Computer can't even see itself in workgroup

[Jonno]

Hi there,
I'm trying, very trying, to connect two PCs running XP.

The main PC is connected to a cable modem and can see itself in the HOME
workgroup but not the second PC.

The second PC is connected to the main one via ethernet (cat5 cable and rj45
connectors) and can connect to the internet. It can;t see either itself or
the main computer in the HOME workgroup.

Both PCs can ping eachother.

I have crossed the cat5 cable between the sockets so that I could then use
standard patch cables between socket and PCs. Is this the correct thing to
do? I keep reading conflicting info on this.

If I have wired the sockets up wrong, how is the internet still working?

I don;t have much hair left so please help.

Jonno

 

[Chuck]

Hi there,
I'm trying, very trying, to connect two PCs running XP.

The main PC is connected to a cable modem and can see itself in the HOME
workgroup but not the second PC.

The second PC is connected to the main one via ethernet (cat5 cable and rj45
connectors) and can connect to the internet. It can;t see either itself or
the main computer in the HOME workgroup.

Both PCs can ping eachother.

I have crossed the cat5 cable between the sockets so that I could then use
standard patch cables between socket and PCs. Is this the correct thing to
do? I keep reading conflicting info on this.

If I have wired the sockets up wrong, how is the internet still working?

I don;t have much hair left so please help.

Jonno

Jonno,

I don't have a lot left either. But I'll give your problem a shot.

One of the most common causes of this problem would be a misconfigured or
overlooked personal firewall, or other security component. There are several
other possibilities too, and any might be the cause of your problem. Read this
article with an open mind.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

What version / edition of Windows is it? XP Home or Pro? If Pro, with Simple
File Sharing enabled or disabled?

Is NetBIOS Over TCP explicitly Enabled on both computers?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components

For more direct help, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, so we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[Jonno]

Chuck,
Thanks for the reply. I have been looking at your site already but haven't
managed to solve the problem yet.

OK, I've just run browstat on both PCs and hopefully you're going to be able
to come up with a stroke of genius now and tell me what's wrong.

My main PC, which seems to be almost working OK (just not seeing the second
PC) status is:-

Status for domain HOME on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_..........
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: UNDERTHESTAIRS
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master UNDERTHESTAIRS
\\UNDERTHESTAIRS
There are 1 servers in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_.........
There are 1 domains in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_..........
D:\Downloads\networkstuff\browstat>

Yes I know it's a strange name for the PC but it's aptly named, believe me.

My second PC, which can connect to the internet through the main one but
can;t see itself on the workgroup HOME has a strange problem when running
Browstat status. It doesn't work! If I just type Browstat it tells me the
options but if I type browstat status it just returns to the command prompt
and doesn;t show anything.

What do you think of that then?

Fingers crossed for that stroke of genius,

Jonno

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
Thanks for the reply. I have been looking at your site already but haven't
managed to solve the problem yet.

OK, I've just run browstat on both PCs and hopefully you're going to be able
to come up with a stroke of genius now and tell me what's wrong.

My main PC, which seems to be almost working OK (just not seeing the second
PC) status is:-

Status for domain HOME on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_..........
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: UNDERTHESTAIRS
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master UNDERTHESTAIRS
\\UNDERTHESTAIRS
There are 1 servers in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_.........
There are 1 domains in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_..........
D:\Downloads\networkstuff\browstat>

Yes I know it's a strange name for the PC but it's aptly named, believe me.

My second PC, which can connect to the internet through the main one but
can;t see itself on the workgroup HOME has a strange problem when running
Browstat status. It doesn't work! If I just type Browstat it tells me the
options but if I type browstat status it just returns to the command prompt
and doesn;t show anything.

What do you think of that then?

Fingers crossed for that stroke of genius,

Jonno

Hate to disappoint Jonno, no genius here. Just lots of deductive reasoning, and
process of elimination (and Occams razor).
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor

Browstat, by itself, will indeed return just the command syntax. Try it on the
first computer. Try running the Network Setup Wizard on it, and see if anything
changes. With UNDERTHESTAIRS showing only 1 server, it looks like the second
computer is missing something. See if the NSW makes a difference.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-network-setup-wizard-in-windows.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-network-setup-wizard-in-windows.html

 

[Jonno]

Chuck,

Thanks for replying.

I've just run nsw on both PCs again and then run browstat again and there's
no change.

Any more ideas?

Jonno

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,

Thanks for replying.

I've just run nsw on both PCs again and then run browstat again and there's
no change.

Any more ideas?

Jonno

Look for LSP / Winsock corruption.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html

Then enumerate LSP on both computers using netsh.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/lsp-winsock-analysis-using-netsh.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/lsp-winsock-analysis-using-netsh.html

 

[Jonno]

Chuck,
I think I've almost got my home network sorted out. I've ended up installing
SP2 onto the second PC and it seems to be connecting OK now.
The only problem, I think, I have now is that the Main PC is getting an
"Access is denied" error whenever I try click on the Second PC in the
workgroup. I think I've got the share setttings done properly on both
machines but I can only share files one way at the moment.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Jonno

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
I think I've almost got my home network sorted out. I've ended up installing
SP2 onto the second PC and it seems to be connecting OK now.
The only problem, I think, I have now is that the Main PC is getting an
"Access is denied" error whenever I try click on the Second PC in the
workgroup. I think I've got the share setttings done properly on both
machines but I can only share files one way at the moment.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Jonno

Jonno,

Please identify each computer by operating system and file sharing - XP Home, XP
Pro with Simple File Sharing, or XP Pro with Advanced File Sharing? If the
latter, is Guest properly activated?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help

If all of that is OK, then look back at networking. One of the most common
causes of this problem would be a misconfigured or overlooked personal firewall,
or other security component. There are several other possibilities too, and any
might be the cause of your problem. Read this article with an open mind.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html