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Thread: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    I want to connect two Linux computers via one ethernet cable without a router.
    I set each NIC card's IP manually as 10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2
    netmask as 255.255.255.0
    and default gateway for both as 10.0.0.1

    The NIC's show connected but ping yields 100% packet loss - no transfer of data working.

    what am I missing? failing to do?

    Thanks

    update: found this: https://askubuntu.com/questions/2283...thout-a-router
    solved my problem - thanks to this forum!
    Last edited by michael351; March 19th, 2020 at 05:25 PM. Reason: found solution

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Ubuntu

    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    and default gateway for both as 10.0.0.1
    That's the problem.
    Each system needs to point at the other for the default gateway - and both need to have GigE Nics that autosense if a regular CAT5e or cross-over CAT5e cable is being used.

    if this is solved, please, please, please use the Thread Tools button and mark it SOLVED. Don't have people waste their time. Please.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    London, England
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    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    Each system needs to point at the other for the default gateway
    I disagree with that. They are both on the same subnet, so they don't even need a router. They can just ARP each other.

    It may be a cabling issue. Use the command "ip address" to check the addresses are what you say, and look for LOWER_UP which means the NIC says the cable is OK. If it says UP but not LOWER_UP then there is a cable problem and the NIC thinks there's no receive signal.

  4. #4
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    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    Quote Originally Posted by The Cog View Post
    I disagree with that. They are both on the same subnet, so they don't even need a router. They can just ARP each other.
    I've never seen this work after 20+ attempts over the decades. Yes, it should work. I agree. When auto-negotiation became standard with the GigE specs, at least we didn't need a cross-over cable anymore.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    150

    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    Thanks for the "thread tools button" reference. I didn't know. This problem is solved and is now indicated as such using the button. No crossover cable necessary as the NIC's autosense.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    Out of interest, and because it may help others with the same problem, what was the fix? Doesn't matter if it's really mundane.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Beauvais France
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    157
    Distro
    Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa

    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    I totally agree with that .
    It is misleading to mark a topic "solved" if there is no trace of the solution in it.
    Happy user of Ubuntu-20.04 on a Beelink BT3pro mini PC

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Connecting two computers with one ethernet cable - no router

    I think the solution he found is the #1 post at the bottom. He updated his post when the solution was found.

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