Home network with Win98, Win2K, and XP

[stevef919]

I have a home network that consists of a primary computer running Win98SE, and varying secondary computers running Win98SE, Win2K, and Win XP. The two computers are connected through a router, which also provides the Internet connection to a DSL.
Computers running Win98SE have no apparent problem and can see all the shared folders and printers on the other computer.
When I installed the computer with Win2K as the secondary, it can see the Win98 shared folders and printers. The Win98 computer can see the Win2K computer, but can't access anything. The login on both computers is the same.
Now for the best. The Win XP computer can't see the Win98 computer at all. But the Win98 computer can see the XP shared folders, and push/pull files. I would have expected exactly the opposite with the increased security of XP.
A few notes. The Win98 computers could not see each other until I installed NETBEUI. The Win2K/98 computers needed IPX. I installed IPX on the XP computer also.
Can anyone shed light on this?

[imfusio2]

Sounds like you have a mix-match of some Protocols..
I would suggest you try to use one solid protocol, preferably TCP/IP on all machines? Or if worse comes to worst, you can install all available protocols on all machines? perhaps that way they would have no choice?

[imfusio2]

Either that or you could try checking your computer's names/workgroups/domain settings, and ensure they are all in the same one.

[johnwill]

Get rid of IPX on all computers. If you still have issues, you can install NETBEUI on the XP systems using the following technique, that sometimes helps. Note that you can either get them from the XP-CD, or there's a direct download link at the bottom of the message.

To install NetBEUI on Windows XP:

Insert your Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (close the Autorun window) and use the explore option from a right click of the drive in My Computer then go the \Valueadd\MSFT\Net\NetBEUI folder.

Copy Nbf.sys to the "Windows"\System32\Drivers folder.

Copy Netnbf.inf to the "Windows"\Inf folder (hidden: change the View Settings). (Where "Windows" is the name of the folder that windows is installed in) Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.

Right-click the adapter you want to add NetBEUI to, and then click Properties .

On the General tab, click Install.

Click Protocol, and then click Add.

Click to select NetBEUI Protocol from the list and then click OK.

Restart your computer if you receive a prompt to complete the installation.

The NetBEUI protocol should now be installed and working.

If you have an OEM installation or don't have the XP CD, you can also download the necessary files from:

NETBEUI Install Files for XP