Holien Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Hi, This is my last ditch attempt to solve this little issue. Sit back and read as I try and give you tech wizards all the gen. I used to have 2 win 98 machines and had networked them using a HPNA system down my phone wires. All worked and it was great. Well I decided to build my own PC and now have a screaming AMD 68 and nice graphics card. Thought just switching the network card from old machine would be a breeze. :mad: Well I can get the two to talk to one another and they both have IP addresses on the newtwork. I can share folders but it is a slow process, not like the two 98 machines. I load CMAK on the XP machine and try to connect in via the 98 machine and the game loads on the XP machine and says the other is connecting. After several minutes it hangs and says the connection has failed. The funny thing is that I can load the game on 98 machine and connect in from the XP machine and I get a lot further. Pretty much instant load up of the game on both machines and set up phase. I then try and process orders and the whole damn thing hangs and loses the network connection. So the gist of my problem is that I seem to be able to get packets of data faster from the 98 to the XP but not vice versa. So next test was the old Ping fang dango. 98 ---> XP Average 3ms / TTS 64 (In some tests I lose the data). So it seems a bit blocked at times. XP ---> 98 Average 1ms / TTS 64 Not seen it lose the data in any ping test. So I have tried the network Wizard and this is pretty useless. Tries to bridge an integral network adaptor on the motherboard which I have disabled as I am using the phone lines. I am just using the TCP / IP Protocal and have manually configured the IP addresses and Sub Net Mask. When I first started this process the ping from the 98 to XP was TTS of 128. I fixed this by running TCP Optimizer which changed the MTU and Rwin settings to a better level. This then dropped the TTS and seemed to speed the times. I am missing one small bit in the config and I am hoping someone out there will give me a good hint at what to look at. Please do not suggest I upgrade the other machine to XP. Or get Ethernet adaptors. Yes I could go down this route but I want to solve this problem. I have spent the last four nights working on it and it is now a matter of pride. I also want to be able to do some network gaming soon and I have to get this fixed before a set of forum nobodies come over. So for you tech experts please take pity on me and throw me a few bones... My CMAK TCP IP LAN experience depends on it. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Strange. What phone-network adapters are you using ? Do they connect via a PCI slot or are they external using USB ? Have you checked the manufacturer's website to see if they mention any Win98 to WinXP problems ? I'm not familiar with the "TTS" setting; is this "TTL" instead ? A smaller TTL setting might help on a LAN, but it's actually geared towards routers and dropping old packets - generally not really useful on most small LANs. Though your connection isn't dying, have you checked the computers for viruses ? Have you updated either WinXP or Win98 via the Windows Update site ? Are you using Service Pack 1 on XP ? What protocols do you have loaded on the 98 and XP machines ? Is NetBEUI/NetBIOS one of them (actually these two things are different, NetBEUI will be the more common of the two) ? What are your settings in XP ? Is the XP Firewall on (most likely not) ? Are you using any other 'internet utilities' while trying to hook up between the two computers ? How do these computers hook to the internet, via a dial-up or a high-speed connection ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted March 5, 2004 Author Share Posted March 5, 2004 Originally posted by Schrullenhaft: Strange. What phone-network adapters are you using ? Do they connect via a PCI slot or are they external using USB ? Have you checked the manufacturer's website to see if they mention any Win98 to WinXP problems ? They are Actiontec PCI Cards and quite old technology. Using AMD chips. The manufacturer no longer supports them and the web site has no info on them. They work as I can see both PC's. I'm not familiar with the "TTS" setting; is this "TTL" instead ? A smaller TTL setting might help on a LAN, but it's actually geared towards routers and dropping old packets - generally not really useful on most small LANs. My typo yes it is TTL and yes I now know that this is nothing to do with the issue. I did some more searches before going to bed and I have a better idea of TTL. Though your connection isn't dying, have you checked the computers for viruses ? Have you updated either WinXP or Win98 via the Windows Update site ? Are you using Service Pack 1 on XP ? Yes both PC's fully checked and fully upto next level and service packed. What protocols do you have loaded on the 98 and XP machines ? Is NetBEUI/NetBIOS one of them (actually these two things are different, NetBEUI will be the more common of the two) ? I have played around with different protocals and at the moment just using TCP IP and removed all others, i.e. Netbuei etc... What are your settings in XP ? Is the XP Firewall on (most likely not) ? Are you using any other 'internet utilities' while trying to hook up between the two computers ? How do these computers hook to the internet, via a dial-up or a high-speed connection ? No other utilities. I disable all firewalls. I use ZoneAlarm and disable this and ensure that nothing else is running. The PC's each have their own ISDN PCI card to access the net independantly. The TCP IP set up on the XP machine is as follows:- I have typed in a specific IP Address. I have left the "Use the Following DNS Server" Blank I have all the Advance features at their default. I.e. No filtering, Nothing on the DNS tab and the LMSHOSTS is checked and the Netbios option is at Default. Last night I saw that I could reset the TCP IP stack on the XP machine. I did this and saw a small time decrease in pinging packet between the machines. I.e. It seemed to make it better. Then tried to load CMAK and again network timed out. There has to be something that is stopping the packets getting smoothly from one system to the other and I feel sure it is a Config issue. Ohh well will continue to search. Cheers Schrullenhaft as always I marvel at your quick response and willingness to offer advice. I will let you know how I get on if I solve it. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted March 5, 2004 Author Share Posted March 5, 2004 I have run some more tests and it looks like the size of the packets of data being sent causes a time out. See results below: - Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->bytes=1500 time=26ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->Request Timed Out Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 1500 bytes ->bytes=1500 time=26ms TTL=64 Ping statistics for above hosts: Packets: Sent = 9, Received = 2, Lost = 7 (78% loss) Approximate round trip times (RTT) in milli-seconds: Minimum = 26ms, Maximum = 26ms, Average = 5ms This is from the XP to 98 machine. Similar results from the 98 to XP. However if you reduce packet size in the test. (same way XP to 98.) Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Pinging [169.254.11.87] with 32 bytes ->bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Ping statistics for above hosts: Packets: Sent = 9, Received = 9, Lost = 0 (0% loss) Approximate round trip times (RTT) in milli-seconds: Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 3ms, Average = 1ms Not sure what I can do to rectify this but it is more to work on... I feel I am getting closer... The Truth is Out There... H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Have you run the same "TCP Optimizer" on both systems ? Can this software discern between your 'ActionLink' TCP/IP stack and the ISDN modem's ? You'll want the packet size on each system to be the same (preferably). This article explains making the manual registry adjustment in NT/2000/XP; you may want to try a size smaller than 1500 though. Is the DynaNet software installed on either of the boxes (though it isn't needed since each box has its own ISDN modem) ? Have you run any of the included diagnostics (not that they'll pinpoint performance problems - and they'll probably tell you to somewhat unnecessarily install NetBEUI) ? Did WinXP automatically identify and install the drivers for the ActionLink cards ? Is there any sort of 'termination' required for these cards (inserted into the pass-through port) ? Is there a phone plugged into either one of them ? If you go through the hassle of swapping the cards between the two boxes does the problem reverse itself (most likely not, but it may be worth a try to find out if one of the cards is defective) ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted March 5, 2004 Author Share Posted March 5, 2004 Originally posted by Schrullenhaft: Have you run the same "TCP Optimizer" on both systems ? Yes. The software allows you to run the test of pings. You choose the size of the packets for the test. Can this software discern between your 'ActionLink' TCP/IP stack and the ISDN modem's ? Yes. You'll want the packet size on each system to be the same (preferably). Not sure what you are saying here. The test I ran was choosing the size of packets to send in the test. it runs 9 times and tells me the results. I have no control over packet size in CMAK when it is doing TCP IP? This URL=http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/280/]article explains making the manual registry adjustment in NT/2000/XP; you may want to try a size smaller than 1500 though. I will read this and see if it explains what you are talking about. The DynaNet software installed on either of the boxes (though it isn't needed since each box has its own ISDN modem) ? Have you run any of the included diagnostics (not that they'll pinpoint performance problems - and they'll probably tell you to somewhat unnecessarily install NetBEUI) ? Did WinXP automatically identify and install the drivers for the ActionLink cards ? XP automatically found the driver for the card and it works fine. No I have not loaded the software on the XP machine as it is not needed. Yes I have run the Diag checks but it does not highlight anything. Is there any sort of 'termination' required for these cards (inserted into the pass-through port) ? Is there a phone plugged into either one of them ? If you go through the hassle of swapping the cards between the two boxes does the problem reverse itself (most likely not, but it may be worth a try to find out if one of the cards is defective) ? No, No and no I have not swapped them. I really think it is a config issue on the XP machine or 98. But more likely the XP machine. I will now read the link you have posted. Cheers H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted March 6, 2004 Author Share Posted March 6, 2004 Issue seems to be now sorted. I unplugged the cable from the phone socket and connected the two PC's directly by means of an adaptor (phone socket). So neither PC is connected to the phone circuit but directly to each other. This improved the situation and it works a dream. It does mean that I can not use the phone sockets but as the PC's are fairly close together this is not a problem at the moment. Thanks for responding Schrullenhaft. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 Strange. Both of these adapters worked over your home phone lines when they were both Win98 machines. One reason might be either the drivers for the adapters provided by WinXP or possibly the phone-network adapter's compatibility with the motherboard in the XP system. The XP drivers may be a bit 'generic' (and provided by someone other than ActionTec) in how they work with the adapter. So it is possible that some of the features of the adapter aren't being utilized by the driver (such as error correction, but that would be very strange). However this particular issue sounds like it has to do with the PHY device on the phone-network adapter, which usually has little need of drivers to do its job. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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