one can't see the other

[Talbie]

I have been fighting this problem for a few months now and just can't seem to get it. I am running a network with a Linksys router/switch. I have my cable modem pluged in to it. and my desktop and laptops. Ok the desktop can see the shared files on the laptop, but the laptop can't see the shared files on the desktop. I can play games over the network just fine. also both can get to web pages so I am getting through the router fine also. I can not ping either system from each other. any help? Like I said I have been trying for a few months to fix this. I have a few networking books but there not much help. I am running tcp/ip and ipx.

Thanks,
Talbie

[Alienware_Dude]

Is there any firewall software installed on any of the machines?

[Talbie]

Yes there is. I am running the free version of Zonealarm.

[AlwaysUp]

Dang, AlienwareDude, your box a new one? You always are a step or four ahead of me on current hardware! 8x AGP, huh? How do you like that vid card?

[Byte 2.0]

You will have to lower the security on your Zone Alarm or set up a trusted zone that your network is in to allow the computers to see each other.

[Confused]

When I got behind a router I dropped ZA and all the problems it was causing. I was having same problem as you. One PC was XP and other was WIN98. XP handled it better than WIN98. That box got so screw up, I wound up formatting and reloading.

Some say you need it or something similar for outbound security. Personally I don't worry about outbound, only inbound.
Chas

[Talbie]

I will try the zonealarm settings. I am running win ME (forgot to say that part). I do want to keep zonealarm for inbound security.

[Dangermouse1]

I had the same problem with a very similar setup and my problem was zone alarm. I dont mean it caused the problem it was i did not have it set up right. I always have za set so all the alerts show as a pop up warning but unknown to me one of my kids turned this off so every time one computer tried to access the other i did not get an alert from za and did not realise it had blocked the access. From what i remember you have to put the I.P address for each computer as a trusted site in the za settings. As far as i understand it being behind a router mean you should be safer from inbound stuff but za will stop any trojans ect calling home.

[Byte 2.0]

inbound traffic is normally blocked by the NAT in the router.

I like ZoneAlarm for outbound traffic, I like to be able set it so certain programs have no access when they want to connect to the web. as far as inbound, I am comfortable behind a NAT ROUTER.

[glc]

To share files on a LAN through free Zone Alarm, you have to run NetBeui. The other option is Zone Alarm Pro.

[Alienware_Dude]

AlwaysUp, not a "new" box, but new mainboard/processor/memory. :D

[Alan]

Going back to basics. Did you turn on File Sharing on the PC you cannot see? Did you designate which drives can be shared? I've done that many times before. Rebuild a box and add it back to the LAN but forget to turn on file sharing and share the drives

[Talbie]

sorry it has taken so long to reply to this. been really busy aat work lately.

I had multiple problems going on. some how file sharing got turned off. and yes zone alram was blocking me. I was not sure how to make a trusted IP so I just shut down zone alarm and all is fine.

now my question is how do I know if router blocks incoming stuff from the internet. I would love to not use zonealarm anymore but I am concerned. I am using a linksys etherfast calbe/DSL router (model # BEFSR41).

thanks for all the help.

Talbie

[Confused]

Go to www.grc.com and run the Shields up test. Test both Shield and Ports.
Chas

[Byte 2.0]

just to give you an IDEA of router Nat security.
I have DMZ mode set to PC number 2.
I tested my ports from PC1. I got a false alert because when testing it probed my router which then directed to my PC 2. I got a few alerts.
Then I turned off PC 2 and probed again from PC 1, then all came back in full stealth mode. That was with my router only.

I have DMZ enabled on PC 2 because of a few programs I run off of it. to fully protect it, i know I would need to run a personal firewall on it, and only allow certain programs in and out, but I am not overly concerned.

I am always much more concerned about my outgoing traffic Programs then incoming since I am behind a router.