Hi all,

I have a Fedora Linux machine and a Windows XP machine and I want to enable TCP/IP connection between them using a cross-over cable.

I have a type of middleware server running on the linux machine and I want to be able to run the client for the application on the windows machine and work that way.

I have heard Samba as a solution but my understanding is SAMBA is mainly for file sharing.. and is not necessary for establishing TCP/IP connectivity. Is this a correct statement ?

How can I go about setting up TCP/IP connectivity between the two machines ?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Yes this is correct.

If you are going with a cross over cable, make sure it is a cross over cable. The wiring is different than the ethernet cables that attach between a hub and a host. This is saving the cost of a hub, they are cheap enough today. The other possibility is to use a router, they cost a little more than a hub, but look after the routing between hosts.

If you go with the x-over cable, you will have to set a ip address in each host, on the same sub-net. Example : 192.168.0.1 on one host and 192.168.0.2 on the second host. The address I used are class C private addresses and will work just fine. I would suggest you go this way, ( class C private ) and it will not cause you any problems in the future, if you expand the network.

You will have to set a default route in each host. Simply point them at each other. It would make life easier if you edit the /etc/hosts file on linux, add an entry for the winXP host. Same thing on XP, you will have to find the hosts file on XP, use the search for files function. These entries allow you to use names instead of IP addresses. Entries in this file look like this :

192.168.0.1 host1
192.168.0.2 host2

Just change the name part to match the name you give each machine.

Activate the ehternet cards on each machine. XP will bring in up wihtout any commands. Linux may not. The linux command to activate a ethernet card is : 'ifconfig eth0 up' ( without the quotes ).

Take a look at the man page for ifconfig. You can configure the card with this command, as well as up and down the card, and display status.

Also note there are lights on most ehternet connections. ( usually green ). If the card is "on" the light should come on. A hub or a router has lights also, they will blink when there is activity.

Ping command. Once you get green lights, try to ping from one machine to the other. On both platforms, the command is the same. 'ping 192.168.0.2' ( no quotes ) or .1 to ping the other direction. You should get a response.

Good luck, post questions if you have problems.

Thanks for the detailed response.

When I set the default route, in the Windows XP machine I am no longer able to access the internet.
I set the default gateway from network connections and selecting "Local Area Connections".

It seems I have two network adapters one for wireless internet and another for local area connection.
The default route was set on local area connection.

Sorry for the lengthy explanation but basically when I set the default gateway on the Local Area Connections Iam no longer able to access the internet.

Would appreciate any work arounds.

Thanks,

Mark

Are you able to ping from Windows XP computer to default gateway address.

Please go to command prompt and try

ping 4.2.2.2

What is the reply you are getting ?

Are you using the same subnet for your wired connection as for your wireless?
In camorri's post he used the example 192.168.0.1 which may be your wireless router's address! If that's the case use 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0 for the wired connection.


HTH

You did not tell me in the original post you have two adapters in one machine. To get the internet working, set the default route back to the it was before, when it worked.

Yes, the sub-nets you choose could cause problems. It might help if you post the info for both cards, sub nets etc. Which one connects where.

Hi,

Thanks for the responses.

Iam able to ping both machines from each other. All I did was set static IPs, however now Iam concerned about security if I have static IP. Is there any advise for making it more secure ?

I am still having problems connecting to my middleware server(in Linux machine) from a middleware client component(in Windows machine), however this may be due to an application problem, still trying to figure this out...
The client component does require the host name of the machine that is running the middleware server but since I don't have a DNS I just provided the IP address. Is this the correct way of going about it and is there anything else I should do to get this to work ?

Thanks,

Mark

A substitute for full DNS is to put an entry for each machine in the other machine's /etc/hosts file.
That's how they used to do it in ARPAnet until it got too big & they invented DNS.

Static IP addresses are no more insecure that using DHCP. Static IP addresses are better for servers, since they are no longer a moving target.

A firewall may be in order, if security is a concern. Firewalls do take some care to set up. You have to open ports for the applications you want to pass through. Security on open ports has to be supplied by the applications listening on those ports. ie, password protection at a minimum.