Problem sharing files with Netgear Router RP614
 

I just got a Netgear RP614 router to use with my Mandrake/Windows dual boot computers (2 of them). I can connect to the internet (DSL) with both computers OK but I can't figure out how to access each computer's hard drive from the other.

I've tried using the web browser and entering their addresses but this only results in an error message saying "could not connect to remote server." This subject is not covered in the documentation either on the CD or on the Netgear website. I've emailed their tech support but get replies about Port Forwarding. The documentation under Port Forwarding does not address my problem.

Is there a way to connect to computers on the same router without going out on to the internet? Or, do I have to install 2 NICs in each box and hook up separate cables (one to the internet and the other to each computer)?

Prior to the router, I was able to connect with each computer with Samba and/or NFS but wasn't able to share the DSL (couldn't figure it out). Now I can share the DSL but can't connect to each computer (can't figure this one out). Still haven't decided which situation is better.

Thanks,
Wayne

I have the same router, and DSL. I have used it with two computers with several different configurations of Linux and Windows, both to access the Internet and to share files between the machines.

What you may find is that the firewall settings are keeping your machines from "seeing" each other. I haven't done the dual-boot thing recently, and haven't run Mandrake recently either, so I can't tell you exactly where to look, but try to find the firewall settings. If you're running Windows XP, it also has a native firewall that could be messing you up.

Normally the firewalls will permit web browsing, but will keep out other machines trying to look at or share files.

Let me know more about your setup if this doesn't help. For example, are you trying to network between Linux and Windows? Linux and Linux?

You're welcome to e-mail me directly at n7ggjATarrl.net.

I've tried disabling my firewall but that doesn't help. I still can't connect; "could not connect to remote server." I use both Windows and Linux to connect to the internet, depending on what application I need to use at the time. I can do this with no problem but I can't establish a connection between the two computers. Could it be that I need to use Microsoft Internet Explorer for this to work? I currently use Opera and Konqueror.

Thanks,
Wayne

You say you have tried disabling your firewall. Each computer may have one. I don't know enough about Mandrake to be sure, but it probably has one. Are you talking about a software firewall, such as the one in Windows XP, or Mandrake? What version of Windoze are you running?

I see from your original post that you are familiar with using Samba and NFS, so you should be OK as far as that goes. I assume you've created a Samba share and tried to access it from Windows? And tried to use smbclient to access the Windows box from Mandrake? You do have to create a share in Windows to go the latter direction, as far as I know. If you are using XP or 2K, permissions could be an issue.

A good "shortcut" application is WebMin. It's a free download and can be quite helpful in configuring a Linux box for things like shares and mounts. It can be used remotely, too.

Can you PING from one machine to the other? You can discover the ip address of the Linux box with ifconfig, and the Windows box (if it's 2K or XP) with ipconfig /all. (If Win9x, the command is winipcfg) If you can't ping both ways, something is blocking the connection, either something physical or higher.

Since your Internet connection works, it's hard to believe that there's a physical problem. If PING works, your computers are connected.

Once you've created a Samba share you should be able to see it in the network browser on Windows. In 2K or XP this is called My Network Places.

I don't think I've ever tried to use Internet Explorer to look at a Samba share, but I think it would work. I don't think it makes any difference on the Linux end which browser you use.

If the UNC were \\Mandrake\share and you typed that into the Windows Explorer (as opposed to Internet Explorer) address bar, that should definitely work.

Do you get any error messages?

Keep trying. I've spent a lot of time messing with this stuff and it can be frustrating, but once you figure out what's going on with a given problem, you're smarter.

Trouble is, there's always another problem smarter than me...

Good luck, let me know how it goes.

Seems I've been on the wrong track. I thought that once I hooked up the router, it would automatically make the connection for me.

Yes, I can ping from each machine so I guess I'll go back to Samba and NFS like before.

Thanks for the help.

Wayne

You're quite welcome; I hope I did help a little. Sounds like you will have it figured out soon.

Your router (and mine) does do quite a few little jobs, such as providing NAT and DHCP and keeping our little networks relatively safe from intrusion, but from the point of view of networking your 2 computers together, it just looks like a hub.

I use a somewhat unorthodox configuration here. I have 2 NICs in each of my computers. One NIC from each is connected to the router, and the firewall in each machine is configured for maximum security for incoming traffic from the router (which is, after all, my gateway to the Internet). The other 2 NICs are connected to each other directly by means of a crossover cable. On these NICs there is no firewall. This allows me to have just about anything I want happen between my machines, while still having maximum firewall protection from the big bad world.

Of course, most "real" networks just put a firewall (a computer, or a special applicance) at the gateway point and do all their connecting behind it. But I had a couple of NICs laying around, and the stuff from which to make a crossover cable, and Red Hat comes with a software firewall. Hence, my low-budget double-circuit network. It works fine, and I think it's pretty fast.

I'm trying to get as Windows-free as possible, but I'm still hooked by Quicken, and a few other jobs that I can't seem to get done with Linux. But I've come a long way since I started. I frequently run both machines on Red Hat, and just use them to back each other up. When I want to use Windows I have to change hard drives in one machine. I haven't tried dual-booting in a while, I guess I'm a coward...

Best of luck, and hope to chat with you again.

Eric Lester

netgear RP614
 

there was a Issue i just read here linux and XP not seeing eh others hard drives.....

1st i'm using redhat 9.0 in the samba server settings it asks for a workgroup make sure the PCs are same work group be sure to set folders on the windows pc and linux to read/write also try mapping them on the work group

hope that helps