networking problem

[futurehope]

This is totally off-topic...but I know there are a lot of computer experts on here.... I have three main computers at home, and a wireless router and cable modem for the internet. At the moment, all the computers access the internet separately through the wireless. I want this to continue, but want a faster link between the two computers at my desk, so they can share all their files. I tried connecting them with a short ethernet crossover cable, but this wired network somehow conflicted with the wireless one. Does anyone know the best way to deal with this?

[Abbie]

Can you post the specs and os for both machines please? And any error messages that may have appeared.

Also, which firewall are you using for each?

[futurehope]

Hi Abbie..thanks for your help...

computer #1 is a Compaq Presario with an AMD Athlon X2 processor, 2 gigs of Ram, and running Windows XP Media Centre edition (SP2).

computer #2 is an ASUS A2500H laptop (connected to external monitor and keyboard), with a 2.8GHz Celeron processor, 1GB ram and running Windows XP Home edition (SP2).

At the moment these computers both have separate wireless connections to the router. I want them both to still be able to connect to the net, but also be connected to each other via ethernet cable....

Running Sygate Personal Firewall (free version) on both machines, just to control which applications can access the internet (the main security is from the firewall in the router). I want to keep the ability to stop applications from accessing the internet...which is why I don't want to use the Windows firewall (which is switched off on both machines).

As for error messages... I tried this a while ago, so I'm don't remember exactly what happened. Just that it didn't work. I'm not sure about the best order of things to start trying again...what do you suggest?

[futurehope]

Just disabled firewalls, disabled wireless and connected computers via ethernet crossover cable. It says "network cable unplugged" on both computers.....

[Abbie]

Quick question, have you run the network wizard on either machine? Am looking into this at the mo for you as, as far as I am aware, media centre edition is supposed to be a stand alone product that was used to throw media around the house i.e. tv etc.

[futurehope]

Yep...ran the network wizard....but it still says "network cable unplugged". I've been using XP media centre edition for a while now, and it seems just like XP professional, except it has some extra applications and services for doing the media stuff.

[futurehope]

Got it working OK. Have to disable wireless to get the ethernet network going. But that works out quite well as my two rendering computers are then networked together but not connected to the internet.. I get more work done. It's not surfing for P that is generally the distraction....just general surfing, posting on forums (!), reading news articles, checking email, and so on.

[Abbie]

Gosh, sorry Futurehope! I completely forgot about this thread! Glad you got it working, home networking - the bane of everyone's life!

[futurehope]

That's OK...I'm glad it's not just me that finds it tricky!