File Sharing

[Guest]

I am trying to help a neigbor setting up file sharing between their desktop
running windows home and their laptop running windows media center.
I can see files on the laptop but the laptop cannot see the files on the
desktop. I took my laptop over and it coud not see files on the desktop but
the desktop and their laptop could see my laptop shared files.

I can see the desktop computer from the laptop but not the shared files.

I reran the network setup wizard multiple times.
I made sure that the firewalls were turned off.
Checked services to ensure required services were running.
Tried changing the workgroup name.
Tried to find the computer/share via mapping a network drive without success.

I"ve tried everything I can think of but nothing seems to work. I've set up
file sharing many times on other systems.

I would appreciate any ideas.

 

[Chuck]

I am trying to help a neigbor setting up file sharing between their desktop
running windows home and their laptop running windows media center.
I can see files on the laptop but the laptop cannot see the files on the
desktop. I took my laptop over and it coud not see files on the desktop but
the desktop and their laptop could see my laptop shared files.

I can see the desktop computer from the laptop but not the shared files.

I reran the network setup wizard multiple times.
I made sure that the firewalls were turned off.
Checked services to ensure required services were running.
Tried changing the workgroup name.
Tried to find the computer/share via mapping a network drive without success.

I"ve tried everything I can think of but nothing seems to work. I've set up
file sharing many times on other systems.

I would appreciate any ideas.

What you're describing is a typical browser problem (note this is NOT referring
to Internet Explorer). What firewalls did you turn off? Also, check for
registry setting restrictanonymous.
Misconfigured / overlooked firewalls:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html
Registry setting restrictanonymous:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, and we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

Please let us know if any of these suggestions are of any help. What you learn
may help others in the future, and that's the purpose of these forums.

 

[Guest]

What you're describing is a typical browser problem (note this is NOT referring
to Internet Explorer). What firewalls did you turn off? Also, check for
registry setting restrictanonymous.
Misconfigured / overlooked firewalls:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html
Registry setting restrictanonymous:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, and we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

Please let us know if any of these suggestions are of any help. What you learn
may help others in the future, and that's the purpose of these forums.

Sorry it took so long but they were not available for me to look at their
computers.

Here's the information you requested. I noticed two servers running on the
desktop computer, could that be the problem? I could only see one server
process running.


Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-CE-12-CE-47
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, October 15, 2005 11:15:25 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, October 16, 2005 10:05:58 AM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-DA-34-0E

Browser Status:

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Could not connect to registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build of
browser master: 5
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 5
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}

Thanks for the help

 

[Chuck]

Sorry it took so long but they were not available for me to look at their
computers.

Here's the information you requested. I noticed two servers running on the
desktop computer, could that be the problem? I could only see one server
process running.


Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-CE-12-CE-47
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, October 15, 2005 11:15:25 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, October 16, 2005 10:05:58 AM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-DA-34-0E

Browser Status:

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Could not connect to registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build of
browser master: 5
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 5
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}

Thanks for the help

We're analysing a problem between 2 computers. Looking at "browstat status" and
"ipconfig /all" from both computers is therefore more useful.

 

[Guest]

I included the browstat status from both computers and IPconfig from both
computers. As I understand it you want me to also run IPconfig /all on both
computers?

John

 

[Chuck]

I included the browstat status from both computers and IPconfig from both
computers. As I understand it you want me to also run IPconfig /all on both
computers?

John

Hi John,

What I'm looking at above is a portion of 1 ipconfig, and 1 browstat. What we
need is a complete "ipconfig /all", and a complete "browstat status", from each
computer. There's a lot of information there which, when compared, may give us
clues as to what to look for next.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html>

Did you read the firewall and registry setting articles? Both frequently
contain a solution, for several all too commonly observed scenarios.

Networking is an incredibly complex situation, when it's not working. There are
dozens of things to check.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html>

 

[Guest]

I'll get the ipconfig /all from each system but I already sent you the
browstat status from each computer. Did I not run it correctly?

John

 

[Chuck]

I'll get the ipconfig /all from each system but I already sent you the
browstat status from each computer. Did I not run it correctly?

John

Dan,

Do us both a favour please and repost everything, clearly labeled. "Browstat
for Computer A", "IPConfig for Computer A", "Browstat for Computer B", etc.
We're investigating a problem, not trying a case.

 

[Guest]

Here's the information you requested


Desktop: ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : home1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : CNet PRO200WL PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-A1-01-78-FC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 18, 2005 9:52:51 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 19, 2005 9:52:51 AM


Laptop: ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LAPTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-CE-12-CE-47
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 18, 2005 10:28:27 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 19, 2005 10:28:23 AM
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-DA-34-0E

Desktop Computer: browstat status

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}


Laptop Computer: Browstat Status:

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Could not connect to registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build of
browser master: 5
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 5
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}


I'll be out of town for 10 days after today. So anything after tonight will
have to wait.

Thanks for the help,

John

 

[Chuck]

Here's the information you requested


Desktop: ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : home1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : CNet PRO200WL PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-A1-01-78-FC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 18, 2005 9:52:51 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 19, 2005 9:52:51 AM


Laptop: ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LAPTOP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-CE-12-CE-47
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 18, 2005 10:28:27 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 19, 2005 10:28:23 AM
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-DA-34-0E

Desktop Computer: browstat status

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{49A952D0-5A2C-4B90-964B-8858877C6B3A}


Laptop Computer: Browstat Status:

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: HOME1
Could not connect to registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build of
browser master: 5
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 5
1 backup servers retrieved from master HOME1
\\HOME1
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{54661224-9A3D-4399-803C-07B7EDDCC2C5}


I'll be out of town for 10 days after today. So anything after tonight will
have to wait.

Thanks for the help,

John

OK, John.

What we see so far:
# Both computers are on the same LAN and subnet, 192.168.1.0/24.
# Both computers use correct name resolution ("Hybrid" and "Unknown" are
compatible).
# Neither computer shows gratuitous protocols.
# Both computers show "There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME".
# Laptop shows "error 5" when trying to connect to registry on Home1.
# Laptop shows 2 network adapters ("Intel(R) PRO/Wireless" and "Broadcom 440x").

With Home1 running XP Home, the "error 5" is expectable. That shouldn't cause
the browsing symptom though.

Did you check for firewall and restrictanonymous, as specified above? If so,
the next step is checking for an LSP / Winsock problem.
<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

If the problem is neither firewall, restrictanonymous, nor LSP / Winsock, we'll
have to look at the dual adapters on Laptop.

 

[Guest]

The two network adapters on the laptop are for wireless and the other for a
cable connection. They are only using the wireless network adapter.

Remember that the desktop can see shares on the laptop but the laptop cannot
see shares on the desktop. When I took my laptop over to their house I could
see shares on their laptop and their desktop and laptop could see shares on
my laptop. I could not see shares on their desktop from my laptop.

They are using Zone Alarm on the desktop which I shut down but still cannot
see the shares.

I looked at restrictananymous, on the desktop, and it's value is 1. I tried
changing it to 0 but I could still not see shares on the desktop. Both thiers
and my laptops have the ristrictannymous set to 1.

Again, thanks for the help

John

 

[Chuck]

The two network adapters on the laptop are for wireless and the other for a
cable connection. They are only using the wireless network adapter.

Remember that the desktop can see shares on the laptop but the laptop cannot
see shares on the desktop. When I took my laptop over to their house I could
see shares on their laptop and their desktop and laptop could see shares on
my laptop. I could not see shares on their desktop from my laptop.

They are using Zone Alarm on the desktop which I shut down but still cannot
see the shares.

I looked at restrictananymous, on the desktop, and it's value is 1. I tried
changing it to 0 but I could still not see shares on the desktop. Both thiers
and my laptops have the ristrictannymous set to 1.

Again, thanks for the help

John

John,

The browser is a fascinating subject. Your symptom of asymmetrical visibility
("the desktop can see shares on the laptop but the laptop cannot see shares on
the desktop") is perfectly in keeping with a browser problem.

The restrictanonymous setting is an issue, but it's not consistently known. if
the browser (server running as the master browser for your workgroup) is logged
in, it can enumerate (access and catalogue) each computer in the workgroup that
your account currently has access to (and since it's YOUR LAN, that would
normally be all computers). When the browser is logged in, restrictanonymous
isn't an issue.

The browser subsystem was designed for enterprise LANs (domains), where the
browser server would typically be the domain controller. The domain controller
is one computer that is typically NOT logged in, for numerous performance and
security reasons. So the browser depends upon anonymous access when it's not
logged in. Somewhere in XP is code that queries that registry setting, and
denies browser access when it's set to "1".

To further confuse matters, Network Neighborhood (the display populated by the
browser) is cached content, and there is a latency associated with items being
added and removed from it. If you changed restrictanonymous, don't expect to
see an immediate change in NN contents. You'll have to reboot, then wait for
the master browser to pick up the change and propagate it.

I'll give you 4 to 1 odds though, that if you have an asymmetrical visibility
problem like yours, and restrictanonymous is set to "1" on the computer involved
(invisible), changing restrictanonymous to "0" will help. Not changing it to
"0" will not help resolution, if you have other factors involved. If there is
another problem, you'll have to solve the restrictanonymous setting, AND the
other problem, simultaneously.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html

 

[Guest]

I set the restrictanonymous to 0 on the desktop. We'll wait and see. I'll let
you know when I return from my trip.

John

 

[Guest]

I checked with my neighbor and she said that she could still not see the
shares on the desktop.

I changed restrictanonymous to 0 in control, control01, and control02 then
rebooted the computer. She checked it a couple of days later and still could
not see the shares.

Any other suggestions.

John

 

[Chuck]

I checked with my neighbor and she said that she could still not see the
shares on the desktop.

I changed restrictanonymous to 0 in control, control01, and control02 then
rebooted the computer. She checked it a couple of days later and still could
not see the shares.

Any other suggestions.

John

John,

Right now, I suggest that you review everything that you've done to date. The
answer is in there somewhere. Go thru my detailed troubleshooting articles.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html

Visibility is a browser issue. There is latency in the browser, so don't expect
immediate results when you make changes.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

 

[Guest]

The problem was corrected today by Microsoft technician. After three sessions
with Microsoft support they found that some keys in the registry for the
guest account were set incorrectly.

Case closed.

John

 

[Chuck]

The problem was corrected today by Microsoft technician. After three sessions
with Microsoft support they found that some keys in the registry for the
guest account were set incorrectly.

Thanks, John. Do you happen to remember what the keys were? This might help
others here.