Unable to share files or access network shares on home network

[Baldy18]

This was working fine for years now but for some reason this week I lost the ability to access the workgroup on my laptop. The only thing I can think of is that I changed a setting or disabled a service. ICS service is enabled and also file sharing is on and the windows firewall is off. I've tried removing the laptop from the workgroup and then rejoining it but no use.

The only thing I know I've done recently is I installed a new router but I've since switched back to the old one and still have the problem. I'm unsure of the exact time this problem started so I don't know what changes I made at the time that may have affected it.

 

[TG2]

How are you trying to access the other machines?

- using network neighborhood
- using desktop shortcut you created way back
- going to start, run and entering the other PC's IP address

 

[Baldy18]

I have tried both network neighborhood and ping from the command line.

 

[JackMDS]

Why ICS and Router?

 

[Aarondeep]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Why ICS and Router?

Could it be some double NAT issue?

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: aarondeep

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Why ICS and Router?

Could it be some double NAT issue?

It seems unlikely to me. For some reason the services are integrated into one and it always runs. But that doesn't mean that ICS is actually working.

The best way is to take a look at the Network Connections and see if an ICS link is listed.

 

[Baldy18]

InlineFive is correct ICS is integrated with the Windows firewall for some reason. There is a link in the network adapters properties for file and printer sharing. Printer sharing is the real need here. Because of this issue I'm unable to print with the printer connected to the desktop from the laptop. As I stated a week or so ago everything was fine as it has been for several years now but now I have this issue and can think of nothing I changed that would have caused the problem.

 

[Baldy18]

Ok in My Network Places when I click on View Workgroup Computers I get the error:

"Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The newwork path was not found."

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: Baldy18
Ok in My Network Places when I click on View Workgroup Computers I get the error:

"Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The newwork path was not found."

Unfortunately if you don't have a WINS server that could mean a bunch of things. The most likely being that the laptop is unable to locate the Master Browser.

What kind of WAP do you have? If it's a model with the Loopback feature you'll need to disable that.

 

[nweaver]

don't use network neighborhood, try to access directly...\\server\share

 

[xfarmer]

Thats strange, I was having the same exact problem and it started at about the same time. I think it was messed up by one of the MS updates. I tried all kinds of different things to get it working. I ended up with two solutions. One was to create a new user on each PC with the same user names and passwords. This allowed for the file sharing while I was logged on with the new user accounts. The other solution was to install the NWlink NetBIOS protocol (yeah, I know, it is just insane, but it worked). Go ahead and give it a try, if it doesn't work, you can always remove it later.
Good Luck!

 

[InlineFive]

Did you install PNRPv2 on any of the computers? I believe it uses some of the newer Vista technologies and may have problems with PNRPv1, which is found on most Windows XP computers.

 

[Baldy18]

We have a winner it was the NWlink NetBIOS protocol. How wierd.