problem with windows firewall or SP2?

[EvanAdams]

So we have a network with two desktops, two laptops, two printers. From my desktop I can browse and print anywhere. All the other computers can talk to oneanother. BUT no one can get to files on my computer but all CAN print to that computer's printer.

help. I need to get this working.

This all started with the install of SP2.

I am using windows firewall but so are all the other computers.

 

[Sianath]

Both printers attached to your machine and shared? Network printers? How is this network set up...

Are all the machines running XP SP2? Can all the machines browse, or just yours? When you say they can't get to the shares on your machine, do you mean they get "Access Denied" when they do a \\<computername>\<share> or is it a failure to locate your computer. If it's a failure, does trying to connect via IP work? \\<ipaddress>\<share>

More data please.

 

[EvanAdams]

Both printers are attached to the desktops.
All computers can print to all printers.

All the machines are running XP SP2.

All the machines can browse all the other machines' files except my desktop. No one can get onto the shared files on my desktop. HOWEVER, my desktop can browse all the files on all the other computers.

When I turn off windows firewall I get the same error and cant browse.

The error everyone gets is \\[computername] is not accessable. You might not have permissiopn to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. Access is denied. [forced to click 'ok')

Under the LAN properties I have the following installed:
Client for Microsoft networks
file and printer sharing for microsoft networks
internet protocol (TCP/IP)

trying to connect by ip:
\\<ipaddress>\<whatever> works

but how do I make this not ip address dependant, how do I let them browse my files?

 

[EvanAdams]

oh and also with the ip address I have to go get the folders off my computer 1st. I cant just browse from the ip address.

 

[Sianath]

Is this environement at work or home (basically, domain or just workgroup). Are all the machines on the same subnet?

It's odd that you would get an Access Denied on a browse attempt via \\computername but be allowed if doing \\ipaddress in a workgroup environment.

If the error was simply FINDING that network location via \\computername that would imply name resolution issues. If you are getting Access Denied, that implies permissions issues... which goes back to the question of domain vs workgroup environment.

 

[EvanAdams]

what do you mean by subnet?

It is just me and my roomate on four machines that each have XP pro installed

 

[Sianath]

How is each machine getting it's IP address? Do you manually configure the IP address (for example, 192.168.1.1) or do you get one automatically via some hardware router?

If it's automatically, they should all be in the same subnet. If they are all manually configured (or maybe one is, and the others are automatic) then this could be your browsing problem. You can check this by going into the properties of TCP/IP on your network adapter.

Browsing is broadcast-based, so if one machine isn't in the same subnet as the others, that machine won't be able to browse (or be browsed by) the other machines. Also, make sure the browsing service is started on the problem machine (start, run, services.msc). It should be set to Automatic.

If the firewall is enabled (which is fine) go to the control panel, security center, firewall, make sure it's on and the checkbox is empty. Click the exceptions tab and make sure that File and Printer sharing is enabled.

 

[EvanAdams]

Ok so I have sync working. We are on a router and automatic ip adressing.

We are not on a domain.

How do I tell which subnet the computers are on? We are using a basic router.

I cant get tho the security tab in the pics on this page: http://www.microsoft.com/techn...ntain/filesharing.mspx

 

[EvanAdams]

Browsing is broadcast-based, so if one machine isn't in the same subnet as the others, that machine won't be able to browse (or be browsed by) the other machines. Also, make sure the browsing service is started on the problem machine (start, run, services.msc). It should be set to Automatic.

well I went into that menu to turn that on. I switched everything to automatic. Now outlook is acting funny.

 

[EvanAdams]

OK so I reformated the desktop and reinstalled. works fine now. HOWEVER, now the laptop keeps looking for the shared files on the old desktop. And thus with the resynking my laptops windows directory has ballooned up to 50gb yes that is gb. AND the laptop keeps trying to sync to the onld desktop via its old ip. When I go into the sync manager I cant figure out how to delete the old computer from places to sync to.