Peer to Peer failed with DWL-2100AP 1

[drkrdr]

I have a peer-to-peer wired network with XP and W2K computers, using a DI-604 router, being able to share folders and a printer. Decided to make an XP Laptop wireless and hooked a DWL-2100AP to DI-604. I thought it (the AP) would act as a switch and I would be able to access my peer to peer network with my laptop, just as easily when it was connected through the wire. I can access Internet but not my own network.

DHCP is disabled on the DWL-2100AP, I get 192.168.0.100. Other computers in the network get IP addresses in the same range. Pinging does not work between the laptop and the other computers.

If I plug in a network cable into the laptop, connected to DI-604, I get 192.168.0.150 and I can access my network as well as Internet.

 

[drkrdr]

Oh, Netgear MA401 PC Card plugged in the laptop. WEP encryption, turning it off makes no difference.

 

[bcastner]

. What is the network address of the AP?
. You are sure there are no firewall issues on the wireless interface? (You obviously do not have an issue on the wired interface).

 

[drkrdr]

Router DI-604: 192.168.0.1
255.255.255.0
DWL-2100AP: 192.168.0.50
255.255.255.0

I can ping both.

The network settings are identical for wired and wireless:
Client For Microsoft Networks
File and Printer sharing
QoS
NetBEUI (your recommendation for LAN ;-) )
TCP/IP
DHCP
NetBIOS over TCP/IP disabled (tried enabling on the wireless client with no result)

There is no TCP/IP filtering.

All computers belong to the same workgroup.

I am using Zone Alarm as a firewall, which affects the pinging but does not interfer with sharing resources on the Peer-to-Peer network in the wired case. I do not use XP's built in firewall.

I have gone through the AP's settings as well:
- DHCP server control disabled
- no Access Control
- mode is Access Point
- using Channel 8 and WEP-64

 

[bcastner]

Did you set the default gateway of the 2100 to 192.168.0.1?

 

[drkrdr]

Bcastner,

Tried that but no change in behaviour.

It takes a "long", i.e. 30 seconds, time when clicking MS Windows Netwrok and the workgroup. When wired, I get an immediate response and I can see all my computers in the network.

Somehow the 2100 created a separate network, isolated from my original network or what do you think?

 

[bcastner]

I do not think so, the AP is essentially a bridge device, and your workstation IP is in the same network segment in any case. (I would leave Netbios over TCP/IP enabled, by the way). Besides, if it really was in a different network segment you would likely not see them at all without the use of LMHOSTS or WINS.

Try this registry change:

Open the registry editor.
Go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace

Export this key (in order to back it up, just in case) and then delete the key called:

{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} (Task Scheduler).
Close the registry.

I note that there are reported problems with Netbui over wireless links, but I have never heard of a resolution to the issue. See, for example, Scott Finney's findings:

"...if...you're having trouble making NetBEUI or IPX/SPX work, my first thought is: Are you using wireless networking products? At least in their earlier incarnations (which I tested extensively for this newsletter), 802.11b networking solutions did not support (or support properly) NetBEUI and IPX/SPX. On my LAN, I find I have to enable File and Printer Sharing bindings for TCP/IP for all computers connected via wireless connections to manage file sharing.

http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/40.htm

Hope some of this helps.

Best,
Bill Castner

 

[drkrdr]

bcastner,

I tried deleting the key and rebooted but the problem remained.

The binding thing I would like to try but I can't find any such settings. I thought these settings weren't implemented after the introduction of W2K.

I do have LMHOSTS checked, is that wrong?

I did try NetBIOS over TCP/IP, changing it for the wireless computer and for one wired but they weren't being able to see each other anyway. Should I change that for all computer do you think? For security reasons I prefer to have this feature disabled but maybe it is OK if you have NAT addresses.

One more clarification: I am not able to even see the other computers in the network when using a wireless NIC. Clicking on the Workgroup only renders itself, the wireless computer, after a significant wait period.

 

[bcastner]

The "binding thing" still exists.

Under TCP/IP properties, Advanced, WINS tab, uncheck LMHOSTS and click to 'enable Netbios over TCP/IP'

. Now for the "binding", Start, Settings, Network Connections, highlight your LAN connection, right-click Properties.

On the top menu you will see a choice 'Advanced', click that and click 'Advanced Settings'. Your binding choices will then be shown.

Netbios over TCP/IP should be for ALL workstations, not just the problem one. It can take an 20 minutes to two hours for all devices to be shown.

Please make the registry change I suggested above. Once the network populates, I think you should be okay.

 

[drkrdr]

I made the registry change as you suggsted, but only in the computer that is wirelessly connected. Should I do that for all computers?

I introduced Netbios over TCP/IP for all computers in my network as well as binding TCP/IP with File and Printer Sharing. Shold it be for Windows Networking as well?

I left the computers after the Netbios and binding change for an hour but the wireless computer was not visible, nor could it see the other computers.

 

[bcastner]

Yes, bind it both for Client for Microsoft Networking as well as File and Printer Sharing.

 

[drkrdr]

How about NetBUIE for the bindings? Should I leave it with only TCP/IP remaining?

 

[bcastner]

Netbui should not be an issue, other than as I said earlier it does not work well with 802.11b wireless drivers. You can unbind or remove it from the wireless client, but leave it alone on the wired.

 

[drkrdr]

And the registry change only applies to the wireless?

 

[bcastner]

All will benefit.

 

[drkrdr]

bcastner,

I made the registry change on all computers, rebooted them as well as the access point and the router.

After a while, the computers started to populate My Network Places and I could see and actually access the wireless computer from one of the computers but not reveresly.

Going back to your original advice about the firewall I examined the Zone Alarm log and found some suspicous entries. Subsequently, I defined an IP range corresponding to the LAN as a trusted zone, and now I had full access!

When you talked about the firewall, I never went deeper because it worked in the wired case. I suppose it was an analomy that it worked, perhaps it shouldn't have.

Many kudos to you, Bcastner, as always. For advice and patience.

 

[bcastner]

Glad you got it sorted.

Best,
Bill Castner