Lost my network connection...need some help

  • Thread starter Thread starter jbclem1
  • Start date Start date
J

jbclem1

I have a simple LAN, two computers connected via a router. It's been working fine until
today, and for some reason although from my main computer(#1) I can see computer #2 and
copy files from it, when I try from computer #2 I can't see anything. In other words,
on computer #2 I go to Network Places and run Computers Near Me. I get two icons, one
for each computer on the network, but when I double click on the icon for computer #1 I
get the error message: \\computer1 is not accessible. The network path was not found".

My router shows lights flashing for both computers. I have internet access from omputer
#1 and also from computer #2(via the router), and the computer #2 toolbar icon(double
monitors) flashes, probably showing internet activity.

I ran a ping from computer#2 and could ping computer#1 with no problem...same for a
tracert(10ms for each).

That's the extent of my networking troubleshooting knowledge. I'd appreciate some help
and some suggestions to try to fix this problem.


John
 
Have you setup a share on computer 1 and granted permissions to your account
for that share? Are you using that same account to login to computer 2?
Also check NTFS permissions.
 
Serverguy,

I have shares set up on various partitions(C,D,E, etc...) on both computers. I just
checked and they are still set correctly, with permissions given to "everyone". I don't
use NTFS. When you ask if I'm using the same account to login to computer 2 do you mean
the same user profile as the one under which I just checked the sharing...the answer is
yes, that's normally the only user profile I use.

I just checked again on Computer 2 and doubleclicked Computers Near Me (in My Network
Places) and got this error message:

Workgroup is not accessible
The network path was not found

This seems to be something more basic than sharing...but how can the network path be
working in one direction but not the other?

John
 
in message : I have shares set up on various partitions(C,D,E, etc...) on both
computers. I just
: checked and they are still set correctly, with permissions given to
"everyone". I don't
: use NTFS. When you ask if I'm using the same account to login to computer
2 do you mean
: the same user profile as the one under which I just checked the
sharing...the answer is
: yes, that's normally the only user profile I use.
:
: I just checked again on Computer 2 and doubleclicked Computers Near Me
(in My Network
: Places) and got this error message:
:
: Workgroup is not accessible
: The network path was not found
:
: This seems to be something more basic than sharing...but how can the
network path be
: working in one direction but not the other?

....because the problem is probably authentication or perhaps something we
hope it's not.

First question: What you have changed or installed or updated? In fact,
what were you doing right before it stopped working?
Are both of these system W2K Pro?
What protocols are you running?
Personal firewalls?
IDS?
Router have a firewall? If so, which ports are open?
Running Antivirus? If so, which one?
Why are you NOT running NTFS?
Have you tried connecting to the computer by IP? I don't mean ping.
net use \\x.x.x.x\ipc$ "" /u: ""
x.x.x.x = ip address of target system. You enter the command at the command
line. You get there with Start/Run, type in cmd and press [ENTER].
If you make a successful connection, type in this:
net use [ENTER]
[ENTER] = press the enter key. Do not type in [ENTER].
If you see anything other than you anonymous connection you just made,
please list it here.
Then type in this:
net view \\x.x.x.x [ENTER]
x.x.x.x = ip address [ENTER] = press enter key.
Please show your results.
BTW... net view should show you the shares on the target system.
You can also try:
nbtstat -A x.x.x.x [ENTER]
This will show you NetBIOS name table information.
Please list it here.
-A must be uppercase.

--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Online Support for IT Professionals -
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/technet/default.asp?fr=0&sd=tech
How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308201


Does the router have a firewall?
 
Roland,

I'll try to answer all the questions...

1. don't remember what I was doing at the time, I know I've installed a few new programs
but didn't notice the problem until I installed some programs that needed the network to
be functioning. One thing I had to do for the latter was set up or change a user
profile on computer2 so that it's password matched that of computer1.

2. both using Win2000 Pro

3. protocols: Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Print Sharing for Microsoft
Networks, Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

4. firewall only on the D-Link 604 router, although I did have ZoneAlarm on computer1
and disabled it a few days ago.

5. IDS? not sure what this stands for

6. I run Norton AV 2003 on computer1, but auto protect and email scanning are off.
Computer2 has Norton AV 2001, and also has Panda Titanium which I haven't used for a
week or two. Recently updated and began using Norton AV 2001 and stoppped using Panda.
Norton AV AutoProtect is not running.

7. NTFS...everything has been working fine with FAT32 and FAT16, there's a reason I
didn't want to use NTFS but I don't remember it.

8. I ran from computer1: net use \\192.168.0.100\ipc$''''/u'''' and got: " System Error
67 has occurred. The network name cannot be found."

I ran from computer2: net use \\192.168.0.101\ipc$''''/u'''' and got: System Error
53 has occurred. The network name cannot be found.


9. I ran from computer1 : net view : it shows all the correct shared resources on
computer2. (I'm running all these commands from computer1, it's computer 2 that won't
access computer1).

I ran from computer2: net view: and got "System error 53 has occurred. The network
path was not found"

10. I ran nbtstat -A 192.168.0.100 from computer1
I ran nbtstat -A 192.168.0.101 from computer2

both produced: Node IPAddress: (the opposite computers ipaddress) Scope Id: []
Host not found.

I ran nbtstat -a computer1
nbtstat -a computer2

both listed the Node IPAddress of the current computer
both produced the NetBios Remote Machine Table of the opposite computer

It's a lot of typing to list the entries (I've been on this message almost an hour now).
If they are important let me know and I'll type them out. They were almost identical(4
and 5 entries) although the computer1 entries had an additional workgroup called
...__MSBROWSE__<01> .

I'm going to have to stop now, thanks for all the suggestions...I hope there is an
answer in the results. Let me know what you think.

John





Roland Hall said:
in message : I have shares set up on various partitions(C,D,E, etc...) on both
computers. I just
: checked and they are still set correctly, with permissions given to
"everyone". I don't
: use NTFS. When you ask if I'm using the same account to login to computer
2 do you mean
: the same user profile as the one under which I just checked the
sharing...the answer is
: yes, that's normally the only user profile I use.
:
: I just checked again on Computer 2 and doubleclicked Computers Near Me
(in My Network
: Places) and got this error message:
:
: Workgroup is not accessible
: The network path was not found
:
: This seems to be something more basic than sharing...but how can the
network path be
: working in one direction but not the other?

...because the problem is probably authentication or perhaps something we
hope it's not.

First question: What you have changed or installed or updated? In fact,
what were you doing right before it stopped working?
Are both of these system W2K Pro?
What protocols are you running?
Personal firewalls?
IDS?
Router have a firewall? If so, which ports are open?
Running Antivirus? If so, which one?
Why are you NOT running NTFS?
Have you tried connecting to the computer by IP? I don't mean ping.
net use \\x.x.x.x\ipc$ "" /u: ""
x.x.x.x = ip address of target system. You enter the command at the command
line. You get there with Start/Run, type in cmd and press [ENTER].
If you make a successful connection, type in this:
net use [ENTER]
[ENTER] = press the enter key. Do not type in [ENTER].
If you see anything other than you anonymous connection you just made,
please list it here.
Then type in this:
net view \\x.x.x.x [ENTER]
x.x.x.x = ip address [ENTER] = press enter key.
Please show your results.
BTW... net view should show you the shares on the target system.
You can also try:
nbtstat -A x.x.x.x [ENTER]
This will show you NetBIOS name table information.
Please list it here.
-A must be uppercase.

--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Online Support for IT Professionals -
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/technet/default.asp?fr=0&sd=tech
How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308201


Does the router have a firewall?
Click to expand...
 
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