[SOLVED] unable to ping workgroup computer from domain computer

[rajeshamara]

Hi All,
I searched google, found half baked answers but couldn't get a complete solution.
Here is the description of my problem
1)I have a personal laptop with Windows XP Home and an office computer with Windows XP Professional
2)My Personal laptop is in a workgroup and My office laptop in a domain
3)I can ping my office laptop (domain) from my personal laptop (Workgroup) using the ipaddress
4)But When I tried to ping my personal laptop (workgroup) from my office laptop using the ipaddress I am getting a timeout.
5)I don't want to change my office laptop's computer name such that it will be part of the workgroup, as it will screw up every thing and I will not be able to use my office laptop at my work place.

Right now I am clueless. I thought ping is bidirection. I hope some body can help me with a simple resolution. I want a solution with the existing infrastructure.
May be NetBIos Solution? May be some other setting needs to be change.

I am ok to change some settings where I can revert back after I am done with my work.
Thanks
Rajesh

[johnwill]

I suspect that you have a firewall on the personal computer that is blocking the pings.

Let's see this for each of the two machines.

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:

Note that there is a space before the -n or the /ALL, but there is NOT a space after the - or / in the following commands.

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.

[rajeshamara]

Thank Johnwill for the quick reply. Actually I am work, I will try this at home tonight and will post the results here. The only firewall I have is from the Windows firewall, which I disabled. .
Thanks
Rajesh

[rajeshamara]

here are the results

personal laptop : XP Home : Workgroup
--------------------------------------
NBTSTAT -n
------------
Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.123.167] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
KUSHI <00> UNIQUE Registered
AMARASOFT <00> GROUP Registered

Wireless Network Connection:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

Local Area Connection 3:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

IPCONFIG /ALL
--------------
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KUSHI
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
hsd1.pa.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100
Integrated Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-C5-BC-43-AE
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.167
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:57:28 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, September 01, 2008
2:57:28 PM

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-18-F3-7D-6A-24
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.6
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:59:21 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:59:21 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Cisco Systems VPN Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-05-9A-3C-78-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.18.31
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :


Office laptop : XP Prof : Domain
--------------------------------------
NBTSTAT -n
------------
Wireless Network Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.0.3] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
RAMARA-02 <00> UNIQUE Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <00> GROUP Registered
RAMARA-02 <20> UNIQUE Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <1E> GROUP Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.123.139] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
RAMARA-02 <00> UNIQUE Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <00> GROUP Registered
RAMARA-02 <20> UNIQUE Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <1E> GROUP Registered
SEI-DOMAIN-1 <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

IPCONFIG /ALL
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ramara-02
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : corp.seic.com
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : corp.seic.com
hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
seic.com

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-E0-62-DA-87
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:18:25 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:18:25 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-38-C0-50-66
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.139
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:54:15 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, September 01, 2008 2:54:15 PM

[johnwill]

You have both a wired and wireless connection there, how about a description of exactly how all of this equipment is connected?

Since you have both wired and wireless with a Default Gateway, the wired connection is taking precedence for the connection. The Default Gateway of 192.168.123.254 doesn't appear to be a standard router, exactly what are the wired connections attached to?

[rajeshamara]

I have a GigaFast router and linksys wireless router.
I use the GigaFast when I connect the ethernet cables (because it has support for the network printer).
I use Linksys router for wireless purposes

Both My office laptop (domain computer) and My Home computer(Workgroup) are connected to the GigaFast router using ethernet cables
If you see the following

Personal Laptop (WorkGroup)
---------------------------------------------------------
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100
Integrated Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-C5-BC-43-AE
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.167
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:57:28 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, September 01, 2008
2:57:28 PM


and the office laptop (Domain)
---------------------------------------
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-38-C0-50-66
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.139
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.123.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.75.194
68.87.64.146
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, July 21, 2008 10:54:15 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, September 01, 2008 2:54:15 PM

both are connected to the same gateway
192.168.123.254

After connecting both the laptops to the gigafast router
I ping my office laptop from my personal laptop
using the command
ping 192.168.123.139
which returns back the results

But when I ping my personal laptop from the my office laptop
using the command
ping 192.168.123.167
it is timing out.

[johnwill]

Well, that's typically a firewall blocking access. However, two networks to the same machine may be confusing it as well.

[rajeshamara]

I will try hooking up every thing to the linksys wireless router.
Let me ask you one more question, If 2 computers are connected to the same network (no matter what configuration of the computers), should they be able to ping each other using the IP address. When I searched google, on this issue, Domain and workgroup in the same network, It looks like lot of people are having the same problem. I figured out since this is a known problem, probably some body should have figured out a solution by now.

Were you ever successful in pinging a workgroup and a domain computer on the same network in both the directions.

Thanks
Rajesh

[johnwill]

Yes, if they are in the same subnet range on the same router, and the firewalls on each of the computers are configured to allow ICMP (PING) requests. For file/print sharing to be functional, you need to first get ping by name between the two computers.

[rajeshamara]

Hi John,
This is what i did.
1)Disable the wireless on both the computers
2)Connected both the laptops to the linksys wireless router using the ethernet cables
3)Diabled the firewall on my personal laptop (Workgroup)
4)The result is same => I can ping my office computer (domain) from my personal computer (workgroup) using the ip adress
5)I am unable ping my personal computer (workgroup) from my office laptop (domain).
I am pinging by IP address. When I ping using the computer name, it is able to resolve the DNS. It correctly translates the IP address.

So basically I am at standstill. Long before I never had problem pinging each other when all the computers were on the same workgroup (desktop and laptop). It is just when I am trying to ping a workgroup laptop from a domain laptop, the problem happens.

It basically sucks.

Hope some body will show me the solutions.

[rajeshamara]

Hi John,
One more thing I am not that worried about pinging by name. If I can ping by IP address that should be good enough for me. I developed a client server visualization Analysis software where my server is running on my domain laptop. I am trying to simulate several clients connecting to the server by using my laptop (workgroup) connect to my server. I just needed it to test some thing. I am not interested right now in file sharing or any thing else (though it would be good if I can do that - But I can live without that).
Thanks
Rajesh

[johnwill]

Normally, this is a firewall. I've used workgroup computers in domain networks and not had any issue pinging.

[rajeshamara]

I had only windows firewall which I disabled it. Is there any way to check if firewall is enabled?
Thanks
Rajesh

[rajeshamara]

John,
You were absolutely correct in mentioning regarding firewall. I didn't realize that I had Mcafee AntiVirus installed and it had firewall enabled. I had to configure it to allow ICMP. And whola it worked.
Thanks
Rajesh

[shinoman]

which protocol does file sharing support? i mean dis question is a bit way off the topic but, i had the same issue with ping, and it is actually a firewall issue, so enabled icmp, and was able to ping no problem..i want to do file sharing on 2 comps though, one is vista and other is xp..my xp pc can see the files in vista, but not the other way around..had the same problem with ping, but fix it with the ICMP protocol..which protocol should I enable for my issue?I enabled FTP but didnt make any diffrence.
thanks

[shinoman]

well to answer my question, i enable some of the obvious protocols like udp, tcp, ftp, samba etc etc..and enable the log..when i access the folder, i was able to access it..log comes up as
protocol: tcp
services: windows networking

so im not 100% sure coz I enable heaps more protocol lyk, windows sharing etc..

so yeah it works now tho