At the moment the desktop can see the laptop (including its description) but can't browse it ("\\Toshiba is not accessible. The network path was not found")

I've tried changing most of the property settings of the cards and protocols one-by-one but this is the best I can get.

I can't ping either machine from either machine yet the NT box will predictably complain if I assign the same IP address to the Toshiba. So what appears to be happening is that the Toshiba broadcasts itself to the network, the Compaq can hear it, but the Toshiba cannot hear anything from the Compaq and so doesn't reply.

I simply don't know what to do next! Any suggestions welcomed. Tech Specs follow:

-NT4 Workstation on Compaq. Embedded 10/100 Ethernet card (have also tried 3Com Etherlink III 3C509 but I had problems with dual cards so have software removed it). NetBeui and TCP/IP loaded (also NWLink NetBios and NWLink IPX/SPX but that's for when I dial in to work). IP Address 200.0.0.1 (subnet 255.255.255.0).

-Windows 98 Toshiba. Have tried 3 different Ethernet PC Cards (Xircom 10/100 + Modem 56, Xircom 10/100 + Modem 28.8 and 3Com Etherlink III + 33.6 modem). NetBeui and TCP/IP loaded. IP Address 200.0.0.2 (subnet 255.255.255.0).

-Cabletron MiniMMAC hub (have set ethernet card in the PCs to half-duplex to allow for the old hub).

-Workgroup name is identical on both machines.

-Identical username and password on each machine and ensured username on NT4 is member of Administrators, Backup Operators, Guests (which I have enabled), Power Users, Replicator and Users.

I think that just about covers it!

How did you get a network card into a laptop? Or is it a "PC card" as in PCMCIA ?

Sometimes Microsoft's network concept doesn't work so good, you can have everything working just fine, then shut down and restart it all and it doesn't see the other computer.

I found that starting one computer, letting it fully boot, then start up the other makes it (almost) see the other computer every time.

Don't forget to go into Windows Explorer and right click on a hard drive and enable "sharing" and such.

You didn't mention trying windows (microsoft) networking, maybe it's not installed?

I really think your problem is running TCP/IP, but maybe that's what you want because of the future Amiga connection? TCP/IP is not a lot of fun to set up.

Make sure your "MASK" is set to pass everything (for now) and I always used a number I picked up from a ISP on the net, to make sure it worked (I always assume there's reserved numbers, just to be safe) but just for testing.

: I am trying to network my Windows 98 Toshiba laptop with a Compaq NT4 desktop using ethernet cards via a hub (so I can add my Amiga when I get it back from repair).

: At the moment the desktop can see the laptop (including its description) but can't browse it ("\\Toshiba is not accessible. The network path was not found")

: I've tried changing most of the property settings of the cards and protocols one-by-one but this is the best I can get.

: I can't ping either machine from either machine yet the NT box will predictably complain if I assign the same IP address to the Toshiba. So what appears to be happening is that the Toshiba broadcasts itself to the network, the Compaq can hear it, but the Toshiba cannot hear anything from the Compaq and so doesn't reply.

: I simply don't know what to do next! Any suggestions welcomed. Tech Specs follow:

: -NT4 Workstation on Compaq. Embedded 10/100 Ethernet card (have also tried 3Com Etherlink III 3C509 but I had problems with dual cards so have software removed it). NetBeui and TCP/IP loaded (also NWLink NetBios and NWLink IPX/SPX but that's for when I dial in to work). IP Address 200.0.0.1 (subnet 255.255.255.0).

: -Windows 98 Toshiba. Have tried 3 different Ethernet PC Cards (Xircom 10/100 + Modem 56, Xircom 10/100 + Modem 28.8 and 3Com Etherlink III + 33.6 modem). NetBeui and TCP/IP loaded. IP Address 200.0.0.2 (subnet 255.255.255.0).

: -Cabletron MiniMMAC hub (have set ethernet card in the PCs to half-duplex to allow for the old hub).

: -Workgroup name is identical on both machines.

: -Identical username and password on each machine and ensured username on NT4 is member of Administrators, Backup Operators, Guests (which I have enabled), Power Users, Replicator and Users.

: I think that just about covers it!

: JJ (UK)

: It's not clear what you are trying to do

I'm trying to share files, possibly back up from one to the other, but mainly share the printer from the desktop to the laptop.

: How did you get a network card into a laptop? Or is it a "PC card" as in PCMCIA ?

Yes, PCMCIA card.

: Don't forget to go into Windows Explorer and right click on a hard drive and enable "sharing" and such.

Yep. Done it already.

: You didn't mention trying windows (microsoft) networking, maybe it's not installed?

It's there. Like I said, I have installed NetBeui and now I've added IPX.

: I really think your problem is running TCP/IP, but maybe that's what you want because of the future Amiga connection?

TCP/IP isn't the problem since the desktop will detect a duplicate IP address if I give the laptop the same address as the desktop (it was a good test to see how far communication was going). And yes, I'll need TCP/IP for when I add the Amiga.

Also, since I started with Netbeui alone I don't believe this is a protocol problem.

:TCP/IP is not a lot of fun to set up.

Nah it's easy! And fun!

Something I didn't mention (because it wasn't relevant) is that the desktop dual-boots between 95 and NT. I get exactly the same thing when I boot it in 95.

I can see the laptop from Network Neighbourhood but can't browse it.

So, communications are being broadcast by the laptop but the laptop cannot hear, or won't reply, to requests from the desktop. When I try to browse 'Entire Network' from the laptop I get "Unable to browse the network. The network is not accessible".

I even tried uninstalling all adapters, clients, protocols and services and re-installing them but this has made no difference.

Next step will be to format C: and start again!!

JJ (UK)