mynickers

Hello guys and festive greetings,

I have a DSL cable modem (blueyonder), have both my PC and Xbox mac addresses registered to my ISP, both devices can connect to the the net using a straight through ethernet cable connected directly to the modem. However, the modem needs to be restarted and reset each time, so as I am sure you can all imagine, it's a right royal pain in the a***! Swapping cables, switching things off and then doing it all again when you're finished - I am just too darn lazy for all that - plus I can't quickly check mail etc with out a lot of hassle.

So, here's the problem

I have two network cards on my PC (both integrated on the mobo), both installed with drivers, and working properly. One of course is incoming, and the other outgoing. I have enabled internet connection sharing (ICS) on the incoming one, and have enabled auto ip config for both NIC's. All is looking good this end for internet sharing everything looks tickedy boo.

However, as soon as I use a cross over ethernet cable from the secondary NIC to my Xbox, it doesn't like it. The Xbox, can see it has a cable plugged in, but it cannot find the DNS or IP address and won't work. Have gone through all the 'help' section on the xbox website, which well - wasn't very helpfull done all the stuff it recomends - but still doesn't work.

I just called my ISP and waited on the phone for 20 mins, to be told that they couldn't help either.

Basically the Xbox can't find the IP or DNS addresses, and so it is asking me to enter the IP address, subnet mask, and gate way. And the primary and alternative DNS sever addresses.

The problem is that it's not my ISP details that it needs, as it's not trying to connect to the internet it's trying to connect to my PC. (Plus my ISP will only allow one IP address IE one device to connect straight too it, the only other way I could do this is to set up a home network).

Finally my question

On the secondary NIC it doesn't have an IP address, it is set to auto config, can I just assign it any old IP and DNS address myself, then copy the same details onto the xbox, would this allow the xbox to talk to my PC?

Worst scenario I can fork out for a home network kit, but I would rather not spend ANY more money this time of the year.



Thanks in advance guys,

Nick

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ALL THE BEST FOR NY!

IanW

Thats your problem.

The 'Internal' NIC should have a static IP address, which when you enable ICS will give it.

mynickers

OK, and if there isn't one there, then how do you obtain a static address, or can you simply just put in the same one as your ISP but just change the last three numbers or something!?

Cheers

Nick

IanW

When you enabled teh ICS on the Blueyonder NIC it should have automatically given your second NIC a static IP.

If it didn't just disable all the ICS, on teh connections and re-set it up again.

mynickers

That makes a lot of sense - cheers Ian, I shall try that now!

mynickers

Right did that...

It supplied an IP address, and subnet mask but no default gateway or DNS addresses.

Most annoyingly the XBOX won't let you leave something blank once you've put in an address, it won't just let you delete it, you either have to put in a new one or leave the old one, very frustrating - not sure how to get around that.

Anyway I put in the IP address of the secondary NIC to xbox, and guess what - it doens't like that either. Says it's already in use on the network. FRIGGING microsoft!

IanW

Did it assign the seconday NIC a static IP?

The X-Box should take all its addresses Dynamically via DHCP, which your PC will issue

mynickers

Hi Ian,

It assigned it an IP and Subnet mask address but no gateway.

I went into dos and ran ipconfig - there is nothing there either..I have tried changing the last digit on the IP address that seems to be working, however, it cannot find the gateway!? Argh!

IanW

I've nto run ICS for a while now, I changed to a router, it wont assign the 192.168.0.1 IP address a gateway, however when the X-Box is given an address via DCHP it will be assigned a gateway and DNS servers.

NewAgeWRX

Sounds daft I know, but in your first post you called the cable you are using a 'crossover' cable.

You are aware that in this situation you should not be using a 'crossover' type cable but a 'patch' cable ? - they ARE different.

Andy

mynickers

Hmmmmmmmmm this is quite confusing, it says on the xbox website a cross over patch cable, and I went to my local PC repair shop, owned by a know all boffin, and he said he had his set up at home with cross over and it was all very simple and painless.

Anyway Ian, I have decided to do the same as you, a friend of mine works for a big IT company, he has loads of integrated switch/hub/router type things hanging around, that are unaccounted for so to speak so he is going to give me one, with the right cables, and has also given me all the right IP/SB/GW info to use, so gonna put the cable modem straight into that and then share it between PC/XBOX that way. I was going to do that eventually anyway, cause didn't want my noisey PC on all the time anyway.

mynickers

PS, thanks for your help/advice, and happy newyear