CAN'T ANYBODY HELP? (See my thread of 6/22/2006 2:50 PM)

  • Thread starter Thread starter BudV
  • Start date Start date
I think you might find that most of us don't dial directly into a system,
nor do we run Windows 95 any more. With a VPN, you can't see devices on the
other network because it's a routed connection and you can't broadcast
across a router (which is how the network browser works). Try the usual
stuff and see if yo can get more info. can you ping the server by name? how
about by IP address? Can you connect using the UBC path ("\\server" or
\\ip-address)?

....kurt
 
Disclaimer : "I can spell, I just can't type".



Kurt said:
I think you might find that most of us don't dial directly into a system,
nor do we run Windows 95 any more. With a VPN, you can't see devices on the
other network because it's a routed connection and you can't broadcast
across a router (which is how the network browser works). Try the usual
stuff and see if yo can get more info. can you ping the server by name? how
about by IP address? Can you connect using the UBC path ("\\server" or
\\ip-address)?

...kurt
Click to expand...
 
Kurt,

Thanks for the help, but we have a problem: My 48 years as a
programmer/analyst on mainframes didn't prepare me for all the
communications whiz-bang jargon I'm surrounded with today. Let me give you
some more information so that you will understand my situation, and maybe be
more elementary with your help.

We use Win95 because we're using a general ledger system I wrote in various
BASICs (M, GW, Q) 25 years ago under DOS. It's still running fine, and my
cut of the profits earns me an extra $500 or so each year. When we tried to
move to Win98, we had trouble with printing (I don't remember the details),
and so we just stayed with Win95 and DOS.

The office has a server with three clients hooked directly to it, and two
available by dialup (me and the boss's daughter). We're not sure just why
we set up the server -- it's not being used effectively -- but it's there,
doing a payroll service for a bunch of customers. It's almost an
hour's drive from my house, so with gas at $3.00 a gallon, I do most of my
support via telephone. Ordinarily, I use pcAnywhere, but it's not installed
on the server (yet) so I thought I would dialup the server to transfer a
file I wanted to work with. That brings you up to date with the whys and
wherefores.

Now, for why you'll have trouble talking to me: I don't grok "VPN", "routed
connection", "ping", and "UBC path".

You ask "Can you connect using...". I find this confusing. Right now, I'm
trying with the WinXP system. I do connect, as far as I know. When I look
at "Network Connections" I can see the network I'm using and its status is
"connected", so your question doesn't seem to fit. The problem is that the
server doesn't appear under Windows Explorer. In one of my posts, I
mentioned that the problem didn't occur (i.e., I could see and access the
server in Windows Explorer) using the Win95 system. I would like for the
problem to disappear permanently.

I hope you had a happy Fourth!

Bud
 
I don't have the years experience you do, but I will turn 50 this year! :-(

I must admit I've never set up a direct dial connection (I'm assuming when
you say "Dial up to the server" you mean a direct modem-to-modem
connection). I've always connected via the Internet using a Virtual Private
Network connection - VPN -(which is much easier to set up from the
standppoint of not having to install modems, phone lines or crawl on my poor
old knees to plug the stuff in). Anyway, with my lack of experience with the
dial-in setup I don't know where to go to help on this one. Generally, most
connections use TCP/IP, or at least support TCP/IP for troubleshooting.
Utilities like "ping" and "tracert" can narrow down and even pinpoint
connectivity issues quickly and accurately. With no information on where
connectivity is being lost, it will be very difficult if not impossible to
diagnose. Good luck and hope you had a great 4th.

....kurt
 
I wish I was 50 again...

If I'm beating a dead horse, I'm sure your response (or lack thereof) will
tell me. It doesn't sound to me like "connectivity is being lost." All
indications at my end say that I'm connected. I think the connection is
fine and complete. What's more significant is that in following (almost)
the same procedure in the past, I could see the server under Windows
Explorer and transfer files. It sounds to me as though there's something
the server wants me to tell it before it will open up to me, but I don't
know what to tell it (apparently I did it once).

Now let's hope someone else has been watching our blind-leading-the-blind
conversation and chimes in with his/her two cents worth.
 
Back
Top