File and printer sharing in network with 2 XPs and 1 Vista

[Guest]

I have a desktop running XP Pro, a Laptop running XP Media and a Desktop
running VISTA. The two XP's are connected wireless and the VISTA is connected
by Ethernet to the LINKSYS router. All three can connect to the Internet, but
not to each other. I can not see the XP computers from the VISTA. I can not
see the VISTA from the XP's. A firewall may be the problem, but how many
firewalls are involved and how do you disable them all.
Thanks JWN

 

[Brian A.]

Do you have File and Print Sharing enabled in both the XP machines and Vista?
Do you have your share setting in Vista set at Private or Public?
Is the Network Discovery enabled in Vista?
Are you using Windows Firewall or a third party firewall?

Right click My Network Places on the Desktop.
Click Properties.
Right click Local Area Connection.
Click Properties.

Under "This connection uses....."
Click "Client for MS Networks".
Click Properties.
Select "Windows Locator" from the dropdown box, if disabled skip.
Click Ok.

Scroll to and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Click Properties.

Under the General tab make sure "Obtain an IP address automatically" is selected.
Click the Advanced button.

Under the DNS tab:
Selected "Append Primary and Parent DNS suffixes.
Register this connections address in DNS"

Under the WINS tab > NetBIOS:
Selected Default.
Ok out of MNP.
Reboot if required.

Test connectivity:
Open a command prompt, click Start > Run, type in: cmd and press Enter.
At the prompt type each command below and press Enter after each.
**Note: Command noted by =, Space noted by ^. Do not type the = or ^.

=ping ^ 192.168.1.1 *Routers IP, change as necessary.
If it times out then there is no communication between the router and machine.
If not then the machine communicates with the router.

=ping ^ google.com
If it times out then there is no connection to the net.
If not then net connection is established and all is well.

ping 127.0.0.1
If it fails it may be a TCP/IP stack problem.

Ping each computer from the other using the UNC:
=ping ^ computername
If it fails either way there's an IP or Name resolution problem.

If pinging times out on any address, to see if the machines IP is correct along with
other settings.
= ipconfig ^ /all
If anything isn't correct, at the prompt type and press Enter after each command:

=ipconfig ^ /release
=ipconfig ^ /flushdns
=ipconfig ^ /renew
=ipconfig ^ /registerdns
=exit
If that fails reopen the command prompt, run /release and /flushdns only and exit.

Shut down the machine(s).
Pull the power from the router.
Pull the power from the modem.
Wait approx 30 secs.
Apply power to the modem and wait for it to finish synchronizing with the cable.
Apply power to the router and wait for it to finish synchronizing with the modem.
Power up the machine(s).
The machine(s) should now be assigned a new IP from the router.
Run ipconfig or attempt net connection to test.



--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Guest]

Brian
I have been working with the Microsoft Help desk about sharing files and
printers. Their answer is "In addition, your XP PC and Vista PC cannot share
files or printers.". What is going on? Do you agree?
JWN

 

[Brian A.]

If you paid anything for that advice, get it back and shove that advice where the
sun doesn't shine!!! I and many others have absolutely no trouble networking the two
OS's. What was their reasoning on why your machines "cannot share"?

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375