Home Networking Problem

[surd615]

I have a problem with my network at home. On my PC running WinXP pro, I can see my kids' PC running WinME but when I click on it, I get

"\\KIDSPC is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource...." etc.

On their PC I can see my PC but when I click on one of the shared folders, I get the message

" \\ABCD is not accessible. Windows cannot find the computer or share name...." etc.

I have a user setup on the XP machine for the ME machine.

Both PCs have TCPIP with automatic IP addressing, and Client for Microsoft networks setup. I can ping the XP machine from the ME machine but not the ME macine from the XP one. Both PCs are on the same subnet and on the same workgroup with unique computer names. Both PCs can access the internet through the SMC broadband router.

When I boot up my PC in Win2K (it is a dualboot machine), I have no problems seeing and sharing resources with the ME machine and vice versa. The network configuration on both XP and 2K seems to be the same though I'm obviously missing something.

Thanks for your suggestions/comments.

 

[Tanner]

networking XP involves the need for considerable experience and knowledge of MAGIC. That's really it. If you don't know magic, you might as well quit w/ the XP networking. It is literally a stroke of luck to get XP to network "nicely" It simply does NOT play nicely. NOR does it like to share!!! GL d00d! I've STILL never been able to share a simple printer off of my XP prof. machine...

 

[JackMDS]

WinXP Pro, is not easy street!

As oppose to Win98, Microsoft made considerable changes in the Network's capacity.

Setting Win XP home edition is simpler then Pro. IMHO it is a mistake to use XP Pro, unless you really need the extras.

Win XP Pro was designed with much more security, and control over the sharing capacity, thus making it more complicated to set.

For the initial setting, disable active virus scanners, and any software firewall (including Microsoft embedded firewall).

The content of the following Links should provide a lot of info about the sharing settings:

Networking and sharing between computers(Win98).

Windows XP Professional .

Windows XP Professional Ed. Sharing Disks /Folders

Windows XP Professional File Sharing.

Windows XP Simple File Sharing

XP File Sharing Trouble

And a lot of Good Luck.

 

[surd615]

I have followed all the links in Jack's post (from his previous posts) to no avail. The question I have is that your replies indicate that sharing folders/resouces on an XP machine may not be simple, why can't I see the folders on the WinME machine? I had no problem doing that with Win2K!

I'm not running the Microsoft Firewall, and am running Norton Internet Security (2001 on ME and 2002 on XP). I have disabled them both, but that seems to make no difference.

 

[JackMDS]

I never resorted to dual boot (I use Mobile Trays), so I don?t know if there is FAT issue?

Did you try to enforce NetBIOS over the protocol in XP?

The Sharing Protocol is the same on all arrangements?

BTW: Norton Internet Security is a combo: Firewall, Virus Scanner, and Parental Control.

 

[surd615]

What do you mean by "FAT issue"? Both Win2K and WinXP partitions are FAT32 as is the WinME drive.

The NetBIOS is set at default as is recommended in your second link. Are you suggesting that I check the 'Enable NetBIOS' button?

I have disabled the firewall in Norton Internet Security and the Norton antivirus while I'm doing the testing. I don't have Parental Control enabled.

 

[JackMDS]

OK, FAT is not a problem.

Yeah, try to enable the NetBIOS.

 

[SQL]

Do the accounts have passwords? By default XP won't allow blank password accounts from accessing your shares. Not sure if that tidbit is covered in the multitude of links above.

 

[surd615]

Yes the accounts have passwords.

Jack I enabled the NetBIOS as opposed to the default setting and the result was that I could not even see the other PC in
My Network Places.

What is especially puzzling is why can't I ping the other PC?

 

[SQL]

I'm assuming the gateway is set as the router?

Disable and stop the ICS/Firewall service in the control panel and try the ping again.

 

[surd615]

Yes the router is set as the gateway, but not explicitly so in the TCPIP settings (local area connection properties) since I have it set to obtain IP addresses automatically. However, when I type 'ipconfig' in a command prompt, it tells me the router is the gateway.

The built-in firewall is not enabled and has never been enabled.

 

[Woodchuck2000]

XP pro is excellent for all types of sharing IF you have a thorough understanding of windows2000 networking.

First thing to do is go into your LAN connection settings on the XP box and ensure that the built in firewall is disabled, and that the connection doesn't require special authentication.

Before you can access resources on the XP box from a 9x/ME machine, you need to authenticate to the XP machine. I assume that you log on to the network on your ME box using either Client for MS Networks logon, or Microsoft Family Logon.
What you need to do is make sure that there is a user account on the XP box with the same user name and password as the account you use to log on at the ME box. It often helps to give that account Administrative rights, as normal users connecting from the network are subject to all kinds of restrictions.

Once you've authenticated to the XP box, everything should just work.
Feel free to PM me if you have too many problems

 

[surd615]

The same setup works fine from the Windows2000 side - it's a dual boot system but I'm thinking of switching to XP completely.

The XP firewall is disabled and authentication is unchecked (disabled). I have also disabled Norton Internet Security while I'm trying to get this to work.

The ME user logs on with a username/password that is also setup as on the XP box - the same as on the Windows2000 side. This user does not have administrative privileges because that doesn't cause any problems on the 2K side.

Both systems have no problems connecting to the Internet.

What I haven't resolved is why I can see the ME box in Network Neighborhood, but I can't browse the shares I have setup on that box in XP while I can do that in 2K. I also cannot ping the ME box fro the XP side while I can do that from the 2K side. On the other hand, I can ping the other machine from the ME box whether the other PC is in XP or 2K.

 

[surd615]

^bump

 

[surd615]

Well I installed NetBUI on the XP machine and bound file sharing to it and I was able to see the shares on both sides.

But Microsoft does not support NetBUI on XP and reccomends not using it, and besides I still can't see why TCPIP file sharing didn't work.

 

[JackMDS]

There is no problem with using NetBEUI; however Microsoft will not provide any support.

In your situation if TCP/IP does not work:

1. There is a small mistake in the TCP/IP setting, and with all the info in the links that I mentioned before you still missing it.
2. There is a minor corruption in a file system file. (The only solution is to reinstall the OS).

BTW: using NetBEUI for internal Sharing is a way to increase security, and allow full local network sharing, NetBEUI is not routable to the Internet, so nothing of the internal sharing gets out.

My experience (on variety of network settings) shows that Surfing the Internet is smoother if the main network traffic is done via NetBEUI, and TCP/IP is reserved to Internet activities only.