Connecting XP to Linux box with xcross overcable

**b0redom** · 11 February 2010, 10:57

Google "Internet connection sharing". It turns your XP box into a very basic DHCP server/router.

**doodab** · 11 February 2010, 10:58

You might be able to make it work with a cross over cable, not sure. I would guess you need to set up static addressing so that both machines are on the same subnet (different than the main network) and then set up routing on the XP box and set the gateway on the linux box = the address of the XP box.

If not, you could get a little hub or switch, connect both machines to it, set up the network between them (on a different subnet to your wireless network of course) and then set the XP box as the gateway for the network and turn on routing.

Personally I went for an approach involving 2 access points in bridge mode with a switch connected to the one in the office / spare room and I connect all my machines into that.

**minestrone** · 11 February 2010, 11:05

I ticked the 'let other computers connect to the internet through this..' box on the network properties of the cat5 network card on the xp box and it gave me message...

'This will change the IP of this to 192.168.1.1 which may effect other computers'

I clicked OK but it (seems obvious now) screwed the router settings as it also is on that IP, it took me half an hour to get the router back connecting to the internet.

Both the xp box and the ubuntu box have static IPs.

**minestrone** · 11 February 2010, 11:08

Originally posted by doodab View Post

You might be able to make it work with a cross over cable, not sure. I would guess you need to set up static addressing so that both machines are on the same subnet (different than the main network) and then set up routing on the XP box and set the gateway on the linux box = the address of the XP box.

If not, you could get a little hub or switch, connect both machines to it, set up the network between them (on a different subnet to your wireless network of course) and then set the XP box as the gateway for the network and turn on routing.

Personally I went for an approach involving 2 access points in bridge mode with a switch connected to the one in the office / spare room and I connect all my machines into that.

Ill give both of those a go, I have a very old hub somewhere but I think that is broken. Might dig it out tonight.

**doodab** · 11 February 2010, 11:10

I think you might need to tick the "let other computers..." box on the wireless card

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306126

**b0redom** · 11 February 2010, 11:12

Yes, and you also need to set whatever the client machine is (Linux?) to DHCP. Alternatively just buy a cheap PCI wireless card for the Linux box?

**minestrone** · 11 February 2010, 11:20

I just used terminal services on my phone to enable 'let other computer use' on the wireless card and the cat5 network connection just enabled itself (it was coming up with warnings before), that seems like progress.

I just have to go home now to switch the linux box on.

If I can't get it working I will probably invest in a wireless card.

Cheers, I'll report back later

**CalmEddie** · 11 February 2010, 11:57

Originally posted by minestrone View Post

The XP box is using a wireless network card to connect to the network and has a spare network card slot, the linux box also is able to connect to the network through it's own card.

Are you swapping cables over? Or can it connect to the network through its own card at the same time?

Of course the linux box will need to have samba installed to talk to windows.
On Ubuntu this is:
sudo apt-get install smbfs

**VectraMan** · 11 February 2010, 12:30

Originally posted by minestrone View Post

I ticked the 'let other computers connect to the internet through this..' box on the network properties of the cat5 network card on the xp box and it gave me message...

'This will change the IP of this to 192.168.1.1 which may effect other computers'

I clicked OK but it (seems obvious now) screwed the router settings as it also is on that IP, it took me half an hour to get the router back connecting to the internet.

Both the xp box and the ubuntu box have static IPs.

Change the IP of the router. Or change the IP used in the connection sharing to 192.168.2.1 (not sure how you do that but it must be possible).

The Linux "box" will have to either use DHCP or you'll have to set it manually to something on the same subnet, like 192.168.2.2.

Simples.

If by "on the network" you just want your Linux machine to have access to the internet, you don't need to do anything else.

Connecting XP to Linux box with xcross overcable