Laptops

That is the local loopback interface. If you are connecting computer-to-computer via crossover cable, the LAN is irrelevant. If you want to connect via LAN, put both in the same workgroup.

Best bet - Go to the Start menu, select Programs - Accessories - Communications and choose the appropriate networking wizard to guide you through the process. Choose New Connection Wizard, and you can select from a list.

Make sure that both computers have an Account on each System with the same Logon ID and password.
Connect each end of the cat5 crossover cable into the network cards of each computer.

Set both Systems with a common workgroup name of 15 characters or less. eg: workgroup

Press the Winkey + Pause/Break and select the Computer Name tab. Click the Change button. Change the Workgroup name and do the same on the second System.
Restart both Systems.


To get the Systems to communicate, the Ethernet adapters will need to be configured with a static IP address and a common Subnet mask. For example, assign one System an IP address of 192.168.1.1 and assign the second System an IP address of 192.168.1.2. Both machines should use the Subnet mask 255.255.255.0.

If your Main System is being allocated a DHCP address and is connected to the internet you will have to find out your IP address and set the second System up with a static IP address in that range.

Press the WinKey + r, type in cmd and press Enter.

Type ipconfig and press Enter.

eg:

C>ipconfig

Windows IP Configuration


Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1


To configure your Network Card:

Press the WinKey + r, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.

Right click on Local area connection and select Properties. Look for, Internet Protocol (TCP/IP IPv4). Click the entry and select Properties. Under the General tab, tick the box: Use the following IP address. Enter the IP address and Subnet mask that you would like to use.

Repeat the steps above for the second computer system.


Next, open a command prompt on one of the computers by pressing the WinKey + r, type in cmd and press Enter.

Type in ping 192.168.1.2 (if you are using the computer assigned with 192.168.1.1) press Enter.

eg:

C>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms

C>

If you have any problems:

Press the WinKey + r, type firewall.cpl and press Enter.

Click Exceptions and check to ensure that File and Printer Sharing, Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop have a Tick in the box.