XP Pro Networking problems

[Fishguy]

I have WinXP Pro installed on my PC and have had for some time. During that period of time(about a year) I have always had problems networking my computer. It is usually with some friends of mine for LAN parties, where most of them run Win98 and XP Home.
The problem is this: I cannot see and do not have access to any other computers on the LAN, whereas other computers can see and access mine.
I have tried with default services enabled as well as with some disabled and have not changed any settings of any kind.
My friend has also had this problem, with XP Pro as well, so it is not an isolated incident.
I also wish to note that it is out of the question to run the network wizard on all 10+ computers that are connected to the LAN because some people don't feel comfortable having it run on their computer.
Any help would be apreciated.

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Fishguy

 

[jmjaszewski]

do any of the other computers have personal firewalls installed? when you say you cannot see them, can you ping them? or are you just looking through "My Network Places?"

 

[williamk]

I have been having the same problem. I've got 2 WinXP Pro machines and 1 XP Home. One of the Pro's and the Home can see eachother fine, either with a ping or via My Network Places. My primary desktop, which of course makes this more aggravating, does not see the other machines via My Network Places nor can it ping the other machines. The other machines cannot ping it either. All three are connected to a linksys router if that makes any difference. There is nothing obviously different between the networking setups between the two xp pro boxes. Same user name setup on each, short machine names, same workgroup name...

Any ideas? This is driving me nuts...

 

[mjinks61]

william,

It sounds like XP's internal firewall is enabled on the one machine. Unfortunately, I am currently on a 2k machine at the moment, and can't pull from memory where the setting is in xp. You can search for "firewall" in windows help and it will lead you to it.

Good luck, and Happy Computing

 

[bcastner]

1. Firewall issue, as others have suggested
2. Make certain Client for Microsoft Networks is installed
3. Make certain File and Printer sharing is installed
4. TCP/IP Properties, Advanced button, WINS tab, enable Netbios over TCP/IP
5. Something, folder or printer, is shared on all machines
6. Login with a password, or Enter or Okay, never by hitting the Escape key or Cancel
7. Same workgroup name exactly for all machines
8. Unique computer names for all machines

Your problems should go away if there are no cable issues.
Hit My Network Places, View, Refresh.

 

[williamk]

Thanks for the suggestion but that was one of the first things I checked unfortunately. The windows firewall is turned off and I dont have any other security/firewall apps installed...

I checked some old posts and made sure that the netbios is enabled on all machines, and it already was...

any other suggstions? I'm open to any ideas at this point.

thanks again

 

[bcastner]

Read and consider this suggestion, as a mixed client Lan party makes me guess that using Netbui may help:

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

Be sure to use the download link on the site to use the Win2k stack version for both Win2k and XP machines; the native Win9x Netbui is fine.

 

[williamk]

Also, the machine which cannot see the others, cannot even see the workgroup. It lists the workgroup but when I click on the workgroup to browse the members of it, I get the following error...

Mshome is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available

Also it takes quite a while for this prompt to come up.

 

[bcastner]

Your last post suggests a permission issue. Add all usernames and passwords to the XP box, or enable Guest Account in Control Panel, User and Groups.

 

[Fishguy]

williamk,
Sorry to hear that you are having the same problem, that really sucks. Let me know if any of the suggestions here work for you.

jmjaszewski,
What I see when I go to "My Network Places": Nothing(besides shared folders on my computer.)
What happens when I ping another computer: It identifies the computer and begins to ping, but fails on all attempts.

bcastner,
Firewall status: disabled.
Client for Microsoft Networks: uncertain.
File/Print Sharing: enabled.
Netbios over TCP/IP: uncertain.
Workgroup: same across the LAN.
Computer Name: as unique as they come.
Login with password/admin priveleges: always do.
Netbeui: installed.

I think that it is important to note also that I use ZoneAlarm and have tried, unsuccessfully, with it enabled and disabled.

Unfortunately, my XP box is down for some "maintenance" but I will definitely give all of your suggestions deep consideration. Thanks.

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Fishguy

 

[bcastner]

fishguy,

There should be nothing uncertain about Client for Microsoft Networks.

Please read the link about using Netbui under XP, using the Win2k Netbui stack (linked on the site for direct download) and heeding all the "gotchas" should get you up and running.

One caution about Zone Alarm, just disabling is not nearly enough, I think you still see a Service running if you look (Ctrl-Alt-Del) at Windows Task Manager. Go to the ZA web site to get a thorough removal tool. Or look there for instructions as to how to make your local LAN addresses Trusted Zone so that it does not interfer with your LAN party. I would kill it so that it is a non-issue, but disabling and even Control Panel Add/Remove does not remove it completely unless you directly edit MSCONFIG and some registry entries. The ZA site has instructions how to remove the beast.

One site that has a lot of tips about LAN parties is

http://www.broadbandreports.com

Select Forum from the left hand menu, All Forums, Networking. Do a search for LAN parties. Or register (free) and ask a specific question. They guys there have been there and done that, and will be glad to help, including advice about how well your kitchen should be stocked.

 

[williamk]

Thanks for all the suggestions... Still no luck. I installed the Win2k NetBios driver, no dice, tried the XP Netbios driver... again, no change...

The functioning XP pro machine now sees the other one in my network places but cannot access it. I get a "not accessible... network path not found" error when I try to browse it.

All machines login and the two XP pro machines use the exact same username/pass, though I have tried others. All users are admins and the guest accounts are turned on. All of the machines can get out to the internet just fine and the router sees them all to assign ip's so I don't think cabling is the issue...

Dont you just love technology... computers make us so much more efficient

 

[bcastner]

This is a cable or other hardware issue.
Check to stupid stuff first:

. Did you plug into the uplink port on the router by mistake?
. Did you try and use both the uplink and the next adjacent port by mistake?
. Did you try a different cable?

It is the little things that can kill you.

 

[Fishguy]

bcastner,
In regards to the Client for Microsoft Networks, by what you said, I am assuming that it is always installed....so no problem there.
In regards to ZA, when I said that I had tried when it was both enabled and disabled, by disabled I mean that I had removed it from startup using msconfig and it was not resident in memory at the time.

I will check out the ZoneAlarm site and see what they have to say. Thanks.

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Fishguy