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Ping, ping, ping!
After you configure the Network software and set the IP addresses,
use the ping command on the Sharing Computer to
make sure all of the computers are "alive" (at least in the
TCP/IP sense).
NOTE!You will not be able to ping your ISP or any
Internet address from your Sharing Clients until you install your Sharing
software. This is because they are on separate subnets
and require the Sharing software to route (or move) data between the subnets.
To do this, go to the Windows Start button, choose Programs,
then MSDOS Prompt.
When you get the C: prompt, type ping 127.0.0.1
If everything is ok, you should get the following response (or something
similar):
Pinging 127.0.0.1 with 32 bytes of data
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=32
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=32
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=32
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=32
This means that TCP/IP is working on the machine that you are typing
on. 127.0.0.1 is a special address that "loops back"
to the machine you are pinging from. You can also type ping
localhost and receive a similar response, since localhost
and 127.0.0.1 mean the same thing.
If the above "pinged" ok, next you should ping your cable
modem NIC IP. This is the second network that connects to your
soon-to-be shared computer, and is a subnet of your cable provider.
Type ping [yourISPIP] where [yourISPIP] is the IP address temporarily
assigned to you by your ISP. You should get the proper "Reply
from..." response.
If you don't know your cable modem NIC IP address, use the winipcfg
command to find out. An example winipcfg screen is shown
below (you'll have to click on the "More Info" button
on the opening Control Panel to get this view). Your temporary IP
address is next to IP Address in the Ethernet Adapter Information
section.
If all of that is ok, then you're on a roll, so you might as well
ping your sharing Clients! They will have IP addresses of
192.168.0.X, so go ahead and ping 'em.
You can also try pinging the second NIC on the Sharing computer from
your Client computer(s). Also try Client to Client if you have more
than one. Just don't try to ping your ISP or anything other than
the computers on the LAN. That won't
work until after you set up Sharing.
If you've followed directions and the Force has been with you, your local
network and cable network are working with TCP/IP now. If one of
the above pings failed, then check the Troubleshooting
page.
NOTE!
You will not be able to ping your ISP or any
Internet address from your Sharing Clients until you install your Sharing
software. This is because they are on separate subnets
and require the Sharing software to route (or move) data between the subnets.
