XP and Win98 network problem

[mucklow]

I have an XP and a Win98 machine both hooked to a router on roadrunner. If I do an ipconfig /all in DOS, the 98 machine reports its host name as matt.cfl.rr.com, when the host name in windows is set up as just matt. I can see him as matt on the network, ping him with name and IP, and access his shares, but he cannot see me, nor can he ping me by name, but he CAN ping me by IP. I can ping myself by name and IP, he can do the same with his. Sometimes we can both see each other, but without touching any settings one of us will drop off the network, even in the middle of a lan game. The network was running before I switched to XP and he went to 98, I had 98 and he had ME. I suspect the problem is related to DOS reporting a different host name than windows. Does anyone have any suggestions? And yes file and print sharing is enabled, drives are shared out, and I went through the entire xp - 98 network document I found posted here, nothing worked. XP firewall is disabled too.

 

[mithrilhall]

What kind of router?

 

[mucklow]

Its a Linksys 4-port cable/dsl router. I have the latest firmware, I can see both of us on the DHCP table, I tried renewing the DHCP, tried resetting router defaults, tried powering off and back on, and tried resetting the cable modem with a combo of the above... everything seems like it should work yet doesnt. There isn't a domain name specified on the router itself however, but that wasnt a problem before.

 

[mithrilhall]

Do you both belong to the same workgroup or domain? Right-click "My Computer" and choose properties --> then choose the "Network Identification" tab (or what ever they call it in 98) and make sure you both have the same thing set for workgroup or domain. I think you want workgroup though but I could be wrong.

 

[mucklow]

yes both workgroup MSHOME all caps, no domain. Have any idea why dos would report hostname as xxx.cfl.rr.com when windows hostname is set up just xxx? If I do an ipconfig /all on my dos prompt my hostname is just my comp name without the cfl.rr.com, but not so with his

 

[leda]

If he can ping you by IP, but not by name then there is a DNS issue..

 

[cdogg]

Yes, it appears to be a DNS issue of some sort. Make sure you check the TCP/IP protocol settings on both pc's. Verify that WINS & DNS settings are identical on both. Since you both have been through various upgrades and/or changes, it wouldn't hurt to change the workgroup name from MSHOME to something else on both pc's. It may or may not make a difference...

 

[mucklow]

DNS is enabled on both machines. However, doing an ipconfig /all in dos on his machine still reports his host name as xxx.cfl.rr.com where his computer name is just xxx. Is there a DOS command to clear the hostname? That has to be the problem.

 

[kbyrd]

Have you tried setting static ip addresses for all your adapters. I set my XP to 192.168.0.1, the ME machine to 192.168.0.2 and my 98 machine to 192.168.0.3 and made the default gateway 192.168.0.1.