Well, I got my network to work! The computers are talking to each other (Windows XP and 98). It was a security setting in ZoneAlarm (a personal firewall). I was looking at the World of Windows Networking (WWW.WOWN.COM -- one of the sites which both Netgear and Linksys referred me to) site, and it has real helpful troubleshooting (though a bit cluttered). I had looked at the same troubleshooting page before, but it didn't register in my mind. Wow, what a great moment! Now I can learn more about networking and even about Remote Assistance in XP. Thanks so much David Dodge and the others who responded. Kurt Mincin http://www.myildportal.com ref #: 1827854, pass: guest