jim frei thought carefully and wrote on 9/12/2004 9:09 AM:
here's my configuration:
Linksys Broadband Router connects to Cable modem via ethernet.
Desktop connected to Router via ethernet.
Laptop connects to Router via wireless.
Both computers can access the internet.
I ran "Network Setup Wizard" on both computers. Wizard does not recommend
my config, but ran to completion anyway with no errors.
BUT - computers do not see each other - under My Newtork Places, I cannot
access the workgroup that I created...i get error saying to contact the
administrator...hell I thought I was the administrator - both computers are
mine, i own them, and no one else will ever have access to them. I even
took them out of the box and did the initial set up.
Any suggestions to establish a home network?
Well, hell. Sounds like you qualify as an administrator to me
You don't say if you have XP Home or Pro, Service Pack 1 or 2. I'm
assuming you cannot see any workgroup in My Network Places/Entire
Network/Microsoft Windows Network and can't open up the folders.
However, the internet works fine for everyone, you've run Network Setup
Wizard a few times and you have set some folders for sharing (folder
icon with hand underneath).
Check your firewall settings if you have one, or since you're behind a
router, disable or even uninstall the firewall. The exact settings
depend on the firewall software, but may say something like "Put local
network in trusted zone" or "Enable File and Printer Sharing". My
Windows Firewall that comes with Service Pack 2 is set to allow ports
139 & 445 (TCP) and 137 & 138 (UDP) only for my local network (ie, Scope
= subnet)
If the firewall is set correctly then the firewall is allowing the
computers talk to each other for file sharing. Next, check to see if
each computer has the necessary services/protocols running for file and
printer sharing:
Check if the "Computer Browser" and "TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper" services
have started and are set to automatic (start/run, type services.msc, hit
return).
Check that "Client for MS Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing" are
installed and enabled in Network Properties (Control Panel/Network
Connections/right-click on Local Area Connection, select Properties).
Check that NetBIOS is enabled in Advanced TCP/IP Settings. Again, go to
Network Properties, highlight "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)", click
Properties button, click Advanced button. Click WINS tab, check "Enable
NetBIOS over TCP/IP"
Check that "TCP/IP Filtering" is not enabled and set to "Permit All". Go
to Advanced TCP/IP settings, click on Options tab, highlight "TCP/IP
filtering", click Properties button. Check "Permit All", UNcheck "Enable
TCP/IP Filtering (All adapters)".
The steps above establish the necessary services/protocols required for
File and Printer Sharing. The steps below give the computers permission
to share files and printers (courtesy of Chuck):
*****
On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control
Panel - Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or
disabled. With XP Home and Pro together, you need to have SFS properly
set on each computer.
With XP Pro, if SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy
(Control Panel - Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security
Options, look at "Network access: Sharing and security model", and
ensure it's set to "Classic - local users authenticate as themselves".
With XP Pro, if you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make
sure that the Guest account is enabled, thru Local User Manager (Start -
Run - "lusrmgr.msc"), and has an identical, non-blank, password on all
computers. If "Classic", setup and use a common non-Guest account, with
identical, non-blank, password on all computers.
For XP Home, OR for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure
that the Guest account is enabled (for XP Pro, thru Local User Manager
(Start - Run - "lusrmgr.msc")), on each computer.
*****
All of these steps - firewall setting, services/protocols, permissions -
should have your home network running perfectly. If not, then there is a
deeper problem.
Lance
*****
