Networking Linux box (knoppix 3.4) with Windows XP PC

[nicorellius]

I have a dual boot system running XP pro and knoppix 3.4 and another PC running Windows XP pro only. I have DSL running and I have the two PCs running through an NR041 Linksys router. I can access the internet from both PCs so I know my lines are solid. How do I network the PCs together, though, for file sharing, printing and CD burning, etc.? The XP pro system has the CD burner and the printer... Any ideas, help or suggestions?

Thanks!

[mzilikazi]

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...3901&view=next

[nicorellius]

I am having a problem... I was able to follow the Samba directions a create a file but it didn't work.

I can ping my windows PC and I can ping myself (ie, linux to linux) but I cannot ping my linux box from windows PC. I went into LAN properties and made sure that there were no locks on the windows PC, but it still isn't working.

Any ideas on how I can even ping my linux box to winXP PC and vice versa?


Help!

[Harry Kuhman]

......I can ping my windows PC and I can ping myself (ie, linux to linux) but I cannot ping my linux box from windows PC. I went into LAN properties and made sure that there were no locks on the windows PC, but it still isn't working......

Very strange. You should certainly be able to ping any system on the local network from any other (getting Samba working may be a different issue, but the ping has to work first). You are trying to ping by IP address, are you not? I know that under windows from computer "desktop" I can ping "notebook" with a simple "ping notebook" and windows will resolve the address. But until you have everything working I'm hoping your restricting the ping to the more typical "ping 192.168.0.100" type commands.

When you say you can ping yourself, linux to linux, are you talking about linux on 2 PC's (not really pinging yourself)? And can you ping the router from both systems? Are you very very sure you have the IP addresses right?

[nicorellius]

I am restricting the pings to simple, ie, IP number to IP number. When you say ping router, do you mean ping 192.168.0.1? I think I have but (feeling dumb) can't remember the results... So far, however, this is what is going on,

linux = 192.168.1.101 (only one machine)

windows = 192.168.1.100 (only one machine)

two PCs total

ping: linux -> windows (192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.1.100) successful

ping: windows -> linux unsuccessful

ping: linux -> linux successful

ping: windows -> windows successful

I am at work currently and therefore not with my home PCs, but as soon as I get home, I am gong to try pinging everything all over, making very, very sure that I have the correct addresses...

Any thoughts so far?

[Harry Kuhman]

I am restricting the pings to simple, ie, IP number to IP number. When you say ping router, do you mean ping 192.168.0.1?

Well, pretty much, but see below. If the router isn't responding to a ping them you likely have something even more basic going wrong, so you might as well do this test.

however, this is what is going on,

linux = 192.168.1.101 (only one machine)

windows = 192.168.1.100 (only one machine)
......
Any thoughts so far?

Now, something looks wacky right away. You said above the router was 192.168.0.1. The 192.168.xxx.xxx addresses are ranges of IP addresses that are class C addresses, they use a mask of 255.255.255.0. So if the router is at 182.168.1. then it should be handing out addresses like 192.168.0.100 and 192.168.0.101, not 192.168.1.xxx addresses. Most of these routhers let you assign both the router IP address and the range of IP addresses that the router hands out, but you should keep that range in the same class C address range that the router is in. So if the above address you gave are correct and not a typo, either move the router to 192.168.1.1 or move the IP range the router hands out to the 192.168.0.xxx range.

And you are assigning IP addresses by DHCP, rather than manually setting them, are you not?

linux = 192.168.1.101 (only one machine)

windows = 192.168.1.100 (only one machine)

two PCs total

ping: linux -> windows (192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.1.100) successful

ping: windows -> linux unsuccessful

ping: linux -> linux successful

ping: windows -> windows successful

Pinging your own IP address is meaningless.

Once you resolve the IP address issue I brought up above, if you still have the problem, and if you can ping the router from each system, then either boot both systems in windows, or burn another Knoppix CD and boot both of the computers in Knoppix. Then you can see if you really have a windows/linux issue, or is you just have a problem pinging. My guess is that if you can't ping by IP address between the windows box and the Linux box, and there is no firewall issue blocking pings, then you would not be able to ping between 2 knoppix boxes either. If you can ping when Knoppix is running on each system then look for a firewall blocking pings on the windows box.

[nicorellius]

Thanks a lot, Harry, for your help so far. Here is what's going on:

First of all, I have only one of my PCs dual booting, the other is only XP. So I booted both with XP. Here are the ping results:

XP 192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.0.1 success
XP 192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.1.1 success
XP 192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.1.100 no success
XP 192.168.1.101 -> 192.168.1.101 success

XP 192.168.1.100 -> 192.168.0.1 success
XP 192.168.1.100 -> 192.168.1.1 success
XP 192.168.1.100 -> 192.168.1.100 no success
XP 192.168.1.100 -> 192.168.1.101 success

My router is assigning IPs with DHCP but they stay the same.

When I go to 192.168.0.1 I get an SBC site (maybe a modem IP) where I see all my account info, true IP, login, etc...

When I go to 192.168.1.1 I can log into my router and make changes, etc...

Since I have only one linux box, I cannot boot both with linux. That is why I booted both with windows. I figure if I can resolve this issue using windows then when I boot linux, I will be golden. The samba thing will have to wait, though.

I know you said that pinging myself is meaningless. But why, then, can I not ping the 192.168.1.100 from either IP, but I can reach 192.168.1.101 from both IPs?

Is it possible that SBC has something to do with my problem?

Any thoughts?

[Harry Kuhman]

When I go to 192.168.0.1 I get an SBC site (maybe a modem IP) where I see all my account info, true IP, login, etc...

When I go to 192.168.1.1 I can log into my router and make changes, etc...

You had previously said that the router's address was 192.168..0.1, but now it sounds like the router is at 192.168.1.1. I'm not sure what SBC means to you. Is it your ISP ? Is it your brand of modem?

I've never worked with one, but have seen discussion that some new modems do have a router built in. If that is your case then both the modem's built-in router and the other router would be doing NAT. If that is what is happening, you should really disable the router in the modem and use just the external router for NAT, DHCP and the like.

That said, your pinging problem still doesn't make much sense. Looks like the address ending in 100 is just not responding, which might be a firewall issue of some sort, but I would have to see more to really make a call.

...

First of all, I have only one of my PCs dual booting, the other is only XP. So I booted both with XP. .....

Since I have only one linux box, I cannot boot both with linux. That is why I booted both with windows. I figure if I can resolve this issue using windows then when I boot linux, I will be golden. The samba thing will have to wait, though.

Burn two Knoppix CD's and boot both computers from CD, not from the hard disk. I would even suggest booting the computer where you have Knoppix installed on hard disk from CD instead during the test - things seem to break in Koppix when installed to hard disk, there is no reason to add any extra variable to the test. Once everying is working right from CD then boot the dual boot one from Knoppix on the HD and confirm that nothing has changed, but for now keep things simple.

I want to get a look at how things look with 2 Knoppix systems because I think (but am yet far from certain) that the reason for the strange ping results so far is Windows software, not any hardware issue. Pinging when both systems are in Knoppix is a test that will bypass windows.

By the way, when you ping your own address you do go through some levels of the TCP/IP stack, but not all levels, so you're not realy testing everything and certainly not testing hardware. There are two other addresses that are intended for self-testing of the TCP/IP stack - but understand that none really check everything, although they are potential first checks that the local stack is working. For any address range, the lowest address in that range is yourself. Thus, if the router is handing out addresses in the range 192.168.1.xxx and a mask of 255.255.255.0, then either computer cound "ping itself" at 192.168.1.0, the lowest address in this range. Also, the address 127.0.0.1 is always a loop back address for your own stack.

I know you said that pinging myself is meaningless. But why, then, can I not ping the 192.168.1.100 from either IP, but I can reach 192.168.1.101 from both IPs?

Is it possible that SBC has something to do with my problem?

Any thoughts?

I don't know, but my theory is that it's something in windows, maybe a firewall that's not letting that box respond to pings. Thus I want to get Windows out of the equation and try pinging this address when it's running Knoppix. Looking forward to hearing what SBC is. And if it's not the modem, then please identfy what make and model of modem you have, and give more information of what you see when you point your browser at 192.168.0.1.

[nicorellius]

Sorry for the confusion. SBC Yahoo is my DSL internet provider.

I will investigate if my modem has a built in router. Also, I will boot both systems from Knoppix CD and do the ping test. I will give a report and include my modem information as well.

Thanks again...

[nicorellius]

I booted both systems from Knoppix 3.4 CD and was able to succcessfully ping each PC from the other. In addition, I found out that 192.168.0.1 is the modem address, 192.168.1.1 is the router address, and 192.168.1.100, 101 are the addresses for each PC. I was able to ping all addresses from each PC booted from Knoppix 3.4.

I also found out that Service Pack 2 was installed on my Windows PC so I uninstalled that because it has caused nothing but problems so far, and also because I have other means of protecting that PC.

The modem is a SpeedStream 5100 and I believe it does not have a built-in router. There is a self test option at the modem address (192.168.0.1) that allows you to ping addresses to test connectivity. When I tried to ping my systems while at 192.168.0.1, it timed out. But then when I pinged from the console it worked fine.

When I visit 192.168.0.1 I get all my internet service info. I can reset modem, changed modem codes, get loggs and statitics reports, check and change IP address assignment lease time, see MAC address, PPP location, PPPoE...

When I visit 192.168.1.1, this is where I can change all the router settings like DHCP, DNS, Static and Dynamic IP...

So I think you are right when you said it's a Windows problem. But then when I re-booted Windows without SP2 installed and making sure the system was not blocking pinging, it still didn't work. I even changed a setting at 192.168.1.1 where I can block WAN requests (pings) to allow for access to my system... I am not sure what is going on.

SBC is internet service provider, by the way...