Re: Networking XP Home Edition and older Windows Versions

The comment I found the most interesting was the one about XP networking to DOS. We are having a problem networking in our business with a CNC cutting machine.

I think I should probably give the history of the problem we are having first. We were previously running a network consisting of a Windows 2000 server and a Novell netware server. Management decided to rebuild the network so that it was one O/S. We went to one SQL server and one file server both running Windows 2000 server. After making this change we discovered that our CNC cutting machine was connected to a Windows 3.1.1 machine that connected it to our network through Novell. We then lost our ability to drag and drop CAD/CAM files from our programming computers to this intermediate machine. The CNC connects to the 3.1.1 through a BNC connection going to an ISA card in the 3.1.1 machine.

We contacted support for the CNC about connecting a newer computer to the machine. They told us it should work and advised us to purchase a Black Box media converter that would allow us to connect the BNC cable from the machine to a standard Ethernet card in the computer.

At this point, we have a 3.1.1 machine that we can connect to the machine and see the machine, but that we cannot connect to our network. If we connect a newer computer to the network it will not see the CNC machine. Support from Black Box and the CNC manufacturer have been unable to help us.

I want to either hook a new computer to the CNC or find a way to connect the 3.1.1 machine to our network. We intend to upgrade the machine to a controller capable of connecting to the network but are still waiting on a quote from the manufacturer. In the mean time I need connectivity to allow files larger than a standard floppy to be transfered to the CNC.

I have no experience with 3.1.1 to be able to provide any significant details. I can also put any necessary protocols or software on a newer computer. We ahve attempted to connect newer computers, one running windows XP the other Windows 2000. The 3.11 machine has a standard Ethernet card as well as the BNC card. Both new machines were using two Ethernet cards.

Somewhere, the 3.11 computer has mapping leading it to the CNC, I do not know where in the computer to find this information. this computer is running Novell Netware as its networking program.

If anyone has any ideas please post them. If you need or want specific information to be able to help better then please ask. Thank you for any assistance I can get.

Thanks
LW