connecting a router in a LAN

[Force Flow]

I have connected a router to the LAN I'm on so I could have use of the internet on more than one computer.

The only catch is that I can't see computers on the LAN anymore. I have to manually type in the IP to gain access to shared documents. Even then, it seems to time out after 10-15 min or so during a large transfer.

Any suggestions?

[yellohut]

what is your current configuration?

are all the computers plugged into the router? are there any other networking components involved, i.e. hubs...?
are you using internet copnnection sharing at all?

[scott_d]

If your already on a LAN, then adding a router wont work too well I dont think.
I would try using a switch to do it.
HTH

[Force Flow]

The problem is I am only allowed 1 MAC address, otherwise I would be using a switch. Hence the reason for a router (LinkSys BEFSR41, btw).

Right now, I only have my main comp connected to the router. No hubs or switches.

[Confused]

The router has a built in switch. I presume they are all in same workgroup with each having a unique name. Has file and print sharing been enabled on all PC's? What OS is running on the PC's?
Chas

[Force Flow]

Correct. Same workgroup, unique names, file & print sharing enabled, XP Pro and XP Home are on the other machines.

This is how it is set up:
[LAN]---->[router]----->[my comp]

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, what you describe is clearly not normal. There should be no issue with connecting to the other systems. I've installed dozens of broadband routers, and this has never been an issue. I'm guessing you have something like lousy cables or loose connectors, rather than any configuration issues.

[mairving]

It is probably a browser issue. At the cmd prompt type in:
browstat status.
This will tell you who the master browser is for the NN. Once you determine who the master browser is go to that machine and see if you can access those machines. You can also prevent other computers from maintaining the browse list if you want.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I can't imagine this being a computer browser issue, since that doesn't suddenly stop recognizing the name. When you have a browser election failure, you can't find the workstations when you first connect.

[Force Flow]

Are you sure that's the right command? I keep getting a "command not recognized" error.

The names of the machines are not recognized, but if I manually type in their IP addresses, I can access them.

ie - if I type in "\\bob" (bob being the machine name) it will not find that computer on the LAN when I have the router connected. I have to manually type in the machine's IP (ie - "\\513.100.x.x"), which is a big pain in the rear.

If I try to search by workgroup it finds nothing, but as soon as I take out the router, all the computers in the workgroup can be seen.

So, while I'm behind the router, I am trying to access computers outside the router on the LAN. Is the problem that when I type in a computer's name it searches the network created by the router, and not the network above it?

      [main router]
              |
              |
        [switches]
               |
              / \
            /     \
       [bob]   [router]
                     |
                     |
          [Force's computer]

[bonzai]

Force_flow - what you describe is normal. You can only access computer resources within the LAN by computer name. To access shared resources beyond the router, you will have to do it by IP address.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Why do you have a second router daisy-chained?

[glc]

This is a university setup I believe - he has one IP and one MAC allocated to his room and he is using his own router to add more computers to it. I'm assuming "bob" is another computer in another room.

[Force Flow]

So there's no way around it then. Ah well. Thanks, guys.

[gunrunnerjohn]

You can put one of the computers on the router in the DMZ, that will allow that computer to connect to other computers across the router.

[Force Flow]

What's the DMZ?

[edit]: Okay, I have developed another problem. People outside my router can't see my computer. Can I fix that?

[gunrunnerjohn]

Originally posted by force_flow2002 What's the DMZ? [edit]: Okay, I have developed another problem. People outside my router can't see my computer. Can I fix that?

This is the problem that the DMZ will solve. The DMZ is a setting in the router that basically exposes one computer on the router to everything on the WAN side of the router. It will allow file sharing with that computer.

[Force Flow]

Thanks, gunrunnerjohn