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Q150575: HOWTO: Set Up a TCP/IP Peer-to-Peer Network Connection

Article: Q150575
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb3rdparty kbnetwork kbHWMAC kbVC400
Last Modified: 04-FEB-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, Macintosh Cross-Development Addon, version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The process for setting up a TCP/IP peer-to-peer network connection between two
computers is not intuitively obvious, especially if you have never set up
networks before. This article describes how to put together a TCP/IP
peer-to-peer network connection between your PC and your Macintosh quickly and
easily.

MORE INFORMATION
================

General Physical Network Connection Issues
------------------------------------------

There are three common types of network cabling: Twisted Pair, ThinNet, and
ThickNet.

If you are using twisted-pair, which is thin wire with wide phone connectors
(RJ-45), both your PC and Macintosh need to be plugged into a network hub so
power is flowing through the network cable to carry data. Depending on the
manufacturer and model, hubs usually allow between four and 20 machines to
network.

Typically no extra hardware is required if you are using either ThinNet, which
looks like Cable TV wiring with a round plug, or ThickNet, which is heavy, 1/4
inch cable with D-shell 15-pin connectors. The network cards can be connected to
each other directly.

Several newer Macintosh models have a built-in network connector called
FriendlyNet. You are required to obtain a network transceiver, such as Asante's
10T Adapter, to use one of the cables mentioned above.

Choosing IP Addresses for Your Machines
---------------------------------------

For simplicity, use class B IP addresses for your peer-to-peer network. The
specifications for class B IP addresses are as follows:

- The first digit of the IP address must be between 128 to 191 inclusively.

- The subnet mask is: 255.255.0.0

- The first two digits of the IP address must match on both machines. For
  example:

  machine1:  150.100.100.10
  machine2:  150.100.250.20

NOTE: When creating an IP address, avoid using 0 or 255 for any of the digits
because these numbers are reserved for special use.

Here's a good example of a set of IP address to use:

  Macintosh:                            150.100.100.10
  PC Running Windows NT or Windows 95:  150.100.100.20

Configuring TCP/IP on the Macintosh
-----------------------------------

If you see MacTCP on your Macintosh control panel, you are running MacTCP. If you
see TCP/IP instead, you are running Apple's Open Transport.

The new PCI-based PowerMacs only come with Open Transport. Older models of the
Macintosh come with MacTCP on the System 7.x installation media. Check Apple's
documentation for installation details.

To configure your system using MacTCP:

1. From the MacTCP control panel, select Ethernet or Ethernet Built-In and enter
  the following:

  IP Address:     150.100.100.10

2. Click More, and enter the following:

  Obtain Address: Manually
  Class:          B
  Net:            38500
  Subnet:         0
  Node:           25610
  Gateway:        0.0.0.0
  Name Server:    <blank>

3. Click OK, and close the control panel. Restart your Macintosh to ensure that
  the settings take place.

NOTE: MacTCP may not respond to network packets with its IP address until you
initiate a TCP/IP network connection from the Macintosh end. Apple has a program
available called MacTCP Ping that initializes your TCP/IP network connection on
start up. Using MacTCP Ping allows your PC to see your Macintosh.

To configure your system using Open Transport TCP/IP:

1. Go to the TCP/IP control panel, and enter the following settings:

  Connect Via:    ethernet
  Configure:      manually
  IP Address:     150.100.100.10
  Domain Name:    <blank>
  Subnet Mask:    255.255.0.0
  Router Address: <blank>
  Name Server:    <blank>

2. Close the control panel, and restart your Macintosh to ensure the settings
  take place.

Configuring TCP/IP on Windows NT
--------------------------------

1. Go to the Network control panel.

2. From the Installed Network Software list box, select TCP/IP Protocol, and
  click Configure.

3. Make sure the Enable Automatic DHCP Configuration is deselected, and enter
  the following:

  IP Address:   150.100.100.20
  Subnet Mask:  255.255.0.0

4. Make sure the Default Gateway and the Primary/Secondary WINS Server entries
  are blank.

5. Click DNS, and ensure everything is blank except for the Host Name, which
  contains the name of your Windows NT machine. Click OK.

6. Click Advanced, and ensure that Enable LMHOSTS Lookup is selected. Everything
  else should be either blank or deselected. Click OK.

7. Close the Network control panel, and restart Windows NT.

8. Find the file named Hosts.sam in the \Winnt\System32\Drivers directory. Make
  a copy and name it Hosts, leaving it in the same directory.

9. Edit the Hosts file, and add the following line at the bottom:

     150.100.100.10  mymac

10. From the File menu, choose Save. You are now ready to test the connection.

Configuring TCP/IP on Windows 95
--------------------------------

1. From the Network control panel, select TCP/IP, and click Properties.

2. Go to WINS Configuration, and select Disable WINS resolution.

3. Go to the IP Address, select Specify an IP Address, and enter:

  IP Address:   150.100.100.20
  Subnet Mask:  255.255.0.0

4. Go to Gateway, and make sure it is empty.

5. Go to DNS cofiguration, and select Disable DNS.

6. Click OK, and close out the Network control panel. Restart Windows 95.

7. In the main Windows directory, usually C:\Windows, find the file named
  Hosts.sam. Copy the file, and name it Hosts. Place the file in the main
  Windows directory.

8. Edit the Hosts file, and add the following line at the bottom:

  150.100.100.10  mymac

9. From the File menu, choose Save. You are now ready to test the connection.

NOTE: If the MSN login dialog box appears when you are connecting, click Cancel
to continue. To disable this behavior, run the Internet applet from the control
panel and clear the UseAutoDial option in the AutoDial Tab.

Testing the TCP/IP Connection
-----------------------------

To test the network connection, use the Ping command line utility on the PC. Open
an MS-DOS/Command window and type one of the following:

  C:\>ping mymac

  -or-

  C:\>ping 150.100.100.10

Replace 150.100.100.10 and mymac with whatever you set in the Hosts file. Using
mymac causes the TCP/IP service to look up the name in the Hosts file to resolve
it to an IP address. The expected output from Ping looks like the following:

  C:\>ping 150.100.100.10

  Pinging 150.100.100.10 with 32 bytes of data:

  Reply from 150.100.100.10: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=254
  Reply from 150.100.100.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254
  Reply from 150.100.100.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254
  Reply from 150.100.100.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254

If you receive a Bad IP address error, you need to check your Hosts file entry to
ensure that the IP address and name match what is set on the Macintosh.

If you receive a Request timed out error, you need to check the physical network
connection and ensure that the IP address in the Hosts file matches what is set
on the Macintosh. If you are running MacTCP, you can run MacTCP Ping to
initialize the TCP/IP network.

Additional query words: listbox mac peer to net

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb3rdparty kbnetwork kbHWMAC kbVC400 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbAudDeveloper kbVCXDev400Mac
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

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