Networking XP Professional for file/printer behind a Linksys WRT54G Router

[phaedrus06]

Hey there,

It's been a while but I got a seemingly unsolvable problem. Three computers are needed to be networked and all are running Windows XP Pro. The two laptops connects wirelessly behind a Linksys WRT54G Router, and the Desktop connect via a ethernet cable from the router. First I tried the easy stuff:

1) Use Network Wizard and shut off all firewalls.
2) Set all workgroups generically to MSHOME (I used DAS_CASA first but then reconfigured them to run under MSHOME thinking that a more generic name would work better).
3) Enabled simple file sharing on all PC's (tried without it too).
4) Picked different folders for file sharing. No go.
5) Tried to see if the Epson CX3800 printer was available on the network. No go.
6) Registry cleaned, virus scanned, etc. No go.

Basically after all that I could not see any of the computers in My Network Places. I click on My Network Places ==> MSHOME and then the explorer is blank with nothing in the network share. Oh, all computers were of course online and restarted after all this.

Then after that I tried to Manually set the workgroup name and file sharing settings. No go. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling TCP/IP. No go. When I ping the computers IP Addresses they show up in the CMD Prompt no problem but I still can't see them in My Network Places.

I tried the program Network Magic by Pure Networks and that worked flawlessly so I know the computers can see each other but why it does not display in my Network Places I don't know. Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[glc]

Try installing NetBEUI.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301041

Also, XP Pro by default does not allow access across the network to computers that are not using a password to log on. You can do a group policy edit to fix this.

Go to the Start Menu and click on Run. Type in gpedit.msc and click OK. Navigate to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options. Now double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only. Change this to Disabled and click OK.

[phaedrus06]

Thank you, I am currently trying this and will let you know the results. Curious but why does the old NetBIOS or NetBEUI need to be installed? I read something about it before but did not think of trying it.

Oh, another thing on Vista I was having similar issues so does that too come with the NetBEUI protocol uninstalled or is their something else that M$ came up with to make my life more difficult? I'd like to think that just using the network wizard would take care of it. Anyhow the Vista PC would connect with the other three running XP Pro.

Thanks again. Cheers.

[phaedrus06]

Did all that but still nothing under MSHOME. Sigh...

OK now silly question but when I go to check the computers in my network and the files and printers they are sharing I am supposed to go to


My Computer ==> My Network Places ==> Entire Network ==>Microsoft Windows Network

==> MSHOME


and all the files I am sharing should be there right?

Thanks.

[glc]

Not exactly - the next window after MSHOME will show all computers in the workgroup.

NetBEUI on Vista: http://www.mac-net.com/174984.page

[phaedrus06]

Still not connected. But thank you for the help thus far.

Is there anything I am missing? I mean as far as I am concerned the computers should all be connected by now with the local policy now changed and NetBEUI installed.

Is there a problem with my Windows version you suppose? or is there anything else I can try or you can think of to these PC's networked.

Perhaps there is a protocol conflict? To many installed (Network Magic is still there)? Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

[glc]

Are you sure there are no software firewalls running?

[phaedrus06]

Windows says there are no firewalls active. That and I uninstalled any firewall software the PC may have come with so I am pretty sure there are no firewalls. Also none of the Network adapters say that they are firewalled. This is really bothersome.

I'll ask these questions again in case we may have over looked something.

1) Any protocol conflicts possible?
2) Services conflicts?
3) Possible that the OS itself may have issues. Two of them are running from the same install of XP Pro and they are having the most problems. The one laptop that is running off another install seems to be working better. When I click on My Network Places on that laptop it takes me to all the connected folders on the network MSHOME but I just cannot link to them. It says I am not allowed.
4) Any troubleshooting steps in the vein of uninstalling and reinstalling protocols that you might suggest?

In the end I am simply tempted to put on another version of XP since I believe that to be the culprit. Please though in the mean time look at my questions and see if any of them may be useful as reinstalling the OS would be a last resort. Thanks.

[glc]

Two of them are running from the same install of XP Pro and they are having the most problems.

This is not legal unless you have 2 separate product keys. It may or may not be the cause of your problem, but the way this forum is structured, we have to advise you to get legal.

When I click on My Network Places on that laptop it takes me to all the connected folders on the network MSHOME but I just cannot link to them. It says I am not allowed.

It's showing all those shortcuts because you have the box checked to automatically find shared folders and printers. This only means that at one time, it was working - and those shortcuts are persistent till you manually delete them.

Actually, NetBEUI should work through firewalls. It's TCP/IP that's a pain.

Have you tried connecting the laptops with a CAT 5 yet instead of running them wireless?

[phaedrus06]

The two copies are volume licensed from my former company, I did not install them. I will try to run them directly in both ad hoc Wi-Fi mode and then via RJ-45 CATV cables instead of through the router.

Is is possible that perhaps NetBEUI is conflicting with TCP/IP? Should I uninstall TCP/IP?

Lastly is there perhaps a configuration in my router that deserves some attention? The firewall appears to be off on it. Should I utilize DMZ networking to allow all traffic? Thanks again for your help.

[phaedrus06]

New development!!!

I have all the computers connected to the third Laptop PC with the separate OS so I am convinced at this point that there is an OS issue. It's werid, because I can transfer and browse files no problem from that PC but the two from work do not show up at all on any PC.

Once again all can be pinged using either there IP address or local name but just those two do not show up in My Network Places. This leads me to believe that before I took the PC's from work that they were previously install with some sort of restriction. Or something...sigh, so bothersome.

Any ideas? I'll be cross comparing settings from both PC's. Thanks all.

[glc]

If you brought them home from work and didn't wipe and reinstall Windows, I'd advise you to do so.