Networking Windows 98 with Windows XP successfully

[jonifen]

I realise this is going to absolutely munch the bandwidth on my host, so I'll move it elsewhere sometime soon.

http://www28.brinkster.com/jonathancain/jonz/tutorials/lan_xp98.shtml

That is a tutorial on how to network 98 (and ME) with XP - its the way I do it at work, and it works every time without fail. Just remember, dont use the xp network disk on the win98 machine - just run the wizard on the xp box before starting.

 

[Erbmaster]

I'm already running a Win98/XP network anyhow so i'm sorted

But that's a really nice tutorial, it'll help plenty of people i'm sure.
Good work jonifen

 

[jonifen]

cheers - I made it purely cuz it seems to be a bit of a trouble spot for many people

 

[Glaanieboy]

Does this apply to Windows 95 as well?

 

[j79zlr]

I'm sorry but you should use NetBIOS over TCP/IP with your existic TCP/IP protocol in 9x, there is no need to add IPX.

Usually the biggest problem for people networking XP (and NT machines in general) and 9x is that you have to add user accounts to the 9x machines.

 

[jonifen]

unfortunately its not that simple j79zlr... for Win98 to work properly on a small network, it needs NetBEUI (as does WinME and 2K) - which isnt recommended for usage with WinXP. Therefore you use IPX/SPX as the gateway to NetBIOS on the Win98 machine and TCP/IP on the WinXP machine - that way, both machines are chatting over NetBIOS successfully without forcing either machine to do anything its not comfortable doing.

You need to add the Win98 user details to the WinXP machine - not the other way around.


Glaanieboy - you could try it with Win95 - its possible, just as long as Win95 can work with NetBIOS over IPX/SPX (which I'm pretty sure it does).

 

[j79zlr]

You should use NetBIOS over TCP/IP since that is the default protocol in XP and Windows200, and I've never seen a problem using it on ME or 98. And yes I understand that you need user accounts on both, but most problems I've seen people have is that they have NO user accounts on the 9x boxes.

 

[jonifen]

tbf m8, I've set up several networks using the tutorial I give above and there have never been any problems with performance or stability. However, we did originally try NetBIOS over TCP/IP (against most websites' better judgement) only to see it fail.

And another thing... if Win98 uses NetBIOS over TCP/IP by default, then why do so many people have problems with networking XP with 98 yet they can network 2K and XP first time without a problem (as you say... 2K also uses NetBIOS over TCP/IP by default). If it is the recommended protocol, then it should work straight away on a clean install... but it never does.

I have never needed to create user accounts on the Win98 box as its basically a home operating system... i.e. security is pretty weak and you can login pretty easily as a guest user. However, the XP operating system is more secure and more often requires the username and password to either be entered on access, or entered into the XP userlist. I repeat... I've never added the user details of the XP box to the 98 box, and I have never needed to... the network always works fine in both directions.


End of the story is... the machines need to access NetBIOS on all the other machines... they can get NetBIOS on the more reliable (outcome from my own testing) IPX/SPX and it works fine - I've never had troubles with it, nor has any other people that have tried it that I know of. My tutorial instructs people how to network successfully (but also without the messing around that playing with the XP network setup disks or NetBIOS over TCP/IP seems to bring).

 

[j79zlr]

I'm not trying to knock your site, I was just saying that you can use TCP/IP and not have to install the IPX protocol since TCP/iP is need to access the interent anyway. I said XP and 2000 use NetBIOS over TCP/IP by default, not 98, and that is why XP and 2k are pretty much plug and play. To use TCP/IP on 9x just use DHCP or manually configure IP's and DNS, just that simple. There is no messy XP Networking disks, the only thing that has to be installed from disk that isn't originally there is File and Printer Sharing and Client for M$ Networks on the 9x machines. I have also done this many times.

 

[polarbear_ak]

Humm good tutorial, but that just seems like common sence to me. Normally I have mine set up on dhcp not a static ip though. It is just like networking on any other operating system. Worked for the numerous networks I have set up with Windows 95/98 machines and xp machines. Never had any issues. Even made the windows xp have a shared printer and win95/98 were able to print to it no problem. Anyways Good Tutorial
Polar

 

[j79zlr]

after rereading your site I guess I'm just coming off the wrong way. It is fine, I never said that it doesn't work, but I was saying that adding the IPX protocol is redundant. You can follow your steps to a T, just omit the IPX part and configure TCP/IP the exact same way.

 

[Erbmaster]

That's right j79zlr, ya only wanna be loading the extra IPX/SPX protocol if ya connecting to a Novell machine etc.
Provided the IP's are sorted (either static or dynamic through a router/similar) TCP/IP and NetBIOS work fine in my experience.
Personally I'd steer well clear of resource hungry, non-routable protocols such as NetBEUI as well.
It's showing it's age now

 

[NetRyder]

I've never had to install IPX/SPX to network XP and 98 either. Works fine with NETBIOS over TCP/IP