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Networking issues
mtxblau - May 1, 2002
  mtxblau May 1, 2002
The issue: When trying to transfer data (more than 5MB) from one computer to another, the transfer stops, and the PC drops of the network forcing a restart.

My setup - both are running Win98 OSR1 - desktop PC and laptop. The desktop is also acting as a proxy server. PCI Ethernet (internet) and USB Ethernet (for proxy). From the USB I have a crossover cable (in lieu of a hub) run to the laptop. I'm usually rotating between 'SohoConnect' and 'AnalogX Proxy Server' depending on my needs (IMAP vs. FTP).

Strangely, in the past this hasn't happened. And this has happened under Win2K too. This occurs even when the proxy program isn't running. It also doesn't work when I'm not logged into the college network (re: physically disconnected).

Any thoughts?

 Xavier May 2, 2002
If I understand what your saying correctly

It also works when I'm not logged into the college network (re: physically disconnected).

/ let me help you answer your own question :

Direct connect is like a modem , its communicating with another computer sharing info .

Can you easily send a fax while your online ?

Can you easily go online through the phone line and through your network at the same time combining bandwith ?

 mtxblau May 2, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by Xavier@April 30 2002,23:14



/ let me help you answer your own question :



Direct connect is like a modem , its communicating with another computer sharing info .



Can you easily send a fax while your online ?



Can you easily go online through the phone line and through your network at the same time combining bandwith ?


What the *hell* does that mean? Why on earth would I use a phone line to combine bandwidth?

 Xavier May 2, 2002
I guess you cant answer your own question

im guessing your using direct connect to share files between

computers and a network card to get internet content .

Without special software you can only do one at a time or use one NOS network operating system at a time or else they conflict with each other .

(if you dont put the computer your sharing files with on the same network as your computer or your schools network it will coinflict )

Before DSL and Cable modem people would install 2-4 56k modems in thier computer at a time and they would get as much bandwith as they could (from each phone line )it was called shotgunning .

>>What the *hell* does that mean? Why on earth would I >>use a phone line to combine bandwidth?

Smart ass answers makes me so happy to help

If both computers are in fron of you diconnect network restart computer plug in two sided printer cable into both computers and use direct connect .

 ExCyber May 2, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			If both computers are in fron of you diconnect network restart computer plug in two sided printer cable into both computers and use direct connect .


To do this sort of networking, you need a special kind of cable that either crosses some of the lines (Laplink) or has internal buffering (more expensive proprietary stuff). Connecting two parallel ports together 1:1 isn't going to work, since that connects inputs to inputs and outputs to outputs.

 mtxblau May 2, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by MTXBlau@April 30 2002,21:36



Strangely, in the past this hasn't happened.


Xavier: Did you even read what I said?? This is a recent occurrence, and it was working *fine* before. Hey-zeus. ???

 ExCyber May 2, 2002
I think Xavier kind of forgot that whole "read the post correctly" thing, which is why the "Direct Connect" thing came up even though you quite clearly said that you're connecting via Ethernet.

If I've read everything correctly:

- The proxy PC loses network connectivity after large transfers between it and the laptop.

- You've had the problem on two substantially different operating systems.

- You need to reboot to restore the connection.

- It wasn't happening before, and you haven't made any noteworthy configuration changes (not that you've mentioned, anyway).

- The problem only seems to occur when the Ethernet connection is utilized for a sustained period.

This all seems to point at a hardware problem, probably with the USB adapter... there's a chance that it could be a configuration problem, but that doesn't seem likely since stuff otherwise works.

 mtxblau May 2, 2002
Almost all of that is correct. It seems it doesn't have to be all at once - once it hits ~5MB, it'll stop, even in mid transfer. It's forced me to ace everything w/ spanning, and send it at my leisure (that is, whenever I have time to restart continually to get stuff transferred). Basically, I would have to restart even after the computer has been on for only 2-3 minutes or so.

I was hoping it'd be more a software issue -like some kind of transfer cap? - and if there was any way to modify it... well, of course that'd be the ideal situation.

It's a Belkin USB Ethernet adapter, and it could very well be a hardware issue - it seems everything I buy that sports the name Belkin name is broken or is in the process of breaking. ???

So if it *is* a hardware issue, perhaps I should reverse the connections? i.e, college lan -> USB Ethernet and my PCI ethernet -> crossover -> laptop. I'm not downloading anything huge, but I am transferring a lot of data between the two computers (research, etc.).

Now if I were to do that, any idea how I would switch the order of which NICs are accessed first? I know how to do it in Win2K, but have no time to install a brand new OS for this issue.

Win98 in the past has done the following: The USB would be the default, and the 3Com PCI would be 2nd. I could log onto the college lan w/ the 3Com, but it'd search through the USB only to access the internet (based on the orders in 'ipconfig'). What I did was to get the setup that I wanted (1st 3com, 2nd USB) I would disconnect the USB until it was in Windows (fully logged on) then reconnect it. After a while (2 or 3 tries) it 'figured' it out and I didn't have to do that stupid ritual anymore (and that is where we are now).

Probably the 2nd and more irritating way is to open up another PCI slot and use another internal PCI card, but that is definetly not the route I want to take right now (unless the Belkin adapter really is that messed up).

Thanks very much for the help so far, and for any help in the future.

 ExCyber May 2, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			It seems it doesn't have to be all at once - once it hits ~5MB, it'll stop, even in mid transfer.


Do you mean that e.g. you could transfer 5 1MB files over the course of, say, an hour and have it lock up, or does the usage need to be fairly concentrated?


  
	
	

		
		

			It's a Belkin USB Ethernet adapter, and it could very well be a hardware issue - it seems everything I buy that sports the name Belkin name is broken or is in the process of breaking.


Odd, I have a Belkin parallel port cable that I've put through hell, and it still works great... but maybe that means all your Belkin stuff has fantastic cabling connected to flaky electronics.

 mtxblau May 2, 2002
Point 1: That is correct. I could very well transfer 4 MB at say 1:00PM and then try to transfer something at 12:00AM. The lease time for the programs runs about 48 hours, but usually this occurs in a more restricted time frame, i.e. 4 hours or less.

Point 2: It's not just Belkin computer parts, it's belkin accessories (belkin cell phone charger, belkin cell phone clips). The cell phone clip was strange, it was just sitting idly (quite literally, doing nothing ) when it snapped into two, and both pieces went flying. I found only one piece.

My favorite was the $70 belkin accessory where you could plug in two PS/2 items (ie a PS2 keyboard and mouse) and run them to a USB port.

Whenever I pressed a button, it wouldn't 'depress', so if I was using a word processor, and I pressed the letter 'S', the output would be as such:

'sssss'.

I first noticed this when gaming, when vehicles/characters would be spinning and doing other sorts of crazy things.

This happened w/ 3 different keyboards/mice on 4 different computers. I even went as far as testing them at the Columbia University Computer Lab, on their new dells. Happened there to... ??? I promptly returned it.

You may notice at the Belkin site that all their stuff looks 'new age' and 'ultra modern'. I remember when working at circuit city the older stuff looked better (but monochromatic, ugly, etc), but about a year ago they replaced everything with this new junk. But who knows.

 ExCyber May 2, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			My favorite was the $70 belkin accessory where you could plug in two PS/2 items (ie a PS2 keyboard and mouse) and run them to a USB port.


Sheesh, how's that for markup? There's no way that could cost more than about $10 in components...

 mtxblau May 2, 2002
So, what about changing the order of the NICs? Any ideas?

 ExCyber May 2, 2002
I don't really know what you mean by the "order" of the NICs. Windows shouldn't treat them as a hierarchy, they should just get whichever packets are associated with their network address.

 mtxblau May 3, 2002
Update on the situation:

It was doing that searching for NIC thing, so I un- and re- installed the PCI card, so it'd be secondary, and connected to the proxy.

Now it's working fine, I transfered 600+MB last night with no problems.

The only issue is the placement of the wires and such - the reason why I was so hesitant with this to begin with was the annoyance of having to get under the desk to undo/redo wires (if needed). The USB sits nicely on the desk, so it is/was more mobile.

But at this point functionality wins.

It doesn't explain how to Belkin functions as the primary NIC but not the 2nd NIC... I downloaded several 10MB files, and it worked flawlessly. Go figure...

Thanks again for all your help, ExCyber.