I recommend that you use a non-routeable subnet that doesn't have weird meanings for microsoft. For example ( as Nick suggested )
192.168.1.1 -> 192.168.1.254 use a netmask of 255.255.255.0 Sharing computers does require more than just putting them on a common network. One machine needs to publish resources before another can use them. If you're sharing data, then you need to share a disk on one machine before you can see and use it on another. In the situation you're describing, I'd probably install samba somewhere and join all your computers into a common workgroup to make things a bit easier. Using a DNS server on your network will allow you to name your computers, rather than having to use these weird numbers instead. hth, Steve On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:05:21 +1300 chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thank you Nick for your patience. > > No I have always up to now only used IP addresses > All machines are on the same subnet > 169.254 etc > > here is the output from route -n > > Kernel IP routing table > Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use > Iface > 218.101.58.65 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 > ppp0 > 169.254.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 0 0 0 > eth0 > 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 > ppp0 > [EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ > > I will look on the internet for information on dns > regards Chris Thomas > > On Sun, 2008-11-23 at 09:57 +1300, Nick Rout wrote: > > you would need a dns address if you wanted to access any other machine > > by name as opposed to ip address. if you are happy accessing via ip > > address it is not needed. > > > > do bear in mind some protocols do a dns lookup to see if the > > connecting machine is who it says it is (a reverse dns lookup) and if > > there is no dns available this can produce a long timeout delay. > > > > do you have a firewall on? > > > > what does traceroute tell you? > > > > are all machines on the same subnet (ie 192.168.n.x where n is a > > constant throughout your network and x varies per machine between 1 > > and 254. > > > > what does the routing table say? route -n is the command you want. > > > > (all this is why dhcp is often a useful protocol!) > > > > On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 9:47 AM, chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > A further question please. > > > s there is no server involved, why would I need a DNS address, and where > > > would I get one? > > > Regards Chris T > > > On Sun, 2008-11-23 at 09:06 +1300, Nick Rout wrote: > > >> no difference between a router and a switch from this point of view. > > >> > > >> left click the network manager icon on the top panel > > >> > > >> click "manual configuration" > > >> > > >> "unlock" and fill in credentials > > >> > > >> click on the connection you want to fiddle with, click properties and > > >> unclick "roaming mode" > > >> > > >> fill in the gaps. > > >> > > >> you'll also need to provide dns addresses in the obvious places > > >> > > >> > > >> On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 6:54 PM, chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >> > Can anyone direct me to some information that can help me set up a LAN, > > >> > using static ip numbers with a switch, not a router? > > >> > > > >> > there is a heap of information using DHCP, and using routers, but I > > >> > have > > >> > not been able to find anything using static numbers and a switch. > > >> > > > >> > this particular distro does not seem to like static ip numbers > > >> > Regards Chris T > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > > > -- Steve Holdoway <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
