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Workgroup Computers Not Communicating

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kellan4459

IS-IT--Management
Jul 3, 2003
84
US
I had a BEFSWR Linksys router with a Vista Desktop wired and an XP laptop wireless. The Vista worked as a File Server and I had no problems communicating. I got a new router Linksys WRTU54G router and set up the wireless ssid and wep identical to the previous router. The only notifiable difference is that the new network is 192.168.0.X where as the old was 192.168.1.X. They both are using DHCP. I have tried disabling the extra firewall settings on the new router but it didn't make a difference. Is there something else I am missing that would print the WORKGROUP computers from communicating?
 
Is there something else I am missing that would print the WORKGROUP computers from communicating?

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Can you explain what you mean?

Was the Vista server doing DHCP for the LAN?

What extra firewall settings?

....JIM....
 
the router is doing the dhcp settings. The vista system is more of just a second computer that houses the files and is accessed through Windows Networking. There is a security tab on the router that enables/disables or allows you to select between 4 different check boxes the information from linksys is as follows which I tried disabling all.

The Security Tab - Firewall
Firewall Protection. This feature employs Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) for a more detailed review of data
packets entering your network environment. Select Enable to use this feature. Select Disable to disable it.

Block WAN Requests. Enable the Block WAN Request feature by checking the box beside Block Anonymous
Internet Requests and you can prevent your network from being “pinged,” or detected, by other Internet users.
The Block WAN Request feature also reinforces your network security by hiding your network ports. Both
functions of the Block WAN Request feature make it more difficult for outside users to work their way into your
network. This feature is enabled by default. Select Disabled to allow anonymous Internet requests.

Filter Multicast. Multicasting allows for multiple transmissions to specific recipients at the same time. If
multicasting is permitted, then the Router will allow IP multicast packets to be forwarded to the appropriate
computers. Select Enabled to filter multicasting, or Disabled to disable this feature.

Filter Internet NAT Redirection. This feature uses port forwarding to block access to local servers from local
networked computers. Select Enabled to filter Internet NAT redirection, or Disabled to disable this feature.

Filter IDENT (Port 113). This feature keeps port 113 from being scanned by devices outside of your local
network. Select Enabled to filter port 113, or Disabled to disable this feature.

Change these settings as described here and click the Save Settings button to apply your changes or Cancel
Changes to cancel your changes.
 
All of those options are WAN facing & should not have any effect on your LAN.

Can each machine ping the other by ip address?
 
Workgroups have nothing to do with the router functioning properly.

Just what is not working?

Have you followed any of the troubleshooting suggestions in the Linksys User Guide?

 
I can not ping from wireless computer to LAN computer but I can ping from LAN computer to Wireless. The LAN computer is the Vista Desktop and the wireless is an XP Laptop. I did not try pinging on the old router to know if there is a difference there. Nothing was changed on either computer since they are DHCP.

The problem is that when I plug the old router in I can communicate across shares and access files on the desktop computer from my laptop. When I put the new router on the laptop can not communicate with the desktop.

Linksys doesn't support the router since it is a vendor's router. I have tried the manuals of the closest models as well as this but nothing really deals with this issue.
 
I am able to ping from wireless laptop to LAN desktop with the old router. Is there a setting that disables Wireless to LAN communication through a Router?
 
It's possible (I have D-link Access Points that have this feature), however, I didn't spot anything similar in the manual
 
It is possible that the WRTU54G has some ports blocked that the old one does not, specifically whatever port(s) are used for file sharing.

Also, are all computers wired and wireless able to PING both routers? Since you only mentioned wired to wireless PING, you should be able to PING all combinations, and I would try them.

It should not matter where you bought the router, Linksys should still provide some help... but since Cisco acquired them a while ago, this does NOT surprise me with all the changes they have made.

Have you checked for any firmware updates? Linksys is known for constantly issuing updates over the years to fix bugs.

....JIM....
 
i had thought about the firmware but hadn't tried it yet. I will do a ping test on the old one since it is the one connected now, then I will replug the other and ping it and let you know. I didn't see any port blocking when I looked through the settings. I'll update with my findings
 
i can ping the router from both computers with both routers.

the new router has a ping and traceroute tool in the configuration. I run the ping and it hits the wireless computer but doesn't hit the desktop. This sounds like the desktop is blocking communication. but what changes in the desktop software when the routers change? It's Vista
 
sorry I wasted your time but thanks for the help. i didn't realize the latest version of my mcafee had ip range restrictions as well as port restrictions. I had looked through to make sure all ports and programs were open for access but failed to see the ip range restrictions. I opened up the IP range restrictions and that fixed the issue of course.
 
No time wasted, we all learn something new. The inter actions of this stuff can be hidden at times.

Just happy to help.

....JIM....
 
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