Windows XP can't see my 2 other PCs on the network...why?

[Cougar]

Alright, as the subject says my XP box can't see my other 2 pcs on the network (one is a 2k box the other is 98). The 2k box and 98 box can see each other just fine and can share files without a problem, but my XP box can't see either and it can't be seen on the network.

I tried turning on the guest account and netbios over tcp/ip and making sure that the computer browser service was started and my XP box is still invisible. I can browse the internet just fine so I know the network card works (I'm on the xp box now) and I can't seem to find any other tips in the system help or microsoft knowledge base so now I don't know what to do.

Can anyone help me figure this thing out? I really want to avoid setting up a domain comtroller just so that I can share files between pcs.

 

[JackMDS]

Important For the purpose of the initial setting, disable all software Firewall (including WinXP native ICF); disable any active Virus scan or any other utility that might intercept Network Traffic.

The following Collection of Links might help:

If you are not concern about internal security WinXP has a fast simple method of sharing, no user permissions, and no passwords.

Windows XP Simple File Sharing

WinXP Pro has an additional more secure method:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing.

XP File Sharing Trouble

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Important For the purpose of the initial setting, disable all software Firewall (including WinXP native ICF); disable any active Virus scan or any other utility that might intercept Network Traffic.

The following Collection of Links might help:

If you are not concern about internal security WinXP has a fast simple method of sharing, no user permissions, and no passwords.

Windows XP Simple File Sharing

WinXP Pro has an additional more secure method:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing.

XP File Sharing Trouble

I went through and made sure that everything was set up the way it's supposed to (at least according to the website) but that didn't do me any good. If I could see the computer and just not have access to it then I'd be just fine, but I can't even get that far. Computers 1 & 2 can interact with each other just fine, but it's computer 3 (my XP box) that just doesn't want to cooperate. It's basically invisible on the network. It can't see computers 1 & 2 and they can't see it.

I even tried pinging my win2k box from my XP box and it can't seem to find it. I know I don't have the built-in firewall enabled and I didn't install anything else (this is a fresh install) so what could be keeping XP from seeing everyone else?

 

[orion7144]

If you click on network neighborhood (on the XP box) and on the left there is a place to click to set up a network (something like that I am at work on a NT box) go through the steps and at the end it will ask you if you want to create a network disk. Do so and then run it on your non XP machines and all will be good.

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: orion7144
If you click on network neighborhood (on the XP box) and on the left there is a place to click to set up a network (something like that I am at work on a NT box) go through the steps and at the end it will ask you if you want to create a network disk. Do so and then run it on your non XP machines and all will be good.

I just tried that and the XP box still can't see the other machines (well, at least the 2k machine, the 98 machine has been turned off). When I tried to run the netwotk disk that XP made on my win2k box it said that it was for 98/98se/Me only.

There has to be something simple that I'm forgetting, but I can't for the life of me figure it out.

EDIT:

I finally managed to figure it out. I had NetBEUI installed on my other two PCs and that's the protocol I was using for File and Print sharing but it wasn't installed on Windows XP. The minute I installed NetBEUI I saw both my computers and everything that was shared.

If you're wondering why I have netBeui installed instead of just enabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP I had read somewhere that enableing NetBIOS would leave your pc open to attack. I don't know how true this is, but that's the way my pcs are set up and that's what was keeping me from seeing my other 2 pcs on the network.

 

[Audiofight]

You shouldn't need NetBEUI to share files and print services. Microshaft has built those into the OS now.

NetBeui is chattier than a group of old women at bingo. It is overwhelming your network with useless chatter between systems. But, to each his own.

Glad to see you got it working. Our "home" network is saturated with different OS'es. Win2k Adv Server, 2003 Server, WinXP Pro, WinXP Home, Win98, Suse 8.0

They all see each other fine without the use of NetBeui. We even have one server connected to a local Lexmark printer and have IP printing setup for any where in the house. Not to mention the Wireless connectivity for the 3 laptops. 🙂

Gotta love living in a house full of techies.

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: audiofight
You shouldn't need NetBEUI to share files and print services. Microshaft has built those into the OS now.

NetBeui is chattier than a group of old women at bingo. It is overwhelming your network with useless chatter between systems. But, to each his own.

Glad to see you got it working. Our "home" network is saturated with different OS'es. Win2k Adv Server, 2003 Server, WinXP Pro, WinXP Home, Win98, Suse 8.0

They all see each other fine without the use of NetBeui. We even have one server connected to a local Lexmark printer and have IP printing setup for any where in the house. Not to mention the Wireless connectivity for the 3 laptops. 🙂

Gotta love living in a house full of techies.

Like I said, the only reason I had netbeui installed is cause of something I read a while back that said that enabling netbios over tcp/ip isn't very secure. Since it was late at night and I didn't feel like fixing my 98, and 2k box it was just easier to install netbeui on the XP box.

Once I start rebuilding my machines I may switch over to netbios over tcp/ip but for now it's working fine and that's all I care about 🙂