Networking with a router

Hi All,
I was told that I could set up a network using a DSL router even though I don't have DSL(it isn't available where I live), I was under the impression that all I had to do was connect all the boxes through the router and I would get a screen pop up and start asking about IP addresses. Well now non of that happened(screen pop ups that is). Is it really possible to do this? Obviously I am a novice here. All I want is a small home network (3 boxes). Does anyone have some detailed instructions for setting up this network? 2 boxes are win 98 se and 1 box is XP home edition.

Thanks in advance

Mike

Start -> Control Panel-> Network Connections-> Network Setup Wizard. If that doesnt help post again :)

And hey, even M$ has 8 Parts on How to set up a network with WinXP Home :)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=813936

http://www.neg.be/index/?c=57

Thanks for the help. I am still having some problems like being able to see the network but that is probably because I don't have sharing set up right. I am able to get internet through the other 2 boxes though and that is the important thing right now as I am havng modem driver issues on 1 box.

Once again thanks for the help.

Mike

Are you using a router to connect your 3 machines together? And the router is supposed to connect to the Internet by regular telephone modem?

SDK,
What I have is an XP machine hooked up to the internet via dial up, and a router connecting the other machines to the net by way of the XP machine. I think I had an ethernet card go bad though, one box doesn't want to read through the router. I know that the jack is good because the other box works fine in it. Any thoughts to that? Is it possible that I just have something hooked up wrong.

Thanks
Mike

Do you have a firewall up on one of the boxes?

I think what he is doing is using the router as just a switch and using Microsoft's Internet Connection Sharing to share from his XP box with the modem. That can work fine, just make sure you turn off the DHCP service on the router or it will be fighting with the DHCP service from MS ICS for who is handing out IPs on your home network. Might help if you dropped out to a command line on each of your boxes, used the "ipconfig /all" command and pasted the results for each box here.

I'm don't know a lot about M$ Connection Sharing. But I know that you can share your telephone modem if you plug all your computers in the router LAN Port and your telephone modem in the WAN Port and configured your router correctly. Most router can support dial-up modem.

Thanks all for the replys, I am using a firewall. The XP firewall is up and I am using zonealarm on the 98se boxes. The firewall has not stopped me from getting the internet on the one 98 se box.

I can't see the other machine from either box through the network connection. Also I tried to add another box and was unsuccessful, but I think that the ethernet card is bad. The router seems fine I can swap holes just fine with the other machine and it works fine.

Oh and using command lines is a little above my knowledge level right now as is configuring the Cayman router. Really I am not a lost cause I just need pointed the right direction in layman terms.

Thanks
Mike

Irongeek,

Here is one box. Now the connection isn't set up right now, I am re-routing the cable. Does it make a difference? Antway I will be able to get the other box's results soon. Thanks for the look and I appreciate whatever you can offer.

Mike

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Dee.MAIN>cd c:
C:\Documents and Settings\Dee.MAIN

C:\Documents and Settings\Dee.MAIN>cd C:\

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : main
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-F4-14-08-53

PPP adapter PeoplePC Online:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 4.243.26.164
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 4.243.26.164
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.244.0.3
209.244.0.4

C:\>

Check out the line that says " Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected", are you sure all the cables ar going to the non-WAN ports? Also, is this the box with the modem that connect to your ISP?

Here is how I am set up:

Phone line to back of XP box and into modem
Cable from XP box ethernet card to Cayman router
Cable from 98SE box ethernet card to Cayman router
Cable from second 98SE box to router(possible non-functional ethernet card)

I know that this all sounds pretty simple but that is how I see it. I am able to share internet between the XP box and the first 98SE box but that is all. I can't actually see each machine on a network. I have checked the share level out on all boxes and they are all set to share on a network.

I hope that this clears thing up a little.
Mike

Still need the IP config info for all of your boxes, not just the XP box