Networking Win2000 Laptop to Win98se Desktop

[Harry]

I'm trying to network a Win2000 pro laptop that has a D-Link combo network/modem card to a Win98se desktop that has a 3com Etherlink III ISA card. It's not working from the Win2000 pro laptop. In My Network Places, the Local Area Connection2 icon, which seems to represent the Win98 machine, has an X through it though in the properties window of the icon under Connect Using, it shows the 3com card that I have on my win98 desktop. So there must be some kind of connection being made.

Under the Local Area Connection2 icon Properties Configure Device Status in Win2000, it says that the 3com card in the win98 machine is working properly. But in the Network
and dial-up Connections Window under Status, it says,
Network Cable Unplugged. I have also given the same workgroup name to all the drives and partitions so that shouldn't
be the problem.

There is another icon on the Win2000 laptop with an X through it - Local Area Connection3 - which seems to represent the D-link Combo card on the Win2000 machine.

Maybe since the Local area connection2 icon seems to represent the desktop, maybe I am making a mistake in trying to access the desktop from that connection2 icon. Maybe I need to access the desktop from the Local Area Connection3
icon that seems to represent the Laptop card. It's all very confusing. I hope there is someone who understands this networking stuff.

For the Configuration settings on Windows 98se I have:
Client for Microsoft Networks
Microsoft Family Logon
3com Ehterlink III ISA (3C509/3c509b) in ISA mode
Dial-UP Adapter
TCP/IP - 3com Ehterlink III ISA (3C509/3c509b) in ISA mode
TCP/IP - Dial-Up Adapter
File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks

For the Configuration on Windows 2000 Pro I have:
Client for MIcrosoft Networks
Microsoft Family Logon
NWLink NetBios
NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBios Compatible Transport Protocol
Internet Protocol(TCP/IP)
File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks

[ktkendall]

Helo there Harry;
Sounds like you may not be using the required cat5 cross-over cable that is required when linking 2 PC's via nic cards. You should have a link light on both cards... Any store that sells PC stuff will know what you mean when you ask for a cat5 crossover cable, and just get the length you need...

[crjdriver]

If you are networking the machines to be able to share a broadband connection, I would invest in a router. The router will act as a hardware firewall in addition to having ports to hookup your computer to. Since you show both connections are unplugged, I would think that you are using a standard patch cable rather than a crossover cable which is used when networking pcs without a hub / router.
Here is a link to a site that explains quite a bit about networking.
http://www.homepcnetwork.com/

[Harry]

Hi, I am using the Cat 5 RJ45 cross over cable. I also have a separate network card inside the docking station which the laptop is hooked up to. I wonder if having two network cards like that is causing any problems. Or if trying to use the network card on the laptop while the laptop is hooked up to the docking station is a problem. The 3com ethernet III card inside the desktop does not light up. I don't think it even has a light on it but it does have an extra pinhole like cable connector on it and I have no idea what that's for. It's the kind of connector that you would stick a TV antenna cable into a video card. It's a plug with a thin pin in the center of the plug. I don't think I really trust that network card. There are so many loose ends here that it makes it really hard trying to figure out this problem.