Can't make a connection

[Chaky]

Here's the layout:

2 PC's (Windows XP - Windows 98), connected via LAN (Xlink cable). All drivers/clients/services/protocols up and running. On the XP side is NVIDIA's firewall.

All went well until I've done some changes on the Win98 PC that required me to pull out the LAN adapter. After I plugged it back in and booted windows, it reinstalled the card's drivers and since then I'm unable to access XP side (vice-versa). I've tried entering new IP address into the firewall permissions, shutting down the firewall, changing to IP address to "Automatic", uninstalling all drivers/protocols/services/clients and reinstalling them, but without results.

For the record: Connection is established (adapters work) but there is no accessibility whatsoever.

[jvanark]

Break the network down to the simplest configuration and build your security up around it.
Turn off firewals, make sure that Windows XP firewall is truned off also.
Have you been able to confirm basic connectivity? Try ping computer B's IP address from computer A and vice versa.
Can you do a ipconfig from a DOS window on each computer and paste in the output?

[Chaky]

Pinging didn't work. For the connectivity, only confirmation that I have is the connection speed (100 Mbps) and it is established as soon as the network adapter on the w98 side is turned on (before windows boots up).

For the ipconifg, I'll PM you the outputs. I don't feel comfortable posting those numbers out in the open.

I did turn off Windows AND nVida's firewall.
W98 side is set on Windows Log-on. I did try Windows Family Log-on and Microsoft Network Log-on, but no effect.

One little detail:

When I plugged the network adapter back in and after it installed the necessary drivers, I took a peek at the network properties (W98) and I've noticed one funny thing:
Previous set of drivers were also loaded into memory, so I had double everything... 2 x adapters, 2 x TCP/IP protocols, 2 x IPX protocols...

I've suspected that it was conflicting, so I've removed it all (damn thing froze while removing, so I don't really know how it really went) and did fresh install of the drivers and all the necessary things with it (off the CD).

Before anyone asks, there was no connectivity before nor after the driver installment-reinstallment.

Edit:

Forgot to mention that there are no domains, only workgroup, and the names are identical on both sides.

[TT4Titans]

Uninstall the drivers in safe mode for the network card shut down pull the card reboot shut down insert the card and then load drivers.

[Chaky]

Solved!

The reason was (most likely) drivers not being properly installed. Some of the dll's were of different versions.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled them, but this time WITHOUT keeping those files that are newer.

Thanks for the effort guys.