Unable to access MS network, Internet OK

[szamkow]

I'm out of ideas on this so I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Client's has simple LAN with one XP Home system and one Win 98 SE system. These used to communicate properly with the accounting files on the XP system and its drive mapped on the Win98 system.

All of a sudden, the Win98 system cannot access the local network. Internet access is OK and the Win98 system can ping the WinXP system by IP. The WinXP system can browse the Win98's C: drive but attempts to open Network Neighborhood on the Win98 system or use Explorer on the "\\<share name>" result in an endless hourglass. Occasionally, after 20+ minutes, it might show "Entire Network, but nothing after that.

I've confirmed workgroup name, checked for an Autologon key (there is none), created a new user, removed and reinstalled all the network components, including a new NIC to force new drivers, installed IPS/SPX, enabled NETBIOS, tried all possible logons (Widnows Family, Windows Logon, Client for MS Networks) and disabled McAfee firewall. dBeen through every troubleshooter I can find, both on the system and at microsoft.com.

Again, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Stan

 

[tviman]

3 things... 1) remove IPS/SPX - it's not required and can slow things down. 2) Check, test and replace if necessary, all network cables. You didn't mention a router so I'm assuming that you're using either a direct cable connection (not my first choice) or a hub/switch. 3. Don't rule out the possibility that the new NIC doesn't work. I've run into that problem before where I've had as many as 5 "NEW" NIC cards go south right after installation.

Also check to see if a recent update on the XP machine might have reset it's network configurations.

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[szamkow]

Thanks for your reply.

I added IPX/SPX only as a possible workaround for the problem in case the issue was TCP/IP related . You're right, its not needed.

As to cables, NIC and router, the problem machine connects flawlessly to the internet and can properly ping the XP machine. I would think that would eliminate these hardware items as problem.

I will check the XP machine's network configurations again, although they looked OK and the XP machine can browse the 98 machines drives.

 

[tviman]

What protocol are you using for the lan? The easiest, simplest way is to use netbeui but you'll have to install netbeui on the XP machine.

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[szamkow]

Thanks. Finally fixed it last night.

The problem was McAfee Guardian Firewall on the XP machine blocking the network.

The McAfee settings on the XP machine changed to not allow that machine to access network shares and not allow access to its shares. These are buried within the configuration wizard and the client didn't change them. Perhaps an automatic update reset them.

I'm not sure why that prevented the 98 machine from at least seeing itself on the network, but it did. Even with those settings, the XP machine could still see the 98 machine's files.

As a further note, when the McAfee firewall was allowed to run on the 98 machine (I had disabled it trying to find the problem) it would not allow IE6 to access the internet, even though I changed the settings for IE to "Allow all." I've disabled it completely for now on the 98 machine.

Again, thanks for the help.