Can't network two Vista computers

[wpcoe]

I just did a clean install of Vista Business on my notebook which previously ran WinXP Pro. I routinely synch files between the notebook and my Visa Business desktop computer via a direct-cable LAN connection.

With Vista on the desktop and XP on the notebook, it was a one-sided network, with Vista able to see shares on XP, but not vice-versa – the XP notebook could only see its own shares. That was fine, since I would initiate the file transfers from the Vista desktop.

Now that I have Vista on both machines, I cannot establish a working network, whether direct-cabled or via a router.

I have turned off my software firewall, Windows Firewall, and anti-virus on both computers. Here’s what I can/cannot do:

I *can* ping the notebook from the notebook, and the desktop from the desktop.

I *can* ping my notebook from the desktop.

I *cannot* ping my desktop from the notebook.

I can view each computer’s shares only locally on the computer which has them.

I have tried using auto-assigned IP addresses (e.g. 169.254.x.x) and manually-assigned IP addresses (e.g. 192.168.1.x).

I have tried both “Public” and “Private” networks.

Both workgroup names are the same (WORKGROUP).

I can access shares on the desktop via \\desktop and likewise on the notebook via \\notebook, but not from the other computer.

The network adapters on both computers have “Client for Microsoft Networks,” “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks,” and “Internet Protocol Version 4" enabled.

On both computers, in Network & Sharing Center, there are green buttons in front of: Network discovery, File sharing, Public folder sharing, and Password protected sharing.

I use the same username and password for log-on to Vista on both computers.

Using a router:

-- from the desktop I can ping the desktop, the router and the notebook.

-- from the notebook, I can ping the notebook and the router, but not the desktop.

I can connect to the internet from the notebook either via a router, or directly cabled to the ADSL modem.

What am I overlooking?

The thing that stumps me is that I can ping the notebook from the desktop, but not vice versa, nor access shares on the notebook.

 

[BadBigBen]

Have a read:

Windows Help and How-to: Windows Vista: Networking

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/networking.mspx

Explore the features: Networking

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/networking.aspx

as to setting the IPs to dynamic, that only works if you have a DHCP server running (e.g. in the router)...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[BadBigBen]

forgot to mention, that if you happen to have nVidia chipsets on either the Laptop or Dekstop, then that may be your problem:

thread1583-1437402

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[smah]

You do have the network working (otherwise you wouldn't be able to ping anywhere or get on the internet), however, what's not working is windows file sharing in 1 direction. There must still be some kind of firewall on the desktop system and if you're sure that you have any software firewalls turned off, I'd suspect the nVidia issue that BadBigBen posted above, especially since this was the same situation even when you had xp on the notebook.

 

[linney]

Are you running Windows Firewall in conjunction with other third party firewalls too? If so, third party firewalls (not the Windows firewall) even though you may have disabled them can still be causing problems via settings that are in the Registry. The only real sure test of testing those type of firewalls is to uninstall them and then test connectivity.

Have you looked at the Event Viewer logs of both machines?

Have you seen what the situation is if you try "Safe Mode with Networking" on both, then separately, on either machine?

 

[wpcoe]

linney: You were on the right track about the firewall. Although I did not uninstall Comodo Firewall, and had "merely" turned it off, I found later that the "Comdo Firewall Driver" kept getting re-checked in the Properties for the network card. But that was only 50% of the problem.

The other problem was that the network on the desktop computer must be selected as "Private" for the network or file sharing to work. The notebook computer can be Private or Public, and the network and file sharing will work.

So there WERE (past tense, as explained below) two causes, one Windows Vista, and one third party:

(1) setting the desktop computer to Private network
(2) making sure the Comodo firewall driver is not active on the Properties screen for the network adapter (even though the firewall itself was turned off)

Stumbling upon that magic combo was purely accidental. Suddenly I found the network working, and then tweaked one setting at a time until it broke again. As much as I like Vista (I do!), I spent several hours of unproductive tinkering to get what should be "automatic": two Vista Business computers networked for file sharing...

And, further, I noticed that the Comodo firewall driver had slightly different names on my desktop and notebook, and found that the notebook had a newer version of Comodo, so I installed it on the desktop as well. NOW, with the new Comodo install, the Comodo firewall driver (and the firewall itself) can be enabled on both computers and the network and file sharing work.

So, it NOW boils down to just a Windows finicky cause: Setting the desktop to "Private" network.

Every time I reboot, Windows sets the network as "Public." Is there any way to make the "Private" setting sticky?

Regarding, "Safe Mode with Networking," I did try that to completely (or so I naievely thought) eliminate the firewalls and anti-virus as contributory causes. I don't think I set the desktop network to "Private" when booted into Safe Mode. When I saw that the pinging/file sharing situation was the same as in non-Safe Mode, I didn't do much tinkering in Safe Mode.

smah: the network was working one-way (desktop could ping notebook but not vice versa), but file sharing was not working in either direction.

No Nvidia video cards involved, nor did I enable both Windows Firewall & Comodo firewall simultaneously. My apologies for maybe making it sound like I did -- I was trying to explain that everything was turned off.

Thanks to everybody who chipped in to help!

PS: FYI, what the Comodo firewall driver seems to do is enable the animation on the tray icon to show upload/download activity. The firewall itself functions with or without the "firewall driver" enabled.

 

[linney]

I wonder what is interfering with your ability to save your Private Network settings? For most of us it is a set and forget type of thing. Does it happen on both machines or just the Desktop?

Can you test with another user (an Administrator one) and see if he has better luck than your current user? Create a new user if you have to. If the new user is more cooperative then maybe you have a Profile problem.

811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Description of Windows Easy Transfer for Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928635

If there are still problems, then put Comodo back on your list of possible causes, but look elsewhere too.

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

As a last resort, it is possible to set access permissions back to the default settings to see if it is a permissions type of problem.

How to reset security settings back to the defaults

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222#appliesto

 

[wpcoe]

This is really wonky: the wild card now is whether I have an internet connection established when I start, link to, relink to, or "refresh" the network.

(Besides the "Private" setting not being "sticky" the other telltale sign is that I cannot modify the Network Name.)

I have a single Ethernet port on my ADSL modem that I attach to my router. My two computers are also connected to that router.

SCENARIO 1: Boot into Vista with router off, and ADSL modem off.
[ul]
[li]After turning on router, Vista launches a "Public" connection. If I then turn on the modem, the connection remains "Public," and Network Name is uneditable.[/li]

[li]If I subsequently disconnect a computer (either notebook or desktop) from the router and then reconnect while the modem is on and attached, Vista launches a "Private" connection and the Network Name is editable on that computer.[/li]

[li]If, instead of the above sequence, I turn on the modem first, then turn on the router after the ADSL connection is established, Vista launches a "Private" connection and the Network Name is editable.[/li][/ul]

SCENARIO 2: Boot into Vista with router on, but ADSL modem off.
[ul]
[li]Vista launches a "Public" connection, and Network Name is uneditable. After turning on modem, connection remains "Public" and name remains uneditable.[/li]

[li]If I subsequently disconnect a computer (either notebook or desktop) from the router and then reconnect while the modem is on and attached, Vista launches a "Private" connection and the Network Name is editable on that computer.[/li][/ul]

SCENARIO 3: Boot into Vista with router off and ADSL modem on.
[ul]
[li]After turning router on, Vista launches a "Private" connection and Network Name is editable.[/li][/ul]

SCENARIO 4: Boot into Vista with router on and ADSL modem on.
[ul]
[li]Vista launches a "Private" connection and Network Name is editable.[/li][/ul]

SCENARIO 5: Boot into Vista without using router, but an ethernet cable connecting the two computers.
[ul]
[li]Vista launches an uneditable "Public" connection.[/li][/ul]

Since this is consistent on the newly installed Vista Business on the notebook and on the seasoned and tweaked Vista Business version on the desktop, I can only assume this is "Working as Designed."

It's not a problem with my desktop seeing my notebook's shares -- whether the notebook is "Private" or "Public," and whether my desktop is "Private" or "Public."

HOWEVER, for my notebook to see my desktop shares, the desktop MUST BE "Private." Go figure.

One way I can snap Scenarios 1 or 2 into an editable "Private" connection without dis-/re-connecting to the network, is to alter some choice on the network adapters Properties sheet -- e.g. If I select, or deselect, IP6 or the Firewall Driver, it prompts a reinitialization and then the connection becomes an editable "Private" connection.

Scenario 5 is hopeless at saving as a "Private" connection since the ADSL connection is not able to be included as a participant.

Wonky.