windows VISTA sharing questions

[MTDEW]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
why would I change it to MSHOME?

Whoops....EDIT: i misread that, are the xp pcs set to workgroup also?
I set my two Vista pcs to MSHOME and my two XP pcs to MSHOME and they all see each other just fine...no issues sharing files between any of my pcs.

 

[ViviTheMage]

what version vista?

my two are ultimate sp1, and xp pro sp3.

They are all 3 on WORKGROUP...I could try MSHOME I guess....not sure what that'll do.
I tried that windows locater switch in my network card, but it never sticks...supposedly that is the fix, but it doesn't stick.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
wow, this thing shows a lot of activity, even with nothing 'running'.

Here is a shot of right when I did my //10.10.5.20 which is my server.

http://vivicalproductions.com/comic/scn.jpg

Does this thing capture EVERYTHING on my network? If so, that makes sense why a lot is going on--using wireshark.

Wireshark and Netmon 3.x both do promiscuous (sluts hehe) captures meaning they set your network card to NOT drop frames with a foreign or non-broadcast MAC address. It will pickup anything on your local subnet unless you are connected to a switch that is intelligent enough to associate a MAC with a port.

In all likelyhood it's picking up everything this side of your cable/dsl router or modem.

Even if you trace just your machine you'll be amazed at all the trivial crap thats going on.


In that screenshot there is no relevant traffic. 🙁

If you are having trouble picking out the necessary traffic add a display filter. For Wireshark just type this in the filter box at the top:

(tcp.port==135 || tcp.port==445) && ip.addr==<other machines IP>.

This assumes name resolution is good (since we're filtering DNS) so stick with connecting via \\<ipaddress> for the duration of troubleshooting.

 

[MTDEW]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
what version vista?

my two are ultimate sp1, and xp pro sp3.

They are all 3 on WORKGROUP...I could try MSHOME I guess....not sure what that'll do.
I tried that windows locater switch in my network card, but it never sticks...supposedly that is the fix, but it doesn't stick.

Vista Ultimate 64 with sp1 and others are running Xp Pro sp3.

So we're the same there.

Im not a networking expert, since mine has always been so easy to setup, so if you can think of any other settings you'd like me to check that we can compare, just ask.

I have 4 pcs connected to a 4 port router.

I do remember from doing clean installs on my pcs so much, that i select "my computer connects through a residential gateway" (not sure the exact wording here) instead of " this pc connects through another pc on my network". (again not sure of the exact wording)

 

[MTDEW]

I might also add that my xp pro pcs were already setup and networked together "sharing" before i setup my Vista pcs.
Whether or not having the xp pcs networked first and sharing turned on before The vista pcs were setup matters, i have no idea.

All i know is it went so smooth getting all my pcs to see each other that i never gave it a second thought.
And i never had to do anything as advanced as whats stated above.

All i did was run the network setup wizards and then changed my Vista pcs to MSHOME so they were all the same workgroup.

All my shared folders show up on all pcs and i can transfer files from any pc to any other pc on my home network.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I had 3 XP PRO SP3 machines sharing perfectly, then upgraded two of them to VISTA, thus cuasing the issue -- using VISTA...I will have to look over your stuff when I get home.

I am actually pretty good with networking, it is just getting VISTAs craptastic software sharing correctly. I also ran that wizard on both VISTA machines with no luck....

For some reason I see a PC called Bbaker (which is a girls upstairs in my complex, whom I allow on), but I can obviously not connect (my vista machines see it, I think my XP does too)...but I THINK she is on XP, I had not talked to her about it...as we don't need to share files anyway...but I see her's, now my XP SP3 machine.

 

[MTDEW]

No clue if you've seen this or not or even if it will help you since i never had to do it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120

 

[Doomer]

I found that once you turn off all the retarded stuff in Vista, networking becomes completely transparent. If you feel like you need Vista to protect you from yourself, your problems will be endless.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Doomer
I found that once you turn off all the retarded stuff in Vista, networking becomes completely transparent. If you feel like you need Vista to protect you from yourself, your problems will be endless.

Originally posted by: Doomer
Geez, I guess it would be ok with you guys if you had to get MS's permission every time you rebooted your computer. While you're at it, why not install Net Nanny so you don't go to any of those nasty web site your mother told you about. How much freaking control is too much? Do you not see where MS is leading you? Wake up people, before it's too late.

Look out folks, step aside. Genius coming through.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Doomer
I found that once you turn off all the retarded stuff in Vista, networking becomes completely transparent. If you feel like you need Vista to protect you from yourself, your problems will be endless.

LOL? MS bashing threads are elsewhere Doomer....

and I already did the link layer fix (pointless, because SP3 has it incorporated apparently).

 

[Smilin]

Any luck on that network trace?

I know it can be daunting if you're unfamiliar but you should be able to spot the 139/445 traffic I mentioned, especially if filtered.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Any luck on that network trace?

I know it can be daunting if you're unfamiliar but you should be able to spot the 139/445 traffic I mentioned, especially if filtered.

Hadn't had a second to do it, haha...I will tonight for sure. I still find it odd that I cannot connect to my XP machine, but it can connect to my VISTA machines.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I tried your filter, no luck...it errored and said it was incorrect. The ip I put in was 10.10.5.137 which is the other vista machine I cannot access.

I also tried again to look for anything different, but none of those ports came up that you were referring to.


This doesn't make ANY sense why my XP machine sees both VISTA machines, but neither vista machine see's anything at all--except two Microsoft Publication Service Device Host.

 

[Smilin]

No 139/445 at all huh? Triple check because that's some extra wierd funk. Even if blocked by the firewall it will still be seen in network traces (netmon/wireshark plug in at the ndis layer).

Verify file and printer sharing is enabled. do a 'net start' and ensure the server and workstation services are running. Check network bindings and be sure both IPv4 and IPv6 are bound...

goto Network sharing center
hit 'manage network connections' on the left.
in the network connections folder tap the alt key to bring up the menu.
goto advanced | advanced settings. check bindings.

Try setting the firewall to 'off' (note: do not disable the service..it will go into lockdown mode).

If you have any 3rd party firewalls/intrusion detection try uninstalling it. Disabling does not remove filter drivers so be sure to do an actual uninstall.

 

[ViviTheMage]

The windows firewall is as off as I can get it...window ssecurity says it is disabled.

Went to that advanced area and all was enabled/checked.

running net start and it said everything was running after spamming a bunch of stuff.

I also re ran that wireshark and just filtered via the IP of the laptop I was trying to connect to (10.10.5.137).

I tried to connect both ways, and it didn't show crap about those ports you mentioned! see here :
http://vivicalproductions.com/comic/yayaya.jpg

Is there something that needs to be enabled that I am missing?

When I first set up the two computers with VISTA I went through most of these to tweak it :
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=166532

...was one of them part of sharing?!

 

[ViviTheMage]

wow....after re-reading all of those tweaks, disabling workstation in services was my problem...that HAS to be running to enable sharing, now I can see/access all shares via both vista machines, and xp machine.

The step in question is :

4. Get Quicker Internet Confirmation!

The last item to load and confirm on some systems is the internet connection itself. Many people have complained that, it may take as much as 10-15 seconds for Vista to confirm the connection during which they cannot do anything. I have experienced this myself with one of my SSDs and subsequently learned about this tweak.

In fact, I have used it on all my systems (none of which are network connected locally) and find my internet connection to now be much faster and a definite start time improvement.

The process is simple and as such:

1. Click 'Winkey' + R to get the 'Run' window;
2. Type 'services.msc' and hit enter;
3. Scroll to one of the final entries which is 'Workstation'
4. Double click to open and disable it; and
5. Reboot and Voila!!

NOTE: This tweak is a great enhancement for standalone systems that use wired or wireless internet such as I. It is not so good if you are at home or work with a LAN or server configuration. I would not advise it on any LAN environment because you will not be able to access any files over the LAN. Its a standalone tweak only!!

DO NOT DO IT if you do not want to share

<---- kicks self.


Thanks all for trying to help...eventually it was you guys who made me go back and relook at that page. specifically you Smilin, thanks!

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
wow....after re-reading all of those tweaks, disabling workstation in services was my problem...that HAS to be running to enable sharing, now I can see/access all shares via both vista machines, and xp machine.

The step in question is :

4. Get Quicker Internet Confirmation!

The last item to load and confirm on some systems is the internet connection itself. Many people have complained that, it may take as much as 10-15 seconds for Vista to confirm the connection during which they cannot do anything. I have experienced this myself with one of my SSDs and subsequently learned about this tweak.

In fact, I have used it on all my systems (none of which are network connected locally) and find my internet connection to now be much faster and a definite start time improvement.

The process is simple and as such:

1. Click 'Winkey' + R to get the 'Run' window;
2. Type 'services.msc' and hit enter;
3. Scroll to one of the final entries which is 'Workstation'
4. Double click to open and disable it; and
5. Reboot and Voila!!

NOTE: This tweak is a great enhancement for standalone systems that use wired or wireless internet such as I. It is not so good if you are at home or work with a LAN or server configuration. I would not advise it on any LAN environment because you will not be able to access any files over the LAN. Its a standalone tweak only!!

DO NOT DO IT if you do not want to share

<---- kicks self.


Thanks all for trying to help...eventually it was you guys who made me go back and relook at that page. specifically you Smilin, thanks!

Whew. Glad you are working! I was planning on coming in to work today to scroung up a support case for you.

Workstation is your redirector and the "client" half of sharing. It's the service that generates that 139/445 traffic that the server service is listening on. I've never seen it disabled outside of say webserver hardening.