Home Network - Workgroup vs. Domain

[odinfire]

Greetings all,

I have a home network, workgroup based, running windows xp pro. I also have my work laptop running windows xp pro, but this machine is part of a domain. Recently I attempted to access my home network's shared printer from the domain computer and could not. (Typed \\%Computername%, but received a can not access message) Is there anyway that my work computer can communicate with my home workgroup?

thanks!

Odin.

 

[bcastner]

Is "Typed \\%Computername%" literally what you typed? This is not right.

Logon to the notebook just like you do at the office. Start, Run, \\name_of_home_workstation_sharing_printer ; e.g. \\Mom_desktop Run the Add Printer wizard when the enumeration appears.

You might want to check your Netbios settings:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318030

One of the common myths of Windows networking is that you cannot easily bring the Domain work laptop home and connect easily and use resources on your Home lan. You do not need to be in the same "Workgroup." Some suggestions that might help:

http://www.petri.co.il/configure_tcp_ip_from_cmd.htm

http://is-it-true.org/nt/nt2000/utips/utips46.shtml

 

[odinfire]

I typed the actual computer name, not %computername%. Come to think about it, I am thinking that since I run Zonealarm on that home pc maybe its blocking access to it's resources. Going to shut that service down and give it another shot. Also going to try the KB article you suggested.

thanks Bcas!

 

[bcastner]

Zone Alarm would do it. You need to make an exception as trusted traffic for the Home LAN subnet.
Any firewall that blocks the ports required would prove an issue, including native XP firewalls:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q298804

 

[odinfire]

Yea, should have thought of that before. /bonkself Anyhow, thanks again and I will let you know how it goes once I get home.

Odin.