Setting up a LAN connection in Windows

Question

I'm looking to set up a LAN connection under Windows XP.

What are the steps or instructions I should follow to make this work?

Answer 1

I think u want to connect 2 PCs. Let's assume so. Thus, you'll need to check this guide: How To Create a LAN connection between 2 PCs.

I kindly want to suggest you , to search in Google first, then check related ones within the site :)

Answer 2

know how your network is set up. Assuming its a home system, there are a few basic setups people use. I'm NOT going into exotica like firewire networking

1. modem -> router -> system The router can be a dedicated router, or a PC running ICS or a firewall. For the former, use standard ethernet cable from the modem to the router, and the router to the system.

2. modemrouter -> system as above. just with the modem and router being one unit

3. modem -> system the simplest. Connect the modem to the system with ethernet or usb

4. lan -> system connect lan to system via ethernet. ensure that lan admin dosen't have you blocked off- say with mac filtering.

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in all 3 cases run the network setup wizard. for 1 and 2 choose 'i connect through a gateway', for 3 select 'i connect directly to the internet'. Check if you have a connection from the network icon in control panel, or the ipconfig command.

For extra credit, you can use ICS to turn a system into a basic, moderately annoying to configure router.

Answer 3

Basically connect the two computers together with a Category 5/5e/6 Ethernet cable. If both of the sides have their lights light up on the ports, then they are ready to be assigned IP's.

Set one PC to

IP:     192.168.1.1  
Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Set the other PC to

IP:     192.168.1.2  
Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Then you can ping each other with cmd.exe to check if they can communicate with each other. How to do it and how it looks is like this:

C:\Users\Mark>ping 192.168.1.144

Pinging 192.168.1.144 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.144: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.144: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.144: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.144: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.144:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 0ms

C:\Users\Mark>

Granted, I'm using Windows 7, but it's the same thing.

If both PC's ports do not light up, then none of the PC's have MDI/MDIX as a feature on their Ethernet port and you will need what is called a crossover cable.