Network wired XP to Wireless Vista

[iws release]

I have 2 computers in my office. 1 runs windows XP (CompXP) and is wired to a Linksys box connected to the internet, the 2nd (CompV) runs Vista and is wirelessly connected to the internet from a router that is also connected to the box. Both have internet access. CompXP can see other computers on the appropriate network, but the CompV cannot. CompV has located some other network that has a computer from another office on it. How do I get CompV onto the correct network?

[johnwill]

How about some real information about the network they're on? Are they domain networks or workgroups? What is the specific version of Vista on the machine, Home, Business, Ultimate, what?

[iws release]

The computer with Vista is running the Home Premium Edition. As for the type of network: If i go to Explorer under My Network Places on the CompXP, there is the following series of folders: My Network Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network\ then there are 2 workgroups of computers Group A and B, one of which include the XP computer. I am assuming that this means i have a workgroup, but im not sure if a Domain would look different. Clearly I have little experience with this type of thing.

[johnwill]

OK, unless you have a real server in the mix, you don't have a domain.

We really need to know details about how the network is put together. Are the two networks on different subnets? For at least one computer on each of the "networks", let's see this.

Hold the Windows key and press R, then type CMD to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands, one at a time, followed by the Enter key:

NBTSTAT -n

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

[iws release]

Computer running XP:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.0.8] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
RELEASE1 <00> UNIQUE Registered
RELEASE <00> GROUP Registered
RELEASE1 <20> UNIQUE Registered
RELEASE <1E> GROUP Registered
RELEASE <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : RELEASE1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-09-6B-84-AD-D0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.8
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 66.82.4.8
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:18:57 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, May 09, 2008 8:18:57 AM
=============================================================
Computer running Vista:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\release>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

Wireless Network Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.104] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
RELEASE2 <00> UNIQUE Registered
RELEASE <00> GROUP Registered
RELEASE2 <20> UNIQUE Registered
RELEASE <1E> GROUP Registered
RELEASE <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

C:\Users\release>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Release2
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-C9-6B-D7
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1191:db4e:1086:12c6%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.104(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, May 05, 2008 12:37:58 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, May 09, 2008 12:37:59 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 234917963
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 66.82.4.8
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : deploy101.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-B9-A3-AC-7D
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.deploy101.com
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{FF1B17A8-0B0C-4220-B9F3-5B6489618
8AD}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.1.104%12(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 66.82.4.8
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e50:18d9:27e6:3f57:fe97(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::18d9:27e6:3f57:fe97%13(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Users\release>

[johnwill]

Your second router is blocking the file sharing, you're on a different subnet and you have the router's NAT layer in the middle. To use wired and wireless like you desire, you need to configure the wireless router as an AP/switch.

Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together.

Note: The "primary" router can be an actual router, a software gateway like Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing, or a server connection that has the capability to supply more than one IP address using DHCP server capability. No changes are made to the primary "router" configuration.

Configure the IP address of the secondary router(s) to be in the same subnet as the primary router, but out of the range of the DHCP server in the primary router. For instance DHCP server addresses 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.100, I'd assign the secondary router 192.168.0.254 as it's IP address, 192.168.0.253 for another router, etc.

Note: Do this first, as you will have to reboot the computer to connect to the router again for the remaining changes.

Disable the DHCP server in the secondary router.

Setup the wireless section just the way you would if it was the primary router, channels, encryption, etc.

Connect from the primary router's LAN port to one of the LAN ports on the secondary router. If there is no uplink port and neither of the routers have auto-sensing ports, use a cross-over cable. Leave the WAN port unconnected!

This procedure bypasses the routing function (NAT layer) and configures the router as a switch (or wireless access point for wireless routers).

[iws release]

This is great to be able to get such useful advice in this manner! I am running an office on a remote pacific island out of range of any pricey "Geek Squad." So unfortunately it means it’s just a bunch of biologists trying to wire computers together. I will go ahead and attempt these suggestions, it sounds straight forward but nothing I could have figured out on my own.

[johnwill]

This configuration has worked in many locations, including right here on my network.