[SOLVED] Problems with XP wireless network

[Maest]

Hello,

I have two computers (a desktop and a laptop) connected to a linksys router, which in turn, is connected to the Internet. The desktop is wired, the laptop is wireless. They are both running windows XP sp2. The desktop is also running Kaspersky antivirus and the desktop is running Avast Home, if that matters. Neither computer has any other firewall except the windows one.

Both computers have Internet access, but I can't seem to manage to make them see each other on the network.

I've used this guide to set up the network: http://it.toolbox.com/wiki/index.php...haring_Network

Each computer only sees itself on the network, and only it's shared files and folders. However this only happens when I take off the Windows firewall.

[clyde123]

Firstly, are both computers using the same Workgroup name ?
Also sounds like a firewall issue, on one or another of the computers.

[Maest]

Yes, they're both under the same Workgroup name: ACASA.

There is no firewall installed on either computer apart from the default Windows one, which I've made sure I've taken down.

[johnwill]

Turn off any firewalls for debugging. If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses. Note that some firewalls must be completely uninstalled to stop them from affecting your networking.

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:

PING each remote computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name. Open a command prompt as described above and type.

PING <ip address>
or
PING <computer name>

Where:
<ip address> - is the x.x.x.x IP address
<computer name> - is the computer name

A failure to PING is almost always a firewall configuration issue. Any failure to PING needs to be corrected before you go any farther.

Note: You can obtain the IP address and computer name of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing IPCONFIG /ALL. This should work for any Windows version. The IPCONFIG /ALL display will provide a wealth of useful information for debugging your network connection.

Check your Services are Started on all PCs:

• Computer Browser
• DHCP Client
• DNS Client
• Network Connections
• Network Location Awareness
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
• Server
• TCP/IP Netbios helper
• Workstation

Note: You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services.

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic.

All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly. File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from. You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Neighborhood, make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login.

While the default NetBIOS setting is correct for normal network configurations, it's possible for it to be altered, and it costs nothing to make sure it's correct. NETBIOS over TCP/IP must be enabled for normal network browsing.

[Maest]

Oddly enough, after I've tried pinging it started working. I'm positive I'd turned off the firewalls before I tried the previous time.

Anyway, is there a way I can keep windows firewall up and still be able to share files?

[johnwill]

Yep, configure the firewall to allow file/print sharing. You can do that as follows.

Control Panel, Windows Firewall, select the Exceptions tab, and check File and Printer Sharing.

[Maest]

Many thanks, that worked.

[johnwill]

Glad we could help.