Network Sharing Problems between two computers. Very weird...

[springy2003]

Hi, I have never in my life experienced this problem before.
2 weeks ago, I formatted my computer, and prior to this was hocked up with another computer on a network via a router. So the router address was 192.168.0.1, and the two computers are 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.3.

Now, the formatted computer, I managed to hock it back onto the network and was able to share files from the other computer. Well, until today...

Now the formatted computer, in this case I am going to call ComputerOne refuses to go into the work space that I have made called, HOME. It keeps saying that it cannot be assessable at this time. It isn't a firewall problem, since I disabled it and it doesn't work, and also try pinging the other computer, which I am going to call ComputerTwo, and it says, "Destination host unreachable", which is weird since this means that the destination doesn't exists, but it does.

Also, I tried an experiment. I restarted ComputerOne and as soon as the windows was loading, in ComputerTwo I quickly tried to see if I could see ComputerOne. And in this case, I was able to see it, and so I tried to copy files to it. It was working, but as soon as ComputerOne caught up and loaded everything, suddenly the connection was lost, and ComputerTwo cannot see ComputerOne any more, as in the path was not found.

There is something wrong with ComputerOne setup. I mean there is something telling ComputerOne not to share and I have no idea what it is.
Again, Windows Firewall is disable, and I am using ZoneAlarm Firewall, which is the firewall I am using on ComputerTwo, so that shouldn't be the issue, and it is all configured to allow access via certain IP address on the network.

Also, on ComputerOne, when you click on network places, you usually will display your local share folders on the screen. This does not happen. When I click on workgroup on the side, so to bring up all the workspaces available, in my case HOME, this was not able to be accessed as well, giving an error message that it is unavailable at this time. What is going on. I have spent 5 hours trying to solve this with the help of google, but there is no such article on the net that helps me, since my network was working.. and suddenly doesn't anymore..

Thanks in advance...

 

[bcastner]

The problem is as shown:
"The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

This is an error in the Master Browser. Is the Computer Browser service running on both computers?

This can also be "fixed" by using an LMHOSTS file for name resolution rather than depending on a Master Browser, Browser elections, and the use of Netbios over TCP/IP.



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Users Helping Users

 

[springy2003]

The problem is, the LMHOSTS file you have put there has a set IP address for a computer name. but I am using a DHCP. So what will happen when my IP changes?

 

[cdogg]

See if this article helps with that error:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=913628

Also, it would help to know what error messages (if any) you are getting when you ping the gateway from each PC using the IP address, and when you ping the opposite PC by IP address.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[springy2003]

cdogg, I have already gave it. It is all above.
I gave ping, pathping and also route print.
The computer RICHARD has trouble in actually seeing if there is a network around and giving this:

Pinging 192.198.0.3 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 192.198.0.3:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

 

[springy2003]

Also, the Computer Browser is running.
I read something about that yesterday and I try restarting it yesterday and got some erorr that it couldn't be stopped.

On the FAMILY computer, this works fine. It is just my laptop or RICHARD playing up since I reformatted it and reconfig it.

What is the Master Browser? Are there any registry that I can reset for this or not? Since it might have gotten messed up.

The weird thing is, it was working fine, I mean the network was fine until yesterday.

 

[bcastner]

Who set the DHCP scope to begin at 192.168.0.2?

Have you considered disabling DHCP on the router and setting static IPs on both clients?

The settings would be:
IP: 192.168.0.2 for RICHARD or 192.168.0.3 for FAMILY
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.1

Then create a new LMHOSTS file with Notepad and make the entries discussed above.

If you do that you are done.


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Users Helping Users

 

[springy2003]

Finally, make the Broadcast entries manually using regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters
Set NodeType to 00000001

Create the NodeType value as DWORD if it does not exist.

Then delete:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters

The value DhcpNodeType with a right-click.

I don't get this bit.

 

[cdogg]

1) Did you try the registry fix (RestrictAnonymous setting) listed in the KB article above?

2) It's still not clear what the results are when you ping 192.168.0.1 from both RICHARD and from FAMILY. You said there is activity, and you only said this about RICHARD. I don't want to assume that you mean the ping is successful unless you say so.

3) As bcastner asked, why did you change the DHCP scope so that it starts at 192.168.0.2 instead of the default which is 192.168.0.100?

Although a lot of the suggestions above may resolve your issue eventually when in place, the bottom line is that you shouldn't have to go through all that. I know you've tried all the basics that you can think of, but something must have been skipped over or needs to be double-checked.

I recommend you try the following if the path you're going down now doesn't work:

A. Reset the router to its default settings, and configure it only to use DHCP (try not to make any other adjustments yet)
B. Uninstall Zonealarm on both PC's (as much of a pain this is, it's probably the most important step)
C. Remove the NIC from device manager on RICHARD
D. Rename the workgroup on FAMILY to something other than HOME
E. Restart RICHARD and after the NIC reinstalls itself, change the workgroup name to match what you picked in step 'D'
F. Try your ping tests again (IP's for each computer should now be .100 and .101)

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[springy2003]

A = Already Try.
B = Done it just now, didnt do a thing.
C = Done it, it reinstalled both the Lan and WIFI after restart, again no luck.
D = Why? Doesn't make sense. Even on RICHARD if I have a network name called "WHYDOESNTTHISWORK" RICHARD still can't access it.
E = Done that on RICHARD, doesn't work
F = Doesn't work still, still say host unreachable, and my subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, thats why it starts from 2, not 100. If I wanted 100.. then erm.. have to have a subnet mask of 255.255.255.something which I can't be bothered to calculate. So in my case, my router is able to have a maximum of 2^8-3 host which is 253. 192.168.0.1 is reserve for the router and the DHCP starts from 192.168.0.2 and works it ways up whenever it needs to.

Also.. I try the LMHOST set up. I follow the link that the document was from.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=101927

. When this is done, this doesn't work still, but the only thing I got from it was that if I ping family, I now get "Distination host unreachable" instead of cannot resolve network, which means the LMHOST is kinda working....

 

[springy2003]

Damm it, why can't I edit my post.

Another point that you might have forgotten, as I am booting RICHARD, in FAMILY I try to access RICHARD. For the couple of seconds when RICHARD is booting Windows XP, FAMILY was able to access share folders in RICHARD and was able to read and write to it. As soon as RICHARD has loaded enough setup properties things, FAMILY could not find RICHARD anymore and it comes up with a error message, cannot find path to RICHARD.

There must be one tiny file somewhere preventing this. Just cannot find it. So annoying.

I again will say, FAMILY network is working fine. It can interact with other computers on the network. It is RICHARD setup which is wrong.

 

[bcastner]

In versions of Windows XP that are earlier than Windows XP SP2, there is a window of time between when the network stack starts and when Internet Connection Firewall starts to provide protection. The firewall driver does not start to filter TCP/IP packets until the firewall service is loaded and the appropriate policy is applied. The firewall service depends on several functions and must wait until those functions clear before the service pushes the policy to the driver. During this window of time, a packet could be received and delivered to a service without Internet Connection Firewall filtering. This could potentially expose the computer to a whole class of vulnerabilities. The time period is based on the speed of the computer.

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Users Helping Users

 

[springy2003]

Ok, thanks, but my Windows XP Pro is SP2... So that is weird.

 

[springy2003]

OK, got another problem now, whilst trying to fix this stupid problem

In Services in the Computer Manager, Computer Browser now refuses to start. I am now convince this is the problem

 

[bcastner]

Ok, thanks, but my Windows XP Pro is SP2... So that is weird.

There is a timing issue for XP SP2 that allows the same openness, albeit for a shorter time. There is a Hotfix to correct the problem.

In any case, the point was that your observation of being able to connect for a very brief time at startup is answeredd: you have a firewall interfering; something that was made as a point to you way above.

In Services in the Computer Manager, Computer Browser now refuses to start.

Above when asked to check this you said it was running, and you responded:

Also, the Computer Browser is running.
I read something about that yesterday and I try restarting it yesterday and got some erorr that it couldn't be stopped.

If you cannot start the Computer Browser service then you will not have name resolution.

Look to your Event Viewer for reasons it will not start.



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Users Helping Users

 

[springy2003]

hmm, dont know
every since I did the LMHOST thingy, it doesn't work.

You know what, I give up, I am just going to format my computer tomorrow and start again. I am not going to waste my time anymore since it is getting on my nerves and I have spent around 13 hours trying to sort this out, and also all these setting changes is for some reason slowing my computer down... hmm...

bcastner, you have been a really big help, and I have to thank you for all the work that you have done, even though you didn't have to do it. Thanks a lot mate!!!

Also to cdogg. Yeah something I didnt consider, like uninstalling the NIC card. That was a good idea which I never thought about. too bad it didnt work. Anyway.. THANKS!!!

Richard

 

[springy2003]

Ok, just to let you know, I have successfully re-installed windows and now my network works. Thanks again for everyone trying ot help me. It was well appreciated.