2 Network Cards

[Cfriend620]

I just installed a second network card. One connects to my DSL Modem and the other connects to my wireless router. I have 2 Dell XPS Laptops that connects to the router. The reason why I installed a second card was in hopes that my Desktop can act like a server (Its running Windows XP Home Edition) But since i installed the second network card I am unable to browse the network, such as share files. Any suggestions? I am pretty good with computers but this has me stumped!

[GX1_Man]

Do you have the router set to DHCP? Windows XP Home is not an ideal server solution, BTW. Have you set the IP addreses differently?

Let us know what you have done.

[Cfriend620]

Yes, the router is set to DHCP, and for some reason, both have different IP addresses. I didnt set them, I am not sure how.

[GX1_Man]

DHCP assigns the IP addresses.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/tcpip.htm

[Cfriend620]

Ok so why cant i share files between computers on my network?

[Cfriend620]

I really need some help on this! PLEASE  :-?

[panboy]

You Need To Turn Off DHCP on The Router , and the Turn On IinternetConnectionShareing on the Computer your on. then set the laptops to auto

All the Windows Details are in the Link that GX1_man posted

For the Router Info Read The Manual

[Rob Pomeroy]

Each network card will be assigned a different address by the DHCP server.  The problem may be that the computer with two network cards now needs to know which card to use for which application/port.

No idea really, why you installed the second card.  You don't need to, for what you're trying to do.  You only need two cards really for advanced routing techniques, and as GX1_Man said, you wouldn't use XP Home for that.  Pull that card out again and let us know if everything returns to normal.

Then decide (and perhaps tell us) exactly what you want to achieve.

Only turn the DHCP server off (as Panboy suggested) if you're prepared to start manually assigning IP addresses.  For some ideas, follow the link to the networking FAQ, in my signature.

[Cfriend620]

K, I am back to one network card, everything is fine, I did look at the link. What I was just MOSTLY doing was testing out what two network cards would do, kinda silly I know. But was trying to see if having two network cards would make my desktop computer act like a server, be able to connect directly to the internet, and have the laptops connect to my computer through the router. and still be able to share files and stuff.

[Rob Pomeroy]

You don't actually need server facilities in this environment.  Let the router do what it was designed to do for the network.  Then all you do is set up peer-to-peer file and print sharing for your LAN.  If you need help with that, there are lots of tutorials out there on the net (via Google).

NB  You don't want to set up file and print sharing unless your router has a built in firewall which is blocking all the relevant ports.  If it has a firewall and you've not turned it off, it probably blocks those ports by default.