cant connect to my LAN

[ILLPHIL]

I recently finished my first build, and installed windows XP Pro on it, in hopes i would be able to connect to my LAN easily. Computer worked fine, but I could not figure out how to join into the existing LAN, the only option I could find was to create an entirely new network, which is not an option at the time because we dont want to risk losing all of our internet connections. The LAN that we have set up is a peer to peer network, and our internet acces is through Verizon ADSL. We use the internet router to route it into our network hub, which all of our computers are routed to.

Does anyone know how to add a computer using XP Pro, to a pre-existing LAN, that includes computer using 2000, ME, 95, 98SE(1 of each)
thanks

[bailey]

all you need to do is right click on my computer, hit properites, computer name, change settings, add the workgroup name, restart the system, and when it reboots it will then be connect to your work group

[ILLPHIL]

I did that but when it restarts, it sees its self as part of the workgroup, but it doesn't see any other machines, and no other machines see it.
Would it be a problem that on the new machine it wont let us use lower case letters in the workgroup? on all the other machines there are lower case letters in the name, but the windows XP makes all te letters capital.

thanks

[pzs22]

You could try to disable the built in windows XP firewall. I could not see any computers on my home network until I unclicked that firewall option, then I gave it 2 minutes and everything showed up.

[bailey]

they have to be the same case, and something has to be shared

[ILLPHIL]

Originally posted by pzs22 You could try to disable the built in windows XP firewall. I could not see any computers on my home network until I unclicked that firewall option, then I gave it 2 minutes and everything showed up.

where is the firewall option?

[bailey]

it is disabled by default

[ILLPHIL]

oh well then ill look for some other options, if worst comes to wrost ill wait another week until my family is ready to do a full upgrade to windows XP(on all the machines), and just reset the network.

[bailey]

you already have the network set up with a hub, the hub should have at least 4 ports in it ,each computer should connect to the hub you should be able to run a ca5 network cable from you computer to a open port on the hub. then set you computer with the workgroup name and upon rebooting your computer it should be connected to the entire network, you should be able to see the other computers from yours. xp will search for a network and set all the settings automatically, the other computers should be on also when you do this,

when you changed the workgroup name on your computer, it should have announced a welcom to the ###### workgroup,
then tell you to reboot, if you typed the workgroup name correctly ans have a folder shared it should work.

[ILLPHIL]

ok well in i think the problem is it all gets put in caps, but maybe that was my dads doing by accident. Also we use an rj45 cable incase thats any different than a ca5 cable.

edit- my new computer is just replacing an old one on the network, so all we did was unplug the old one at the computer, and plug that plug into the new one. should i unplug the wire from the hub too before changing workgroup name?

[Confused]

RJ45 refers to end on cable (8 pins) and CAT 5 refers to type of cable. Ethernet cables are CAT5 or above with RJ45 ends. Changing workgroup name would have nothing to do with pluging or unpluging cable. You need to make sure that workgroup name is same, including use of CAPS.

After you do that, you might try turning off the hub, PC and powering hub back up and then PC back up.
Chas

[pzs22]

Originally posted by bailey it is disabled by default

When ever I install XP the firewall always seems to be enabled. I always have to go in and disable it.

[bailey]

it may detect the type of connection you have and set it to on for you, I have yet to have to turn it off, because it never has been turned on, all my builds use xp=pro and use a lan connection and a router for the internet, you do not want it on if your useing a router and a cable/dsl connection.

[pointd]

As far as I'm aware the workgroup name is not case sensitive (or Windows displays them with case but reads them without case but I am happy to be proved wrong on this one). You should have no problem connecting this machine to your LAN without upgrading the rest of the computers.

What protocols are you using on your machines?

Are you using DHCP or static IP addresses?

If static have you double checked the settings?

Can you ping any other machines?

Have you created any shares on your XP machine?

Instead of using Network Neighbourhood try mapping a drive instead.

The XP firewall setting is in the Network Properties for your LAN connection (on the last tab I think).

[ILLPHIL]

thanks

[ILLPHIL]

pointd, i tried looking but i couldn't figure out where to find the Network Properties. Could you tell me what to look in by level
(ie. startmenu, control panel, etc...)

thanks

[Confused]

Start, right click My Network Places. Select properties. You should see your LAN. Right click on that and select advanced tab for firewall.
Chas

[ILLPHIL]

nice thanks

[ILLPHIL]

OK WOW I FEEL STUPID
i was just looking through my system folders, trying to find a way to monitor the actual performance of my system, not just what it shows in system properties. and on a totally un-related topic i found a problem with my ethernet controller. there is a little yellow ! over it in the "other devices" section of device manager. It says that the drivers are not installed for it. and I am thinking to myself sheesh was this teh only thing keeping me off the network WOW. so any of you think this is the problem, if so what CD would hav the drivers, the mobo cd, or win XP cd, i got onboard lan with P4PE

thanks a bundle

[pointd]

Yep that sounds like your problem.

If the LAN connection is onboard your motherboard then the drivers should be on your Mobo cd.

[ILLPHIL]

ok thanks a bundle.

[ILLPHIL]

ok im finally making a little progress. after I re-boot my machine as prompted, when i look in my network places i am part of the correct workgroup, and it has the correct CAPS, even though when typing it in it was all caps. But it still does not see any of the other computers, and the other computers dont see it. i was wodnering if the problem could be caused by the folder paths of the machines being different.

On the other systems it goes
network neighborhood --> entire network --> workgroup --> computers on the workgroup.

On my syste with XP pro it goes
my network places --> entire network --> microsoft windows network --> workgroup --> computers on workgroup.

if this is the problem plese tell me how to fix it. If not anyone else have any solutions. By the way the driver was installed corectly. And when I look at the network, i can see my own computer, and the shared files on it.

[pointd]

What protocols are you using on your machines?

Are you using DHCP or static IP addresses?

If static have you double checked the settings?

Can you ping any other machines?

Have you created any shares on your XP machine, or on the other machines?

Instead of using Network Neighbourhood try mapping a drive instead. (It can take up to 15 minutes for machines to appear in Network Neighbourhood)

[ILLPHIL]

I have never messed with our network so im not really sure about any of that stuff.
Where do i find out what protocol we are using, if it is static what settings have to be checked, for what?
How do I check if I can ping other machines?
I see the button for mapping a drive, but what is the procedure?

thanks, and yes there are shared files on all computers, but even if not, shouldn't they show up anyways.

[pointd]

As you appear to be a novice in networking rather then me spending 20 minutes typing out Howto's I'll point you to a couple of useful sites. If you are still struggling after looking at these then please post back and we will continue as necessary.

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
http://www.homenethelp.com

[ILLPHIL]

ok thanks pointd ill look at those after i finish up my homework. grr i hate writing research papers.

[Cheryl]

I had the same problem when I first added my new (XP) puter to existing network. I had to disable the XP firewall, then the puter's all saw each other. It's under my network places, view network connections, choose your connection, then change settings of this connection. Advanced tab, at the top.

HTH

Cheryl

[ILLPHIL]

well ive already tried that , i cant tell whats up, but im pretty sure i should be able to work around it. Atleast until mydad gets back. when he does we gonna upgrade all our home computers to xp pro, and then just set up a new network.