Window XP can't see Linux box

[Muttley]

I've got a Linux box and an XP box connected together on a hub. There is no internet connection on that hub.

I can ping each machine from the other, using IP addresses.

I can ping the windows machine from the Linux box using the windows machine's host name.

I can't ping the Linux machine from the windows box using the Linux box's host name.

I was able to tell the linux box the wondows machine's host name and IP address, but I cannot find any way to tell the windows machine the name and IP address of the Linux box.

Does anyone have any experience of connecting a Linux box to a Windows XP box via a hub ?

If so, can you tell me how I tell the XP box about the Linux box ?

Unless I can get the windows machine to 'see' the linux box, I stand no chance of getting a share set up via samba.

[jasonlambert]

I can't ping the Linux machine from the windows box using the Linux box's host name.

That is to be expected in 99% of situations because you havent setup a DNS server that your windows box uses, hence it wont know the hostname of the linux machine. See next for an easier/faster alternative to setting up a DNS server:

I was able to tell the linux box the wondows machine's host name and IP address, but I cannot find any way to tell the windows machine the name and IP address of the Linux box.

edit your "hosts" file in windows. In windows XP i *think* this is:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS
you will need to add an entry (2 columns) to that file with the IP address and hostname of your linux machine. Follow the example format that is in the file when you open it (open/edit with notepad).

You should now be able to ping your linux boxes hostname from your windows machine. If it doesnt work instantly, you may need to stop and start your windows network interface.

If so, can you tell me how I tell the XP box about the Linux box ? Unless I can get the windows machine to 'see' the linux box, I stand no chance of getting a share set up via samba.

That's it. if it can ping the linux box you have established that you have suitable network connectivity between the two hosts. At this stage you WONT see the machine in your "my network places", for that you need to install samba, which you should proceed to do next.


It is preferable where possible to keep all the questions about the same topic in the same topic (or at least link back to the previous topic from your new topic) so all the information needed to assist with troubleshooting is present, thanks

[Muttley]

Thanks Jason, that's cracked it.

I can't understand why, no matter what I searched for, I couldn't find anything that pointed to that file. (I knew that was exactly the information I needed to add somewhere).

I actually started a new thread, partly because it was a different question, and partly because I gave the other one a rather stupid name.

Thanks again for the info, I'd been banging my head against a brick wall with this.