Trying to get a Toshiba Satellite C55 to join LAN

[Gustavus]

boomerang
All my machines are protected by ESET System security which allows either the main protection or the firewall to be turned off. I had suspected a firewall could be the problem and have turned off the firewall on both the laptop and the main XP machine. Still neither could see the other. Yes. it was set up with a local account. Comcast is my ISP and the laptop and all four XP machines can send and receive e-mails. I verified when setting up the e-mail accounts that all machines could send and receive both photo and text attachments. So I can browse the net on all machines, send and receive e-mails etc. The only function I need and don't have is the laptop in the workgroup.

I despise the Windows 8.1 so much the laptop won't get used for one of the purposes I bought it for -- the freedom to work whereever I pleased in the house. It will give me net access and e-mail when I travel -- but I had more in mind for it than that.

 

[boomerang]

Neither your modem or router should be the issue although the router is a D-Link not a Netgear. They are both relatively new pieces of hardware.

Do you have any recollection of installing the NetBEUI protocol on the XP machines? When I would have issues getting XP machines to network together I would install that and my problems were instantly solved. If that's how the XP machines are communicating with each other I'm pretty certain there will be no communication with an 8.1 computer. It was not included in XP by default and although I am not certain, I highly doubt it is supported at all in 8.1. The tutorial below should help you determine if NetBEUI is installed. Yes, the tutorial is for installing the protocol but it should tell you where to look to verify that you did or did not install it. DO NOT skip this step. Find out if you installed it.

http://www.ezlan.net/netbeui.html

It is entirely possible to network 8.1 and XP together. There are numerous tutorials about it. You have something set wrong. You are a newb to 8.1 and that is part of your frustration. Things are not where you expected them to be. I just moved my sister, who lives half a country away from me from XP to 8.1 and she has been very frustrated just attempting to do everyday tasks.

Maybe you have seen this. http://www.eightforums.com/network-...-network-each-cant-see-others.html#post211075 It does talk of disabling Homegroup. It also talks of setting static IP addresses in your router for your computers. In between are graphical displays of settings. Concentrate on just one XP computer as your test bed. Obviously you will mimic those settings on the other computers once you have your network running.

 

[Gustavus]

boomerang

You are right, the DIR655 is a D-Link. I should have looked instead of just depending on memory.

Speaking of memory -- no I do not remember installing NetBEUI and will have to put off checking until I get back from the Colorado high country. Just had time to check e-mails this morning before taking off.

You are right, I am frustrated to not even be able to do the most routine things in Windows 8.1. I am a mathematician and cryptographer so often have multiple machines working at the same time. It would have been convenient to be able to work on papers where ever I am in the house without having to sit in front of one of the machines in the laboratory.

Thanks for the help. I will follow up on your suggestions when I get back.

 

[mrtechguy]

The problem is Win XP uses an older more slow method of sharing than Windows 8.1 .Just move all your stuff to OneDrive And Use That Cuz Win 8 Will Never Work With Network Sharing Like XP Did

 

[Smoove910]

If your network includes PCs running Windows XP, you might need to change the workgroup name on those PCs to match the workgroup name on the PCs running later versions of Windows so that you can see and connect to all PCs on your network. (Or create a unique name on the 8.1 pc first, then replicate on the XP machines)

 

[Gustavus]

boomerang

Just got back a few hours ago and decided to make the check you suggested. My machines are running on TCP/IP not NetBEUI

Will resume trying to get the 8.1 Laptop in the Workgroup tomorrow.

Smoove910
All machines have the Workgroup name set to Trollhagen.

 

[Gustavus]

Another day wasted. No matter what I do I cannot get the Windows 8.1 laptop to see or be seen in the working workgroup on the Windows XP machines. Starting from scratch and setting up a new workgroup doesn't help

 

[boomerang]

Have you gone through any of the links I've provided trying to ascertain something you've overlooked?

Have you set a static IP for one XP box?

Have you attempted to ping same XP box from the laptop?

I provided a link about setting static IP's in your router that included resetting the router to reset the DNS cache. It goes on further to tell you to flush the DNS cache on the computers. These steps are the kind that can give you results.

I only get feedback on the simple things and you're very willing to keep doing the same things over and over. It's human nature to try something a second time but after that, you've got to move on to try something different.

You're frustrated we get that. But when you don't try suggestions or ask questions about those suggestions if you don't understand them and if you don't give feedback, those that are trying to help you get frustrated too and decide that it's your problem and not theirs.

 

[Gustavus]

boomerang

I appreciate your efforts to help. To the extent I am able, I have tried to carry out your suggestions. I verified that the XP machines were not using NetBEUI protocol. Since all of my machines run ESET Smart Security which allows either the protection or the firewall to be turned off for ten minutes I did that on the laptop and on the main machine in the laboratory and they still did not see each other. I created the Workgroup new on the XP machines and when given the opportunity to create a netsetup disk -- something I had not had to do when joining new XP computers to the Workgroup -- created one and ran it on the laptop. It reported a problem -- unspecified -- and did not install. I assume that was probably because all four of the XP machines are running 32 bit windows and the laptop is 64 bit.

I have not tried to go through the net to ping the main machine in the lab from the laptop, I will try that yet today. The reason I haven't done that is that I do not know how to force my router to assign a static IP. I know what the static IP is that Comcast assigns to my modem, but have never had occasion to interfere in what the router does with the various machines.

 

[Gustavus]

So far I am unable to do what you suggest. I went on net and found clear instructions on how to force Windows 8.1 to set a static IP, I have no trouble opening the Network and Sharing Center but there is no Local Area Conventions tab on which the instructions say to click on Properties. On the chance it was hidden in some other tab I followed every possible route with of course no results. So I never was able to reach a "Set static IP' box which the instructions say will be reached by following the five steps given

On the main XP computer if I open Microsoft Windows network, it shows TROLLHAGEN as it should under which the four XP machines show with the correct names
main computer
old-machine
bench (2500K)
Hi-Fi room

 

[Gustavus]

boomerang

I pinged the main computer IP -- in the Workgroup Trollhagen -- from the laptop. Four packets were sent and four received. Three with 1ms delay and one with 3ms delay -- none lost.

 

[boomerang]

Here's where I get frustrated. Instead of setting static IP addresses in the router and ultimately resetting the DNS cache, you decide to set a static IP on the 8.1 computer. And I am still unsure if you set a static IP on the XP computer we're trying to establish a connection to. You could have Googled to see the steps to set a static IP in your router or asked, but you marched off in a different direction. We will work with what we have for now.

STOP resetting the workgroup name. You are wasting effort. They match, they've always matched, this is not the problem.

1) Do you have a folder on the XP box that is set to be shared? Yes or no?

The answer should be yes. If the answer is no, you need to create one or designate one. If you have questions ask them. Here is a link that explains the process. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb456988.aspx

If the answer was yes, look at the link above and make sure the permissions are correct for that folder.

Report back.

 

[boomerang]

Gustavas, I just sent you a PM.