds like we just need to wipe out the network and start over again.

I think your idea of starting over is very sound.  At present we have two computers, one in the livingroom the other in the bedroom (35' away).  Both computers are connected by a CAT 5 crossover cable.  Both computers are windows xp, and both have been put through the network set up wizard on windows.  The host computer is recognized but the client computer isn't.

I was told a way to see if the computers saw  each other, but I have forgotten the steps. I was told to click start,click run,then type cmd.  but  beyond that I forgot.

So now what do I do?  How do I erase the networks and start over?  I am a total incompetent when it come to this type of thing.  So go slow and talk down to me, OK?

Review the steps at www.homnethelp.com, but what you want to change is toassign each machine a static IP address say 192.168.1.100 & 192.168.1.101

with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, allow print & file sharing, place both computers in the same workgroup name, turn off all firewalls and that should just about do it.  Juts remembered something, under the advanced properties tab for TCP/IP, under the WINS tab, enable NetBios over TCP/IP.

By the way, how are these machines connecting to the internet?  Your answer could totally chnage everything I just posted.

 

the computers are connected to the web with dial-up  modems.  Will that make a difference?  Your instructions are a little over my feeble head, but I will try to figure them out. Thanks