Using a Belkin Ethernet 10/100mbps (PCI) adapter, and a crossover cable, with an Asus A7N8Xe-deluxe with built-in Lan (Marvell /gigabit something or other)....they should be able to communicate to each other, right? which protocol would be the best?

each computer shows itself in the network neighborhood, but not on the other system. Any pointers? Not using an internet connection between the two, since each has it's own modem.....just want access to programs and files.

Could really use the help.
Thanks

In W98 you also need to set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 manually.
Both PC's need to be in the same workgroup as well.

I did all that. Even went to Microsoft's website, and found a registry entry that could hamper things....still won't see each other.

Are both computers logging on as "Client for MS Network"?
You sure you use a crossover cable and not a straight cable?

Can they ping each other & are they in the same workgroup ?

Belkin Cat5e crossover...same workgroup....
The Asus A7n8Xe-deluxe's LAN should be able to communicate with the Belkin Ethernet adapter, right?

I've set my IP adresses to 192.168.0.1 and .2 respectively. Set the other to 255.255.255.0, per everything I have found on the web. It shouldn't matter which LAN port I plug into on the motherboard, should it? I tried both.

What about WINs configuration...I didn't see anything about that at all, so I assume it doesn't have to be configured.....grrrr.....

On both PCs go to a DOS-window and set off ipconfig /all and please report the results here.
You don't need WINS.

ok..this is what I got from the ipconfig........


Windows 98 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . : Athlon XP
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes

0 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 67.72.193.250
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 67.72.193.250
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 01 01 80 12:00:00 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : 01 01 80 12:00:00 AM

1 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : Microsoft TV/Video Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 3.0.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

2 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Controller Driver
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-0E-A6-42-E3-58
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

3 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : Marvell Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-0E-A6-54-61-1D
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

So your a7n8x is connected via the Gigabit card to the other machine with the crossover cable, correct ?

You other machine shoudl have as IP adress 192.168.0.1 & 255.255.255.0 as subnet mask. If you do a ping 192.168.0.1 from the a7n8x, you should get a reply without any problems. If that doesn't work, then it's normal that the machines do not see each other.

If the ping does work, in order to get to see the machines in network neighbourhood, you have to make sure both use the same workgroup. By default on w98 it's workgroup, so they should both show up in the network neighbourhood.

Tell us if the ping command works.

I get....

"DESTINATION UNREACHABLE" X4 REPLIES....
w/ 4 packets sent, 4 lost, 100% failture....

No wonder your machines don't show up, they're incapable of communicationg with each other.

Are you sure you're using a cross-ver cable ?
Can you connect the a7n8x from the nVidia NIC instead & try again ?

The nVidia NIC is the one lower on the board, around the sound connectors.

I tried both ports....I'm using a cat 5e crossover cable...a belkin.
I have no idea what I'm missing here. Unless the ethernet firmware is just incompatible. I don't like the idea of having to purchase anothyer ehternet card fora pci slot, since I already have two ports of the motherboard. Has anyone had a problem with this setup with this motherboard?
HEEEELP!

This is what I have from the IPCONFIG log on the Athlon 850.....


Windows 98 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . : Athlon 850
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
192.168.0.2
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes

0 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

1 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-30-BD-22-78-43
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :


So, does everything look copasetic?