Can't see workgroup computers / share files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt
  • Start date Start date
M

Matt

Hello group,

First, I apologize if there is a better group to post this question in
(there are so many XP newsgroups). If there is a better place, please let
me know. I have been going insane trying to get a simple network of two
computers working, so we can share files back and forth. I have looked
through ALL the help, and dozens of websites but still can't find a
situation exactly like mine, and can't find a solution that works. Here's
my situation:

I have two Windows XP computers. For this explanation, I will call them
CompA and CompB. Both computers are attached to a standard 4-port hub, and
run through a router for Internet Access. CompA has a (private) IP of
172.16.0.5 and CompB has a (private) IP of 172.16.0.x
 
(Sorry about previous post, accidentally hit CTRL+ENTER while typing)

Hello group,

First, I apologize if there is a better group to post this question in
(there are so many XP newsgroups). If there is a better place, please let
me know. I have been going insane trying to get a simple network of two
computers working, so we can share files back and forth. I have looked
through ALL the help, and dozens of websites but still can't find a
situation exactly like mine, and can't find a solution that works. Here's
my situation:

I have two Windows XP computers. For this explanation, I will call them
CompA and CompB. Both computers are attached to a standard 4-port hub, and
run through a router for Internet Access. CompA has a (private) IP of
172.16.0.5 and CompB has a (private) IP of 172.16.0.6. Both computers are
on the same subnet (255.255.0.0) and they use DHCP to generate the IPs etc.
automatically. They also belong to the same workgroup. For network
connections on each computer, I have:

Client for Microsoft Windows
File And Printer Sharing
TCP/IP

Under TCP/IP, I enabled NetBIOS on each machine, but that does no good.
Now, on CompA I can ping the IP address of CompB, but can't ping the actual
name (Ping CompB does not work). Also, in the 'My Network Places' when I
click on 'View Workgroup Computers' the computer hangs for a few minutes and
then says I can't view the workgroups and I may not have the correct
permissions. Yet on both computers my account has Admin access.

On CompB I can NOT ping CompA's IP address, nor can I ping CompA's computer
name. The CompB machine has a rather brand new install of XP so I don't
think that it is the cause. I went through Microsoft's support site and
reset the TCP/IP protocol to its original setting by running some command in
command prompt. I've tried changing the network name, workgroup, etc. but
nothing seems to work.

Is there anyone that has had a simular experience and knows how to fix it?
The cables are all fine and all hardware related stuff was checked and is
good. Thanks and let me know if you need more info.

Matt
 
Greetings --

On each WinXP PCs, create local user account(s), with non-blank
password(s), that have the desired access privileges to the desired
shares. Log on to the other PCs using those account(s), and you will
be able to access the designated shares, provided your network is
configured properly. Also, make sure that WinXP's built-in firewall
is disabled on the internal LAN connection.

Usually, WinXP's Networking Wizard makes it simple and painless --
almost entirely automatic, in fact. There's a lot of useful,
easy-to-follow information in WinXP's Help & Support files, and here:

Home Networking
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/homenet/default.asp

Networking Information
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking.htm

PracticallyNetworked Home
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/index.htm

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
(Sorry about previous post, accidentally hit CTRL+ENTER while typing)

Hello group,

First, I apologize if there is a better group to post this question in
(there are so many XP newsgroups). If there is a better place, please let
me know. I have been going insane trying to get a simple network of two
computers working, so we can share files back and forth. I have looked
through ALL the help, and dozens of websites but still can't find a
situation exactly like mine, and can't find a solution that works. Here's
my situation:

I have two Windows XP computers. For this explanation, I will call them
CompA and CompB. Both computers are attached to a standard 4-port hub, and
run through a router for Internet Access. CompA has a (private) IP of
172.16.0.5 and CompB has a (private) IP of 172.16.0.6. Both computers are
on the same subnet (255.255.0.0) and they use DHCP to generate the IPs etc.
automatically. They also belong to the same workgroup. For network
connections on each computer, I have:

Client for Microsoft Windows
File And Printer Sharing
TCP/IP

Under TCP/IP, I enabled NetBIOS on each machine, but that does no good.
Now, on CompA I can ping the IP address of CompB, but can't ping the actual
name (Ping CompB does not work). Also, in the 'My Network Places' when I
click on 'View Workgroup Computers' the computer hangs for a few minutes and
then says I can't view the workgroups and I may not have the correct
permissions. Yet on both computers my account has Admin access.

On CompB I can NOT ping CompA's IP address, nor can I ping CompA's computer
name. The CompB machine has a rather brand new install of XP so I don't
think that it is the cause. I went through Microsoft's support site and
reset the TCP/IP protocol to its original setting by running some command in
command prompt. I've tried changing the network name, workgroup, etc. but
nothing seems to work.
Click to expand...

Matt,

When you say "can't ping", can you please provide the error received.

Please do from each computer:
1) Ping the router by ip address.
2) Ping itself by name.
3) Ping itself by its own ip address.
4) Ping 127.0.0.1.

Please post here with results.

Cheers,

Chuck
I hate spam - PLEASE get rid of the spam before emailing me!
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck said:
Matt,

When you say "can't ping", can you please provide the error received.

Please do from each computer:
1) Ping the router by ip address.
2) Ping itself by name.
3) Ping itself by its own ip address.
4) Ping 127.0.0.1.

Chuck
Click to expand...

Ok, here's the results! I added a few additional PING statements including
the errored ones.

CompA (IP = 172.16.0.5)
---------
Ping Router: 4 successful replies (< 3ms each)
Ping itself by name: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping itself by IP: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 127.0.0.1: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping localhost: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 172.16.0.4: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping CompB: Ping request could not find host CompB. Please check the name
and try again. ***ERROR***

CompB (IP = 172.16.0.4)
---------
Ping Router: 4 successful replies (< 3ms each)
Ping itself by name: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping itself by IP: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 127.0.0.1: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping localhost: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 172.16.0.5: Request timed out (4 times) ***ERROR***
Ping CompA: Ping request could not find host CompA. Please check the name
and try again. ***ERROR***

There's basically that one error on CompA when pinging, and two on CompB (it
can't see CompA at all, where as CompA can see CompB when using the IP but
not when using the computer name).

Hopefully this helps in determining the problem, I am blank out of ideas! I
even tried reinstalling the network card drivers. Thanks once again!

Matt
 
Bruce Chambers said:
Greetings --

On each WinXP PCs, create local user account(s), with non-blank
password(s), that have the desired access privileges to the desired
shares. Log on to the other PCs using those account(s), and you will
be able to access the designated shares, provided your network is
configured properly. Also, make sure that WinXP's built-in firewall
is disabled on the internal LAN connection.

Usually, WinXP's Networking Wizard makes it simple and painless --
almost entirely automatic, in fact. There's a lot of useful,
easy-to-follow information in WinXP's Help & Support files, and here:

Home Networking
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/homenet/default.asp

Networking Information
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking.htm

PracticallyNetworked Home
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/index.htm

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm


Bruce Chambers
Click to expand...

Hi Bruce, and thanks for the reply.

First things first, I'm a bit confused as to what you were asking me to do.
I can create local accounts on each computer, but then when I go to the
other computer those local accounts won't be listed because they were only
created on one machine. As it stands, I have two Admin accounts with full
access to everything, and roughly six months ago I had the network working
fine with such accounts. Also, what do you mean by setting up the accounts
with the 'desired shares'?

I have also tried running through the Windows Networking Wizard. It works
fine and then tells me to run the little utility on the other computer,
which I do. Yet I still can't see the Workgroup computers on this machine
and I also can't access the other computer no matter which system I am on.
Thanks again, and I have been to almost all of the sites you mentioned
already looking for an answer, but most of the suggestions are very
repetitive on all the sites and I have tried all of them I have found. Bye!

Matt
 
Ok, here's the results! I added a few additional PING statements including
the errored ones.

CompA (IP = 172.16.0.5)
---------
Ping Router: 4 successful replies (< 3ms each)
Ping itself by name: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping itself by IP: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 127.0.0.1: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping localhost: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 172.16.0.4: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping CompB: Ping request could not find host CompB. Please check the name
and try again. ***ERROR***

CompB (IP = 172.16.0.4)
---------
Ping Router: 4 successful replies (< 3ms each)
Ping itself by name: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping itself by IP: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 127.0.0.1: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping localhost: 4 successful replies (< 1ms each)
Ping 172.16.0.5: Request timed out (4 times) ***ERROR***
Ping CompA: Ping request could not find host CompA. Please check the name
and try again. ***ERROR***

There's basically that one error on CompA when pinging, and two on CompB (it
can't see CompA at all, where as CompA can see CompB when using the IP but
not when using the computer name).

Hopefully this helps in determining the problem, I am blank out of ideas! I
even tried reinstalling the network card drivers. Thanks once again!

Matt
Click to expand...

Matt,

Are either CompA or CompB running ICF? If so, disable and repeat
unsuccessful tests.

Cheers,

Chuck
I hate spam - PLEASE get rid of the spam before emailing me!
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Matt said:
Hello group,

First, I apologize if there is a better group to post this question in
(there are so many XP newsgroups). If there is a better place, please let
me know. I have been going insane trying to get a simple network of two
computers working, so we can share files back and forth. I have looked
through ALL the help, and dozens of websites but still can't find a
situation exactly like mine, and can't find a solution that works. Here's
my situation:

I have two Windows XP computers. For this explanation, I will call them
CompA and CompB. Both computers are attached to a standard 4-port hub, and
run through a router for Internet Access. CompA has a (private) IP of
172.16.0.5 and CompB has a (private) IP of 172.16.0.x
Click to expand...

I just figured out what my problem was. Apparantly I was using Kerio
personal firewall (which I probably didn't need since I'm on a private IP
anyways) and even though it popped up no messages, I disabled it and was
able to access both computers from either one!!! Are there any firewalls
that will work and allow file sharing to local computers? Thanks for
everyone's help.

Matt
 
I just figured out what my problem was. Apparantly I was using Kerio
personal firewall (which I probably didn't need since I'm on a private IP
anyways) and even though it popped up no messages, I disabled it and was
able to access both computers from either one!!! Are there any firewalls
that will work and allow file sharing to local computers? Thanks for
everyone's help.

Matt
Click to expand...

Matt,

Many folks have reported success with Zone Alarm Pro. I would think
that any firewall that you can configure a trusted zone in would work,
and I would suspect that Kerio has that configuration in it somewhere.

A software firewall is part of a layered defense against problems.
Being on a private IP (behind a NAT router) is a start. A software
firewall is not redundant, but another component of the layering.

I'm glad that you found your problem. Configuring Kerio, or using
another software firewall, is a good idea too.

Cheers,

Chuck
I hate spam - PLEASE get rid of the spam before emailing me!
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
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