I am an end-user ? not a LAN administrator -(interested security/intrusion detection/hacking tools, etc.) trying to set up a simple stand-alone test lab at home for learning purposes. I have 3 old but reasonable good PCs (one Pentium II on loan to me, and 486s), and would like to set up 1 NT server, 1 Linux server, and one client with Win 98. I also have several cat 5 cables, and one old 8-port hub, an NT4 Advanced Server CD, service pack 1 (also on loan). I would also like to add router/firewall, etc. later.
Using SAM Teach Yourself Windows NT Server 4 book, I tried to re-install the NT server (it was retired from the company LAN and had inappropriate configurations for my need) but ran into the following problems:
1. During the install, the adapter tested successfully, but the network cable test failed, with the error message: ?Cable isn?t attached, is damaged, or the wrong type?. I had connected the cable from the server to one port in the hub, and another cable from the Win98 PC client to another port in the hub. I tried using several different cables that are working in other PCs, but still got the error message. I even tried using a cable to directly connect the server to the client PC, but it did not work either. The help message suggested that I should use a different interrupt (the IRQ is 11). What should I do to fix it?
2. I continued with the installed and it indicated that it completed successfully. However, when I tried to click on the various NT administrative tools (Server manager, Network client manager, etc.) it displayed the error ?Network path was not found?. What did I do wrong?
I would greatly appreciate it if someone would be kind and patient enough to guide a non-techie like me through this. Thanks a lot.