Wired Home Networking (for a newbee)

Rashiki · « **Reply #60 on:** 10 Sep 2007, 08:38 pm »

You can get the .NET framework here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=10cc340b-f857-4a14-83f5-25634c3bf043&displaylang=en

The .NET framework is just some additional junk you need to run certain programs. Just download it and install it and the Gateway thing should work.

-Rob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #61 on:** 11 Sep 2007, 12:07 pm »

I'll do that tonight when I get back home, thank you.
Welcome back from your trip.

Bob

Rashiki · « **Reply #62 on:** 12 Sep 2007, 03:50 pm »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 11 Sep 2007, 12:07 pm

Welcome back from your trip.

Oh, I'm still on my trip, doing what I like to do.

We have internet access here, so every once in a while I put down the beer and read the circle, which I also enjoy.

-Rob

Rashiki · « **Reply #63 on:** 12 Sep 2007, 03:51 pm »

P.S. That was one of the rare moments when there weren't any topless sunbathers on the chairs.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #64 on:** 12 Sep 2007, 04:08 pm »

Oh dude, that's just cruel. Nice beach. Very nice. I can't complain too much though, last month the family went "beach hopping" down both sides of the Florida coast, and into Key West. I got a couple good photos in my gallery of the kids playing in the sand. (none topless though

)

Ok, Last night I downloaded your last link from Microsoft via the Dell and saved it to a CD. I placed the disc in the Gateway....Loaded just fine. But after installation it automatically wanted to dial into Microsoft... "can't find modem".....Of course not.

So, I removed the phone wire from the Dell, inserted into Gateway, Attempt #2....Still can't find modem.

Also can't find the "shoot myself in the head smiley".

Rob, have fun and thank you again for your time.
Don't work too hard.

Bob

woodsyi · « **Reply #65 on:** 12 Sep 2007, 05:06 pm »

Bob,

How come this cable company says it has service in your area?

http://www.charter.com/Visitors/Localarea.aspx?zipcode=63051

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #66 on:** 12 Sep 2007, 05:29 pm »

"in the area" is the key phrase.
Rim, since you have my address, click on one of the "order" boxes that include highspeed. The next page you see will be "All Offers Available in Your Area:" The only options they list are for TV stuff....No internet, no phone....only TV.

Teasing bastards.

I get these offers e-mailed to me all the time. Of course I fill them all out, and get rejected everytime. I do this in the hopes that my address goes into some kind of database that compiles a list of "persistant whiny wanna-be customers". Figuring if enough "hits" are accumulated, they'll bring it out.
Hasn't worked yet.
About 4/10ths of a mile down the street is the closest highspeed comes. And that fella said the company told him, "You're as far as we come down this street, your next door neighbor can't have this service." Apparently, he in the outermost ring of the dartboard if you know what I mean.
Thanks for your time searching for me though.

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #67 on:** 13 Sep 2007, 12:18 am »

Interesting discovery when I got home from work today.
The wife said we've not have phone service all day long.

Gee, wonder why.....

Last night when I stopped working with the download, I turned off the Gateway....I left the phone line connected.
Apparently the Gateway held the phone line open all day long. Even though the machine was turned off it retained it's deathgrip like hold on my phone line until tonight when I disconnected it. Phone works normal.

Just thought that might be a useful tidbit of information to know.

Bob

Rashiki · « **Reply #68 on:** 17 Sep 2007, 08:31 pm »

Bob,

Sorry for letting this thread die. Any progress on getting the Gateway online?

If you can't get the driver going and feel comfortable with opening your computer case, I'd suggest going out and buying a cheap ethernet card. Places like Fry's Electronics sell them for as little as $10. If you don't want to open the case, you could get a USB ethernet adapter for a few bucks more. Buying a new adapter will get you the benefit of having a driver CD which should cut down on the headaches.

-Rob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #69 on:** 17 Sep 2007, 09:12 pm »

No Rob. It still doesn't work. It's getting old too. I'm sure your patience is running thin as well.
I've tried to get the new XBox 360 back in the loop too, to no avail. I took my old one back in exchange for this one (it had the famous red ring of light problems). Of course that destroyed all of the existing networking configurations I had working.

Hell, can't even get that going. Logged several hours this weekend with the Gateway and the XBox 360. No luck with either one.
Maybe I'm trying to overcomplicate things.....Trying to make too many things converge all happily in one place.

How about this card that costs, FIFTY EIGHT CENTS

http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-Dynex-Desktop-10-100-PCI-Network-Card-DX-E101

Bob

Rashiki · « **Reply #70 on:** 17 Sep 2007, 09:45 pm »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 17 Sep 2007, 09:12 pm

How about this card that costs, FIFTY EIGHT CENTS
http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-Dynex-Desktop-10-100-PCI-Network-Card-DX-E101

Sure! That should work perfectly.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #71 on:** 17 Sep 2007, 09:49 pm »

Sure, why not?

For that price I can't go wrong. (course the shipping might be $50.00

)

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #72 on:** 18 Sep 2007, 07:18 pm »

Ordered.....
I splurged, Decided to go with the $0.79 unit with a different seller since they had a higher "sellers score".

Total with shipping $6.28

I can't believe they can sell this for that price....

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #73 on:** 24 Sep 2007, 08:32 pm »

Update:

estimate delivery date: September 26, 2007 - October 10, 2007

Still can't make XBox360 happy. Was hoping to use MS MCE "Extender" temporarily until the network problem is resolved. Can't listen to my tunes.

Bob

Rashiki · « **Reply #74 on:** 24 Sep 2007, 08:40 pm »

Is the Xbox set up to get its IP address from a server or is is set up with a fixed address? If it's set up to get its address from the server, you should be able to log in to the router and see two clients. Then you can see the address of the Xbox and see if you can ping it from the PC. If you can ping it, then the media extender functionality should work, but I can't offer any guarantees on Microsoft products...

-Rob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #75 on:** 24 Sep 2007, 08:55 pm »

Quote from: Rashiki on 24 Sep 2007, 08:40 pm

but I can't offer any guarantees on Microsoft products...

I "discovered" how to gain access into the router (quite by accident) and it DID (IIRC) have two clients. The Dell was one, I thought the other was the 360, but will need to get back in their to check for sure. I've been staring at too many network related things, I can't remember.

To answer your first question, I am unaware of whether the 360's address is fixed or gets it from a server.

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #76 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 02:25 am »

Amazingly, the network card came in the mail today !!

Instantly not worried about the 360 being in the loop anymore.

Installed the card in the Gateway, and it's supplied software. Had high hopes, but I'm not surprized that everything that's magical with the world didn't just suddenly appear at my fingertips. Really nothing more than a confirmation saying "the software has been installed" and you're ready to go Sparky!!

During the setup of the Network Setup Wizard on the Gateway, it wants to create a Network Setup Disc. The PC only has a 3 1/2" Floppy. That's fine but the Dell doesn't have a Floppy. Soooo, I try the Network Setup Wizard on the Dell (has both CD and DVD burners) but it tells me that I don't have removeable media. It doesn't care about the burners, it wants to see either Floppys or removeable.

Done for the night.
Bob

Rashiki · « **Reply #77 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 05:22 am »

I don't think you need to do anything with that network setup nonsense. Just set the TCP/IP properties to get the address from the server and you should be done.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #78 on:** 27 Sep 2007, 01:38 am »

OK, I think it's working.

Both PC's show a connection to the network. But I can't "see" anything that's on the other unit. If you know what I mean. Things like songs.....

I did the ipconfig at the commant prompt. I have a new IP address (that belongs to 'somebody').

PPP adaptor The Internet <1>:
IP address..................172.129.182.61 (who is this?)
sublet mask.................255.255.255.255
default gateway...........172.129.182.61

Ethernet adaptor BOBSJUKEBOX <Gateway>:
IP address....................192.168.1.10 0
sublet mask..................255.255.255.0
default gateway............

At one point I had another address labeled "192.168.1.101" I think it was the XBox360? But can't find it now.

It's a little confusing trying to tell whether the word 'gateway' is being used as a brand name, or networking lingo???? Obviously, I used "BOBSJUKEBOX" as the name of the Gateway PC (had to come up with something...) But I'm not sure if it's using the word 'gateway' since it's referring to "The Gateway PC".

In an attempt to find songs on the Dell from the Gateway, I stumbled on a few stragglers mixed sparsely here and there (I think they're the free tunes that come with the PC), I clicked on a song thinking it may be located on the Dell. Windows Media Player 11 opens up and tells me: "Media Usage Rights Acquisition" inop.....because I'm not connected to the internet it says. I AM connected to the internet, because I'm typing this right now on the Dell, staring at the warning message on the Gateway.

Still can't find all my "Dell Tunes" from the Gateway.

Here's the specific questions:

- What's the new address? Or is it irrelevant (I shouldn't worry about it)

- How do I use/view/manipulate/transfer things from one PC to the other?

- Why doesn't WMP11 on the Gateway "see" the internet connection?

- When things are working properly, will I/can I see the other PC as another drive in "Explore" (found by right clicking on the START button)?

OK......... Confirmation. Things ARE working!

In the past two hours of messing with this, I periodically have routed through the "Explore" menu of the Gateway. I JUST FOUND pictures (several hundred) that are on the Dell. SUCCESS....Now, Where's my tunes?
I see on the Gateway, numerous folders labeled "SharedDocs on BOBSJUKEBOX" and "SharedDocs on Hometheaterpc" (the network name for the Dell). But no songs.......At least none that I want. They're lists of "freebies" given to Windows users, but they're everywhere, how's that happen?

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #79 on:** 27 Sep 2007, 01:51 am »

By the way, the status of the Gateway (from the Dell) in about one hour, forty minutes:

Packets sent: 14,840 -- received: 7,631

Looks like they're chatting with each other.

Rob, you're cool.

Bob

EDIT: more discovery....
On the Gateway, I clicked "show icons for networked UPnP devices".
Looked like something I needed to click on. So I did.
The WRT54G (the router) icon pops up as a "member" of the local network on the Gateway's screen.
If I right click the icon, one of the choices is to "INVOKE".

I'm not clicking on that! What is that? On it's properties it's address is exactly like you said it would be, ".1.1"