Need Networking Advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris
  • Start date Start date
C

Chris

I am a total novice at networking and am asking mainly
for advice and not so much technical help, as I wouldn't
be able to understand NETBUI from NETBIOS!

First, a little background: I run horse shows, and need
to set-up a horse show office twelve times a year, for
anywhere from four days to two weeks each time. My set-up
consists of four laptops and one desktop. The primary
laptop (or host) runs 2000 Pro. The second laptop also
runs 2000 Pro. The third laptop runs XP Pro and the final
one runs XP Home. The desktop runs XP Home as well. Aside
from these twelve times, all of these computers live in
their padded cases. I use a wired system with a hub.

The problem: Every time I set-up the system, half the
computers can't seem to see or communicate with the rest
of them. I have paid four different network "experts" to
come to the shows and get them working over the past two
years, and to their credit, they do. BUT, only for that
show. When we get all the equipment out and set-up for
the next show, SAME PROBLEM. Getting tired and fed up.

Advice: Would it be better if all the computers were on
the same operating system? With all of the networking
nightmares I hear and read about with XP, should I switch
all my computers to 2000 Pro? Any general advice would be
appreciated. Thank you.
 
Hi Chris,

It doesn't matter what operating system you are running.
You can network machines running different operating
systems. Going to Windows 2000 is a choice your are going
to have to make yourself. However, I haven't experienced
any trouble with Windows XP and going back to Windows
2000 at least I cannot say it will help.

You say that half of the computers can't see or
communicate with the rest of them? First off, make sure
all firewalls are disabled. The XP built-in firewall is
only intended for direct connections to the Internet and
must be disabled on local area networks. Disable or
remove other personal firewalls while troubleshooting.

The basics are the all machines must be the same
workgroup name and have the same subnet mask. If the
subnet mask is different, they are on different networks
and yes you'll probably not see them.

__________________
Eric
 
Back
Top