Scenario.

Two laptops, one built in lan, the other running a REaltek-based PC Card.

Two valid versions on Age of Empires and Total Annihlation.

both network cards set for TCP/IP and IPX set to Ethernet II

1 Cross over cable.

This has previosuly worked well using IPX for Directplay settings, albeit with a totally different computer.

But I can't get these two to work.

Any ideas?

I need it running for tomorrow (got a long train journey ahead of me........)

Might be set up with different IP information.

While the dynamic (automatic) network setup is often usefuol it can sometimes give problems.

Set one machine with IP 192.168.1.1 and the other with 192.168.1.2 and set both to the default gateway to match the first IP address.

Subnet mask will automatically set itself.

Ignore the DNS settings.

If you've got firewall on the machines set them both to allow access from each other (that might be the core problem).

This is a little rambling so PM me if you want more detail.

I'll bear that in mind.

usually worked out of the box if you follow.

However, interesting, as I was bent over the machine tweaking setting, the NIC light came on and started to work.

Moved away, dies.

Leant over, back on.

moved away, die.

I was bending the cable

The fault seems to be a loose wire in the crossover cable.......

So rather than make my own again, going to get a decent one.......

Thank goodness I tried it today........

The cable?

Always the way!