Funnware Networking

Get help networking computers together when using Funnware, a horse show management system.

The following is a tutorial on how to network computers using Funnware together.  These directions are based on Windows 7 operating system.  If you are using a different operating system the basic directions are the same, but some of the verbiage may be different.

1. Connect ethernet cable (the cable with the large end resembling a phone jack) from master machine to router (also known as a switch). 

2. If there is more than one user on the computer make sure you are logged in as an administrative level user.   

3. From the main computer go to the HrsWin folder and share that folder.   

  • Double click on My Computer
  • Double click on the C: drive (or whichever drive has your Funnware program)
  • Right click on HrsWin
  • Share with ‘Specific People’
    • Click on ‘Everyone’.  Type in if not on the list and click on ADD
    • Make sure that ‘Everyone’ has Read/Write Permission –  click Share

4. Get the computer's IP Address

  • Click on Start and in the search box, type CMD
  • At the c: prompt, type IPCONFIG
  • Toward the top of the box is a section for the ethernet. Write down the IP address for your computer.  It will be 169.254.x.x – This is the default Windows network configuration.  
  • Make sure to write down the Ethernet IP address, you will need it later.
    • The x’s are different on each computer.  All computers will start with 169.254 and the next two numbers will change from machine to machine.

5. Connect the second machine to the router box with another ethernet cable

  • On the second machine create a shortcut for the horse show program
    • Right click anywhere on the desktop.   
    • Click on New shortcut o Type \\169.254.x.x\HrsWin\Hshow.exe ‐ (remembering that the x’s will be numbers).   
    • Click Next.
    • Name your shortcut and press enter.

6. Right click on the new shortcut.

  • The information in the target is what you just entered.  Click on Start and in the search box type \\169.254.x.x\HrsWin\Show.mdb ‐ (remembering that the x’s will be numbers).
  • Click OK
  • Double click on your new shortcut to open it. A warning may come up asking if you want to run this program. Say yes or Run.
  • If it is the first time setting up the database it may ask you to confirm the pathway to find the show.mdb file. If you use multiple folders for shows make sure to look in the correct folder for the show.mdb file.

If connecting more computers follow Steps 5 and 6 for each additional computer. Wireless connections are not as stable as the ethernet cables. Losing connections during running a database can corrupt the data. It is important to use the numbers of the IP address rather than machine names. Using machine names will slow down the process (sometimes drastically).