Peer-to-Peer Networking Headache

One sure way is to make sure that the Microsoft NetBEUI protocol is installed on all three computers. Make sure that IP addresses are all in the same network as well.

Go into network properties and make sure that all computers have the same work group name.

If that does not help you may have browser problems. You should only have one master browser for any network segment. You should only have one segment therefore, only one master browser. To disable two of the computers, right-click on the network icon and select properties. Select File and Printer Sharing then click on properties. Select Master Browser and then disable. Reboot and things should straighten themselves out after a few minutes.

Don

That's quitea complex problem, but I'll give it a shot. I'm sure you've tried a lot of this, but I help administer a multiversion Windows domain. Make sure they're all in the same workgroup, and have the following 3 protocols; TCP/IP, NetBEUI, and MS File and Print Sharing. These are the three you need to see each computer and share your files. When Windows machines don't see a Domain Controller present, they do a auto-vote to choose one going by the highest or newest version of windows, so make sure that your Win2K machine is the master browser. Sometimes in our LAN, machines don't show up until the master browser updates, and all clients get that update, so they can take a while to show up. If they don't show up, open up your Network Neighborhood, or IE, and in the Address bar delete whatever is there, and type "//computername" (without quotes) and see if you can access the computer then. This bypasses the master browser and goes straight to a computer by the name on the network. I don't know that I've helped you, but I hope maybe you'll be on the track to solving your problem.

I would force the winme and win2k machines to run at 10mhz...

open network properties, select the adapter card's properties on these 2 machines, go to advanced, and force them to only communicate at 10mb..

military convoy rules will force all participants to travel at the same speed as the slowest participant. this helps prevent participants from losing each other, and in a mixed hardware network such as you are describing, this will at least put all your machines on the same playing field to start.

next, it is ok to use netbeui in this network, along with tcp/ip. (they co-exist quite well in small networks)

netbeui is small, very little overhead, and was designed with netbios in mind. perfect for a non-routed network of 10 users or less...however it is not good for gaming...

if you are sharing internet access on this network, you should adjust bindings for "client for microsoft networks" to bind to netbeui only, and not be bound to tcp/ip,

this garuntees that while connected to the internet, your netbios shares will not be visible beyond your network.

finally, on the identification tab of network properties of the 98 and me machines make sure that the same "workgroup" name is defined, the location is different in win2k, but network wizard will get you there smoothely.

You give very little in the way of tcp/ip settings, so it is impossible to know if a misconfiguration problem exists there, however, a typo error in address or subnet mask will cause funky problems in tcp/ip connectivity, make sure all machines are using the same subnet mask...

OK. I went and got a crossover cable thinking that I could try that - It also fails to see the machine that way.

SPAZ

A few things you could try,

Are you sure the Cables are Ok?
I once spent a couple hours scratching my head due to a marginal cable. If the machnes are close enough move the wires around to see if the problem moves to a different machine.

Can the Hub support different speed nicks plugged into it at the same time?
It may be a 10/100 but all connection speeds may have to be the same, either 10 or 100.

If the nick cards allow it go into the network settings and force the proper speed to the cards.

For test purposes leave out the Internet connection and assign and IP address to each machine. Do the W2k machine first then the ME then the 98 and reboot each as you are done with it.

If all has still failed, bring all the machines up with IPX and see if they will see each other. Try it with TCP/IP left in and then with it out.

Did you ever confirm that the W2K machine was in fact the Browsemaster?

Keep the faith

JP

Well, let's take a serious look at the hub and cabling then...

Are you showing a large number of "collisions" via the collision led for any port? if so try different port/ different cable.

You say you are renting 3 static IP addresses, then aside from address, all other ip configuration info should be identicle.
Default gateway, subnet mask, wins and or dns server...

what ports are you using for "in-house"
(any but port 1 I hope, port 1 should be used for Adsl device)

Have you pinged the "loopback" address of Win98 machine?
(from dos window, type: "ping 127.0.0.1" and press enter-this will tell if TCP/IP is properly configured on win98 machine)

some hubs will allow port #1 to be manually switched between "uplink" and "straight thru"
Port #1 should be used as an "uplink" device to your adsl device. ports 2,3,4 and up should be used for your clients.
(uplink means the port has been set to "crossover" internally, and when set, no crossover cable necessary)

Final word on the speed thing...
in theory YES, the faster nics will sense slower traffic and slow down for the slower nic. In practice, this is not always the case, especially with lower end network hardware like linksys. Apply the convoy rule when you areexperiencing connectivity problems that cannot be resolved thru configuration.

Good luck...

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