"Alex" said:
I have a pc running xp home edition that would not see the
work group. Four other computers running xp professional
work fine. I upgraded the xp home to xp professional and
it still will not see any computers in the workgroup. All
protocols are installed, it can access the internet,
everything is fine except for that. Any suggestions will
help
A key to Windows networking is to use the same, single network
protocol for file and printer sharing on all computers. Using more
than one protocol can make the network unreliable, especially when XP
is involved. Remove NetBEUI and IPX/SPX from all computers unless you
have a specific need for them. If you use one of them for file and
printer sharing, un-bind sharing from the other protocols. I've
written a web page with details:
Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm
If that doesn't solve the problem, try these tips:
1. Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection Firewall on
local area network connections -- it's for use only on a direct modem
connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all other
firewalls while troubleshooting. Details here:
Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/ic_firewall.htm
2. Use only one protocol for File and Printer Sharing. If the network
needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing from all
but one of them. Details here:
Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm
3. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers.
Details here:
Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/netbt.htm
4. Run "ipconfig /all" on XP and look at the "Node Type" at the
beginning of the output. If it says "Peer-to-Peer" (which should
actually be "Point-to-Point") that's the problem. It means that the
computer only uses a WINS server, which isn't available on a
peer-to-peer network for NetBIOS name resolution.
If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:
HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters
and delete these values if they're present:
NodeType
DhcpNodeType
Reboot, then try network access again.
If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".
For details, see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177
TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314053
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com