Ops Console problem solved!!!!

Well, this is an obscure one, but it makes sense once
you find out what's going on.

The answer is, Ops Console uses network address
192.168.0.0 subnet mask 255.255.255.0, and this CANNOT
be changed. Our intranet had the same setup. When you
use a direct cable, it is like another network card, and
you cannot have 2 network cards with the same network
address/subnet combination.

It always worked with my boss's laptop because that was
not on our net. He also remembered (from 3 years ago)
that we should have disconnected the net-attached
computer to get a console.

I have changed our net to 192.168.1.0 (255.255.255.0)
and it works great. Fortunately, we have fewer than 10
PCs to worry about - took only an afternoon to get it
right, changing fixed addresses on AS/400s and other
servers, etc.

So, Al, you might be able to use it after all   ;-)

This answer came from Lee Sutton, who posted it on
comp.sys.ibm.as400.misc. A coworker found it there.
There's a response from a Darryl Johns at IBM: "Talk
about unintended consequences!" I bet NONE of the
developers of this sat behind a LinkSys DSL gateway and
has to face this. Everything at IBM is probably class A
(10.0.0.0). Of course, LinkSys defaults to 192.168.1.1
(255.255.255.0) and someone from here had changed it. Oy!
Oy!

Sorry, I'm ranting a bit. Please disregard, somewhat,
these latter comments.

Vern - happy at last - I have a console! I use it for 2
boxes - just swap cables.