[Axelion]

Hello,
I'm trying to connect 2 PCs with crossover cable that I purchased over from the net. One pc is Windows XP and another one is Windows Vista. When I connected the cable from one pc to another pc, the connection says "limited connectivity".
Why is that happening? Does that happen too if I connect my windows xp pc to another xp pc?

The purpose of this is that I'd like to ping the other pc using crossover cable.

Edited by Axelion, 17 October 2009 - 11:48 PM.

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Hi there Have you tried setting static IP addresses on both computers?

Try something like this:

Computer 1: IP Address: 192.168.1.1 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Computer 2: IP Address: 192.168.1.2 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

[NeonFx]

Hi there Have you tried setting static IP addresses on both computers?

Try something like this:

Computer 1: IP Address: 192.168.1.1 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Computer 2: IP Address: 192.168.1.2 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

[Axelion]

Thanks a lot it works!! But I also need to disable the firewall to be able to ping the other pc.

I have another question.
Can you explain this in easy way, what's the difference of Router and Switch?
Is router the same as modem?
I have a hard time to digest this stuff.

Edited by Axelion, 17 October 2009 - 11:49 PM.

[NeonFx]

If you really want to learn all this stuff you should find yourself a good networking book. The best I've seen are those that are geared towards teaching people the concepts necessary to pass Comptia's Network+ test. Just do a search for Network+ in amazon to see a long list of books.


To answer your question, switches are used to connect computers locally to eachother, using MAC addresses to determine where a packet came from and where it's going.

Routers on the other hand use IP addresses to determine what "Network" to forward packets to so that they are then passed on to where they need to go.

More simply: routers are used to connect networks to eachother, and switches are used to connect computer to eachother. A router "reroutes" packets depending on where they have to go and a switch performs the same function that telephone operators in older times did when they had to physically plug connections into the right holes to connect people (computers) to eachother.

This gets confusing for most people because they think they do not use a switch at home. Most small office/home office routers have switches built into them (The several ports on the back of the router).

[Axelion]

I forgot to ask this but am I supposed to be able to transfer file from pc to pc with crossover cable?
The ping works but it doesn't show up on "My Network Place".

[sari]

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