Suicide Topology Worked Before

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matthew Therrien
  • Start date Start date
M

Matthew Therrien

Hello

A common problem regarding networking one ME PC (1 NIC)
and one XP Pro laptop (with 1 Ethernet and 1 IEEE 1394
adapter) - used to work and now no longer does. Here's the
scoop.

Both boxes are connected to a hub which also has a cable
modem connected. (I know that this is NOT a recommended
configuration for security reasons)- the well
named 'Suicide Topology' !

Hitherto - on the very rare and brief occasions when I
needed to File Share - I would take down the firewalls of
the two boxes (ICF on the XP and ZoneAlarm in the ME PC),
then I would bridge the two connections on the XP and
voila - file sharing both ways with no problems. I would
then copy the files/folders I needed between the two, then
disable the bridge, delete it, bring back the firewalls.
This method of occasionally swapping some files may be
suspect from a security angle - but always worked - till
now.

Now, neither box can see each other - the XP sees the only
itself in the Workgroup and the PC sees only itself. The
workgroup is common to both, MSHOME, computer names are
unique. I can ping both ways. However - I cannot Net View
each other.

IP address and DHCP is automatic. The subnet masks,
however, are different between the the two boxes. Netbios
over TCP/IP is enabled on both. File Sharing service and
MS Client For Networks are both present on both boxes.

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks

Matthew
 
Sorry Matthew. Do you really want help? Why don't you just get a
dedicated router and network through that?

Suicide topology is right. ]=:
 
"Matthew said:
Hello

A common problem regarding networking one ME PC (1 NIC)
and one XP Pro laptop (with 1 Ethernet and 1 IEEE 1394
adapter) - used to work and now no longer does. Here's the
scoop.

Both boxes are connected to a hub which also has a cable
modem connected. (I know that this is NOT a recommended
configuration for security reasons)- the well
named 'Suicide Topology' !

Hitherto - on the very rare and brief occasions when I
needed to File Share - I would take down the firewalls of
the two boxes (ICF on the XP and ZoneAlarm in the ME PC),
then I would bridge the two connections on the XP and
voila - file sharing both ways with no problems. I would
then copy the files/folders I needed between the two, then
disable the bridge, delete it, bring back the firewalls.
This method of occasionally swapping some files may be
suspect from a security angle - but always worked - till
now.

Now, neither box can see each other - the XP sees the only
itself in the Workgroup and the PC sees only itself. The
workgroup is common to both, MSHOME, computer names are
unique. I can ping both ways. However - I cannot Net View
each other.

IP address and DHCP is automatic. The subnet masks,
however, are different between the the two boxes. Netbios
over TCP/IP is enabled on both. File Sharing service and
MS Client For Networks are both present on both boxes.

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks

Matthew
Click to expand...

The answer that follows applies to computers that connect to a cable
modem or DSL modem through a hub or switch. It doesn't apply if they
connect through a broadband router.

Your network setup is described in the Windows XP Help and Support
program. Click Start | Help and Support, search for the topic
"Network configurations overview", and look at the section labeled
"Individual Internet connections".

The solution given there is to install the IPX/SPX protocol for file
sharing and to disable file sharing on TCP/IP. I've written a web
page showing how to do it:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm

There are two reasons to use IPX/SPX instead of TCP/IP for file
sharing

1. If your cable or DSL provider assigns IP addresses in different
subnets to your computers, it isn't possible for them to communicate
with each other using TCP/IP.

2. Since your computers connect directly to the Internet through the
cable or DSL modem, they receive public IP addresses that are
accessible by everyone on the Internet. As you know, since you've
installed firewalls, using TCP/IP for file sharing could let other
Internet users access your shared files.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
 
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