computers won't ping

[cmillar6]

this one has me stumped,

trying to setup a home network between a wireless laptop running Vista and a Dell desktop running XP Pro using a 2701HG wireless router/modem provided by ISP (Bellsouth). Both PC's belong to the same workgroup but I still cannot get the computers to detect one another. The Vista laptop does show up in "my network places" on the desktop running xp but I cannot access it, it says access denied. The xp desktop does not show up at all in vista. When I try to ping the laptop from the desktop or vise versa the ping is unsuccessful. I figure this is the problem. Both PC's have no 3rd party firewalls running, windows firewall is correctly configured. The weird thing is both PC's connected to the router surf the net just fine.

What could be preventing the PC's from pinging one another?

[doctorgonzo]

Disable the Windows firewall and see if that helps.

[cmillar6]

tried that already, the only security software running on both machines is AVG 8.0 free version.

[doctorgonzo]

Disable all your security software and give it another go. When setting up networks like this, it's usually helpful to get everything working with no security turned on, and then add things one at a time, making sure everything still works.

[cmillar6]

tried that already, with absolutely nothing running security wise the PC's won't ping one another. I even disabled the firewall in the modem/router.

[glc]

I think you might have to run a wizard in the 2Wire before it will let computers on the LAN see each other. I seem to remember something like that.

[mojo]

Setup a password on both machines. Vista really doesn't like to share files without passwords on the user accounts.

[glc]

Mojo, he can't even ping one with the other.

[cmillar6]

I had to leave yesterday without being able to solve the problem. I do however remember running the wizard when I reset the router and don't recall being asked about file sharing. I spoke with the network tech support at Bellsouth and they were unable to pinpoint the problem, they ended up telling me to reinstall windows on the XP machine. I left telling my father in law to just have a bellsouth tech come out and replace the modem/router, that has to be the problem.

By the way, both machines do share the same password/username, I have read every vista/xp networking tip google can provide.