Diamond HomeFree Home Network problem

[StarKitty]

Awhile back, I got a Diamond HomeFree Home Network kit. I wasn't allowed to try to set it up with the other computer in the house at the time. Now, I've gotten ahold of another computer (older--a Pentium 133) and am attempting to set up the network using my computer and this one. The network card installed with no real trouble on my computer (one minor problem, but that was fixed by me plugging the cords in right--I got them mixed up somehow at first http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif). Anyway, when I went to install it on the second computer, it wouldn't detect the internet sharing computer (my computer--a 900 Mhz T-bird w/a much better modem, etc) and tried to set itself up as the internet sharing computer. Neither computer can detect the other over the cards. Any suggestions? Clarifications needed, maybe?

Here are the specs for the two computers:
my computer:
900 Mhz AMD T-bird
320 MB PC-133 ram
38 GB ATA 66 HD
nVidia graphics card
onboard sound
Ambient HaM 56k modem
Diamond HomeFree 10Mbps network card

other computer:
133 Mhz Pentium
64 MB ram
3 GB Western Digital HD
graphics card (don't remember the type)
Motorola 56k modem (doesn't work too well, could this have something to do with it?)
and, of course, the Diamond 10Mbps net card

Any suggestions (aside from suggesting that I throw it out as junk http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif) are welcome.

Tara

[Ghost_Hacker]

Well, first did this kit come with a hub or does it use a crossover cable?

Second open control panel and click the "network" icon. You should have 2 listings for TCP/IP one for the dailup connection and one for the LAN card. ( the non-internet sharing computer will have only one for the LAN card). Highlight the entry for "TCP/IP-->LAN card" and click "properties".
The "subnet mask" should be the same on both computers and look something like this "255.255.255.0". ( though it may not.. this is just an example) Anyway what the number tells you is what part of the IP address on both computers must be the same in order for one to see the other. So in our example since the mask is 255.255.255.0 the IP addresses on both computers might look like this 192.80.2.1 and 192.80.2.2 notice that where there are "255"s in the mask the IP addresses of both computers have the same numbers.If everything pans out at this point then open a DOS prompt and type "ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" (where X= the IP address of the other computer.) You should get 3 replies back from the other computer. Now run the ping test at the other computer and again you should get back 3 replies.


So to recap check for :


Check for hub or crossover cable.
Check IP address and subnet mask of "TCP/IP" properties.
Ping the other computers IP address.



Hope this helps http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Post back if you come across anymore trouble.

------------------
Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"

[This message has been edited by Ghost_Hacker (edited 07-04-2001).]

[StarKitty]

Sorry, I forgot to specify--this is a phoneline network.

Also, I don't seem to have designated IP addresses. It's set to obtain them automatically.
http://www.geocities.com/theStarKitty/network.htm

Do you think I should go ahead and set them myself? If so, what should I set them to?

Thanks http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Tara

[scroatbagg]

Looked at your site with your network setting, suggest you do as Ghost says. You need to specify an IP address on the pc your are trying to connect to the one with the internet connection. Use subnet 10.10.10.1 on one pc and 10.10.10.2 on the other, subnet 255.255.255.0 then ping one machine from the other.

[Ghost_Hacker]

The instructions from scroatbagg will work.

When it's set to "Obtain....." the computer will try to connect with a DHCP server to get an IP address. Since I'll assume there isn't a DHCP server on your network it's not getting one, So I would set it manually.


One other thing on the client computer's (the one without the internet connection) "gateway" page you'll need to add the IP address of the host computer( the computer with the internet connection.)And don't forget to add the DNS server addresses of your ISP and the IP address of the host computer to the "DNS" page also.


Once that's done you should be able to Ping each computer and connect to the internet from both computers.


------------------
Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"

[This message has been edited by Ghost_Hacker (edited 07-05-2001).]

[StarKitty]

Thanks for your help guys. When I left for work this afternoon, the network was working intermittently. However, when I got home, another problem arose which made the network problem totally moot. My computer will not acknowledge that it has any drives save its floppy drive. It says it has a BIOS ROM Checksum error. I'll resume working on my network problems once I've got the computer working again (this is, btw, my main computer--the 900 Mhz T-bird http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif ) Once again, thanks for your help. I'll probably be posting a frantic request for help in the System Troubleshooting forum in the morning.

Tara http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

[Paleo Pete]

Replace the CMOS battery, that's usually the first thing to try when you get a CMOS checksum error. The battery loses power and BIOS doesn't remember its settings.

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YOU! Out of the gene pool!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[StarKitty]

Ok, I tried replacing the battery and it didn't work. I then, following instructions in my mainboard manual, tried to clear the BIOS. It also didn't work. Do you think it might be a hardware problem?

Tara

[StarKitty]

Ok, BIOS problem solved. I couldn't think of anything else to do short of replacing the motherboard, so I flashed the BIOS. It worked and I'm now posting from my computer again. Back to the network problem http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Tara

[StarKitty]

Just wanted to let you know, I've solved the network problem. Unfortunately, it's not something that's going to be easy to fix. You see, it's my phone lines. I was getting intermittent connection between the two computers, so I put the second computer in the room with the first one and directly connected them. The network is now working perfectly. <sigh> Maybe I should have gotten standard 10/100 nic's after all.

Tara