Help with Networking

How do i get a computer with windows 2000 to network with a computer with windows xp? Plz Help.?

I am trying to network two computers of different operating systems. One with windows 2000 professional and one with windows xp. I have an ethernet cable to link the two. Now i don't need a router since it's only the two computers. Any advice? Plz help and thanks!

Public Comments

1. First find out if they're talking to each other at all. On each, open a command prompt and type ipconfig - this will tell you the IP address assigned to each machine. If there's no IP address, then the machines just physically aren't connected. Perhaps you need a "crossover" cable instead of a standard ethernet cable? (More modern network ports should work with the ethernet cable.) If you have IP addresses, then from one machine try to "ping" the other's IP address. If this is successful, then communication is occurring. Then look up each computer's name (using SET COMPUTERNAME). Try to ping the other's computer name. Then check that file sharing is activated for both computers' TCP/IP protocol. I've glossed over a lot here, so please email me if you need more details about any bits of this. Good luck!
2. First, make sure your cable is a "crossover" cable. If you're not going to use a router, you cannot use a regular cable. You will have to manually set their IP addresses, they need to be in the same subnet. I suggest you set their IP addresses to 192.168.1.x , the subnet mask will be 255.255.255.0. Use either address as the gateway address, you are never going to leave the subnet. Finally, make sure each computer is in the same workgroup. You will know they are when they can see each other in their "Network Neighborhood"