home LAN problems

[avidgamr]

Hello everybody! My first post. 

OK, let's get down to the problem.

I will try to list specifics as detailed as possible but I'm afraid I don't know too much about networking yet, even though my network has been up and running for like 8 years now (and I've never seen this problem before). I'll list specifics first so you'll know the hardware and then list the problem... 

All computers have 2 internal hard drives (IDE). Unimportant detail really but details... 

3 computers; 2 computers are Windows 98 Second Edition (fully updated with Microsoft Update) and the third is Windows XP SP1 (obviously not fully updated). 
Hate Windows XP SP3 and don't care for SP2 so I'm stickin' with SP1... 
XP computer has 1GB RAM, 3GHz Intel P4 processor. Can't remember offhand about the video card/RAM but should be unimportant in the situation anyway...
1 98SE comp has 768MB RAM and other has like 64MB? Can't remember for sure.

All are networked via cat 5e ethernet cable for internet and home LAN.
All computers have 2 ethernet cards (10/100 cards); 1 for home LAN and 1 for Internet.

Internet card goes to a wireless/wired internet router (Zyxel P-334W). Home LAN goes to a network switch (TRENDnet 8-port). The Windows XP SP1 computer is set up as the "master browser" (on the home LAN) and all communications must go through it.

My internet is wireless through a local ISP (antenna on roof which relays back and forth to my ISP's equipment on a tower nearby).

Anyway, enough details.

My problem occurred today when I was trying to move (using Windows Explorer) ~8GB of data from 1 of the 98SE computers (the one with 768MB RAM) to the XP computer; but I should mention that I was using the XP computer to do the moving. I other words, I had 2 Windows Explorer windows open; one was my 98SE comp folder and the other was the destination XP folder. I did a drag from the 98SE folder to the XP folder and told it to "Move" the contents. It started moving them and said it would be like 30 minutes. Ah heck no; I am not sitting there that long and walked away.   

Later I noticed activity between the 2 not only on the home LAN switch but also on the internet router. It was using BOTH networks to transfer! How is this possible? I didn't like that and disconnected the routers power and it, in turn, didn't like that and aborted. I went back to the XP computer and tried again and it still finished transferring the files normally using only the home LAN.

So my question is, how was / is it possible for XP to use not only the home LAN but also my router to transfer files to it? I thought that was maybe the VPN but it appears to still be disabled... I'm lost. 

I don't like it using the internet router for transferring files. I don't care that the router has a built-in firewall, I don't want to allow that as the possibility exists that my files can be hanging out in the open for the world to get at if they have the knowledge (my opinion only).

Anybody know how to disable this "feature" (<cough> bug)? 

Maybe I need to disable some of the network protocols on my XP computer? I'm afraid I know little about those and wouldn't know what I need and what I don't... Maybe some kind soul could provide a list for me to go by in my situation (home LAN still works and Internet Router communications still working afterwards)?

Oh, and somebody needs to add "GHz" to the spell-check. 

[Geek-9pm]

You can use your own spell checker.

You said you have used this setup for 8 years?

The following are 98 to XP rules, not laws. Not  absolutely needed.
1. Do NOT have two networks active when you copy large files./folders
2. Do NOT use MOVE for large file sets. Use Copy.
3. Do NOT leave an explorer windows open on the source machine.
4. Do NOT copy all files in a folder. Copy the folder to the target.
5. DO NOT use  the 98 PC as the commander. Us the XP PC.

Can you show o diagram of how you system is connected? Just curious.

[avidgamr]

  Yeah, I could use my own spell checker, but I'm lazy like that. 

Do not have two networks active? This doesn't make sense to me... Can you please explain? 

Do not use Move? Why not? I've done it for years with no problems... 

Do not leave explorer windows open on the source machine? Why not? And for the record, I didn't. I had two windows open on the destination machine (XP); One window was my 98SE computer shares and the other window was the destination folder on my XP computer... I've also done it for years with no problems. 

Do not copy all files in a folder? Why not?  Again, I've done it for years without problems. Oh, and for the record, I was moving an entire folder, not just specific files...

I was not using a 98 PC as the commander. As I said, the XP computer is the browser master and commander, and I was, at the time, also using the XP computer for the moving operation. 

Can you please explain the why's for those so I can be informed?


Diagram is attached. Thanks! 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Geek-9pm]

You diagram looks like two networks.

As I  said, those are rules, not laws. This is based on observation. But not 8 years worth. I have noticed some kind of problems in only a few weeks  working with my PCs on a local network.

Moving has to kill the files on the source machine.
It can hang if a file is open. Use copy. The kill the files, it you wish.

Windows has a hard time moving a lot of files. I don't know what the limit is. But moving a folder does not seem to raise the problem. I dunno. I didn't write the code.

The XP machine needs to be in charge due to NFTS rules. Win 98 does not copy files with all the things NTFS needs.

Recently Microsoft has made some changes in the way XP does LN stuff. It is a security issue.

[avidgamr]

Yep, two different networks; home and internet.
Thanks.