Hi Russ, The cable is NOT a crossover cable and yes I was trying to connect the 2 computers directly. Also I see now that I was misusing the term peer to peer thinking it implied a direct connection. Thanks ever so much for solving this problem so fast. Michael Eisenstadt "The Internet, you gotta love it!" - anonymous ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russ Poffenberger" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 8:48 AM Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] ethernet peer to peer problem > Hi Michael, > > Do you mean that you are connecting the cable directly between the two > systems with no hub or switch in between? If so, then you need a special > crossover type ethernet cable, a regular cable won't work. > > If you do have a hub or switch, then make sure you aren't connecting to an > "uplink" port on the hub/switch. > > Russ Poffenberger > [log in to unmask] > > At 06:19 AM 1/6/2005, you wrote: >>I am trying to network between 2 computers. >> >>One has a D-Link DFE-30TX NIC card installed >>in PCI slot #1. This is on an Asus P2B board. >>The OS is Win 98SE. >> >>The other computer has onboard nVidia LAN. >>This is an Asus A7N8X-X board. The OS >>is Win XP Pro on one of its harddrives, the >>other harddrive OS in this box is Win 98SE. >>I can switch between harddrives by rebooting. >> >>Both computers report "unconnected cable" >>although there is a brand new cable connecting >>the ethernet ports. In the D-Link diagnostic >>test, the card tests pass for NIC register, >>MII regester and EEPROM. The diagnostic >>reports NO network connection. >> >>I have tried different IRQs. Oddly the AGP >>video card reassigns its IRQ to whatever >>IRQ I choose for the D-Link card. >> >>Also this Win 98SE drive is using FAT16. >> >>My question: am I dealing with a software >>configuration problem or is the brand new >>CAT5e network cable defective or >>incompatible? >> >>Thanks in advance for any suggestions you >>might have. >> >>Michael Eisenstadt The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech support at our newest website: http://freepctech.com