home networking

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I am trying to set up my home network with a desktop and laptop. Both
computers are running XP SP2 Home Edition. I have gone through the sharing
and configuration wizards and articles with no luck. I wonder if it is
related to the way my network is physically hooked up. The desktop is
connected via Ethernet cable to a Netgear wireless router and the laptop
connects wireless to the router.

Under Network places on the desktop it shows both a 1394 Netadapter and a
Realtek FamilyFast Ethernet NIC. (I don't know which is actually being used).
The laptop shows Dell Wireless 1470 DualBand WLAN. The wired LAN connection
is X'ed out.

Both computers have the same workgroup name and have file sharing and
printer sharing activated. They both connect to the Internet but not to each
other.

So my questions are: Does the desktop need to be setup with a network card
to connect to router and be on the same wireless network as the laptop, or
can I use the existing wired connection? Is there some other type of
configuration suggestion? I have asked at the local computer store and they
only suggested checking the configuration.

Thanks.
 
I am trying to set up my home network with a desktop and laptop. Both
computers are running XP SP2 Home Edition. I have gone through the sharing
and configuration wizards and articles with no luck. I wonder if it is
related to the way my network is physically hooked up. The desktop is
connected via Ethernet cable to a Netgear wireless router and the laptop
connects wireless to the router.

Under Network places on the desktop it shows both a 1394 Netadapter and a
Realtek FamilyFast Ethernet NIC. (I don't know which is actually being used).
The laptop shows Dell Wireless 1470 DualBand WLAN. The wired LAN connection
is X'ed out.

Both computers have the same workgroup name and have file sharing and
printer sharing activated. They both connect to the Internet but not to each
other.

So my questions are: Does the desktop need to be setup with a network card
to connect to router and be on the same wireless network as the laptop, or
can I use the existing wired connection? Is there some other type of
configuration suggestion? I have asked at the local computer store and they
only suggested checking the configuration.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

If both computers are connected to the router, one wired and the other wireless,
they are both connected to the same network. The router radio (WAP) is
connected as a peer to the switch which also connects the LAN Ethernet ports.All
LAN ports, and the WAP, are connected on the same network.

If both computers connect to the Internet, then I'd bet you do not have physical
connectivity issues. One of the most common causes of this problem would be a
misconfigured or overlooked personal firewall, but there are other possibilities
too. What antivirus product do you use?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, so we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp
 
Thanks. I will try your suggestions. To answer your question: the desktop
uses Norton and the laptop uses McAfee.
 
Thanks. I will try your suggestions. To answer your question: the desktop
uses Norton and the laptop uses McAfee.
Click to expand...

Both Norton and McAfee contain antitrojan / antiworm components that require the
same attention as a firewall, if you want Windows Networking to work. See the
Irregularities article for details.
 
Chuck, Thanks for your help so far. I think I have checked everything in
your articles. Here is what I found and changed:
On the laptop Microsoft Firewall was active. I turned it off and will only
use McAfee. Microsoft Firewall was already turned off on the desktop. I
will only use Norton. On the laptop I cleaned up the browser stack and
deselected AEGIS Protocol. On both computers I had to enable NetBIOS over
TCP/IP.

Here is the ipconfig and browstat for the desktop:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-A6-9B-24-02
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 10, 2006
7:49:13 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 11, 2006
6:41:08 PM

Status for domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{2EB0EEF2-5E2C-4046-B5AC-2B341834CFA2}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

And here is the ipconfig and browstat for the laptop:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Judy
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell Wireless 1470 Dual Band
WLAN Mini-PCI Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-45-CC-7F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 10, 2006
7:46:46 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 11, 2006
4:22:08 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-22-B7-29-BB

Status for domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: JUDY
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master JUDY
\\JUDY
There are 2 servers in domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}
There are 1 domains in domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}


So it looks like a browswer problem not being enabled on the desktop. I
also powered down both computers and restarted after making the changes noted
above on the network configurations.

Thanks again.
 
Chuck, Thanks for your help so far. I think I have checked everything in
your articles. Here is what I found and changed:
On the laptop Microsoft Firewall was active. I turned it off and will only
use McAfee. Microsoft Firewall was already turned off on the desktop. I
will only use Norton. On the laptop I cleaned up the browser stack and
deselected AEGIS Protocol. On both computers I had to enable NetBIOS over
TCP/IP.

Here is the ipconfig and browstat for the desktop:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-A6-9B-24-02
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 10, 2006
7:49:13 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 11, 2006
6:41:08 PM

Status for domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{2EB0EEF2-5E2C-4046-B5AC-2B341834CFA2}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

And here is the ipconfig and browstat for the laptop:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Judy
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell Wireless 1470 Dual Band
WLAN Mini-PCI Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-45-CC-7F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 10, 2006
7:46:46 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 11, 2006
4:22:08 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-22-B7-29-BB

Status for domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: JUDY
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master JUDY
\\JUDY
There are 2 servers in domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}
There are 1 domains in domain RJJW on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{A5A7136B-C3F9-4930-B54B-63ECE31BBC03}


So it looks like a browswer problem not being enabled on the desktop. I
also powered down both computers and restarted after making the changes noted
above on the network configurations.
Click to expand...

Strange.

Judy can see both computers ("There are 2 servers in domain"), but DESKTOP can
see neither. You still have a problem somewhere.

That AEGIS Protocol has been a problem before. What did you cleanup in the
protocol stack?
 
The AEGIS protocol was selected on the laptop (Judy). After I saw the
article and verified that it wasn't needed, I deselected it. I made no other
changes to it.
 
The AEGIS protocol was selected on the laptop (Judy). After I saw the
article and verified that it wasn't needed, I deselected it. I made no other
changes to it.
Click to expand...

Well, this is certainly interesting. You have 3 things which intrigue me.
# The AEGIS protocol on Judy. I've run into this before, and just deselecting
it isn't always the solution.
# The dual network cards on Judy. I've not yet figured out how servers support
dual network interfaces. Clients are simple enough - Automatic Metric takes
care of that.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/have-laptop-will-travel.html#Dual>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/have-laptop-will-travel.html#Dual
# Why is Judy running as the master browser? Is the Browser service not running
on DESKTOP?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/services-running-on-your-computer.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/services-running-on-your-computer.html
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

Look again for a misconfigured or overlooked personal firewall, and for other
possibilities too.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

Then go thru my longer troubleshooting guide. There's something we're missing,
but not being in front of the problem, I'm at a loss.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html
 
Great progress has been made. The light regarding firewalls finally went off
in my head last night just as I was going to bed. I had checked and double
checked the Windows firewall settings and didn't understand why things
weren't working, even though I knew Windows Firewall was turned off and I was
using the 3rd party firewall. This finally hit me last night. Instead of
looking back through the literature for the firewall software I turned off
the 3rd part software and turned on the Microsoft firewall. I also powered
down both computers and turned on the desktop first.

Now the desktop is the master browser. I am able to access the desktop
shared folders on the from Judy's computer and share the printer. However I
can't yet access Judy's shared folders from the desktop. But I am getting
closer... I know you have some more TS guides, but I haven't looked at them
fully I just wanted to give an update regarding the firewalls. I will go
back through the settings on Judy's computer to look for another
configuration issue. I will let you know how it comes out.

I am happy that things are working. At this point I am getting what I
really need, which is the printer sharing. There still looks there is an
issue that I need to work on. Browstat on the desktop is only showing the
desktop computer and browstat on the laptop is sending back error 53. I know
you have specific information on this that I need to look at.

My only question at this point is. 'Can I set the desktop so it is always
the master browser?" I thought I read in your article that sometimes if the
master browser is turned off another computer becomes the master browser and
cause conflicts all over again.

Thanks again. You have been a great help!
 
Great progress has been made. The light regarding firewalls finally went off
in my head last night just as I was going to bed. I had checked and double
checked the Windows firewall settings and didn't understand why things
weren't working, even though I knew Windows Firewall was turned off and I was
using the 3rd party firewall. This finally hit me last night. Instead of
looking back through the literature for the firewall software I turned off
the 3rd part software and turned on the Microsoft firewall. I also powered
down both computers and turned on the desktop first.

Now the desktop is the master browser. I am able to access the desktop
shared folders on the from Judy's computer and share the printer. However I
can't yet access Judy's shared folders from the desktop. But I am getting
closer... I know you have some more TS guides, but I haven't looked at them
fully I just wanted to give an update regarding the firewalls. I will go
back through the settings on Judy's computer to look for another
configuration issue. I will let you know how it comes out.

I am happy that things are working. At this point I am getting what I
really need, which is the printer sharing. There still looks there is an
issue that I need to work on. Browstat on the desktop is only showing the
desktop computer and browstat on the laptop is sending back error 53. I know
you have specific information on this that I need to look at.

My only question at this point is. 'Can I set the desktop so it is always
the master browser?" I thought I read in your article that sometimes if the
master browser is turned off another computer becomes the master browser and
cause conflicts all over again.
Click to expand...

That's a great start.

The browser is used so you can see one computer from another. On a 2 computer
LAN, browsing is only needed then when both computers are online. That being
the case, simply stop and disable the browser on the laptop. Make sure the
browser is running on the desktop. After you power both computers off then on,
the desktop will be the master browser.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html
 
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