Networking nightmare!

[B T Cloutier]

I have 3 pc's on my home network 2 with XP Pro and 1 with XP home. I
had I no issues then all of a sudden 2 of the PCs can no longer access
each other on the network. PC A can'tconnect to PC B or C. PC B can't
connect to A or C but can access B. PC C cannot connect to A or B. I
get the unable to connect error. I have tried running
the network wizard with no luck. Something has changed. Could it have
been one of the windows updates? I have a friend that is having the same
problem! His desktop can access his laptop but the laptop cannot access
the desktop. This seems to be a big issue right now with XP. (All PC's
mentioned are XP) I have tried the following:
1. Turned off windows firewall
2. Installed Netbeui
3. Network ID.
4. Same workgroup name
5. Turned on guest account

Please help soon!

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have 3 pc's on my home network 2 with XP Pro and 1 with XP home. I
had I no issues then all of a sudden 2 of the PCs can no longer access
each other on the network. PC A can'tconnect to PC B or C. PC B can't
connect to A or C but can access B. PC C cannot connect to A or B. I
get the unable to connect error. I have tried running
the network wizard with no luck. Something has changed. Could it have
been one of the windows updates? I have a friend that is having the same
problem! His desktop can access his laptop but the laptop cannot access
the desktop. This seems to be a big issue right now with XP. (All PC's
mentioned are XP) I have tried the following:
1. Turned off windows firewall
2. Installed Netbeui
3. Network ID.
4. Same workgroup name
5. Turned on guest account

Please help soon!

Thanks,

Brian

First, some comments on what you've already tried:

1. Turn on the Windows Firewall, with the exception for File and
Printer sharing enabled.

2. Un-install NetBEUI. Adding another protocol to a troubled network
is unlikely to help and can even make it worse.

5. Where did you turn on the Guest account? The Guest account
settings in Control Panel | User Accounts have nothing to do with
networking. They determine whether someone can log in as Guest at the
local keyboard.

Are you trying to access other computers through My Network Places?
That uses the Windows "network browsing" functionality, which is quite
trouble-prone and quite unnecessary. To access another computer
directly, without going through My Network Places, type the other
computer's name in the Start | Run box in this format:

\\computer

If that works, I recommend abandoning My Network Places and creating a
desktop shortcut to each of the other computers. To create a
shortcut:

1. Right-click the desktop.
2. Click New.
3. Click Shortcut.
4. Specify the location of the item as \\computer

Then, click the shortcut to access the computer.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Lisa]

would someone please explain what the hell is going on with my computer
before I lose sanity?? Please help a naive computer operator, someone
please?? Do not always believe everything until you actually hear both
side of the story

 

[B T Cloutier]

First, some comments on what you've already tried:

1. Turn on the Windows Firewall, with the exception for File and
Printer sharing enabled.

2. Un-install NetBEUI. Adding another protocol to a troubled network
is unlikely to help and can even make it worse.

5. Where did you turn on the Guest account? The Guest account
settings in Control Panel | User Accounts have nothing to do with
networking. They determine whether someone can log in as Guest at the
local keyboard.

Are you trying to access other computers through My Network Places?
That uses the Windows "network browsing" functionality, which is quite
trouble-prone and quite unnecessary. To access another computer
directly, without going through My Network Places, type the other
computer's name in the Start | Run box in this format:

\\computer

If that works, I recommend abandoning My Network Places and creating a
desktop shortcut to each of the other computers. To create a
shortcut:

1. Right-click the desktop.
2. Click New.
3. Click Shortcut.
4. Specify the location of the item as \\computer

Then, click the shortcut to access the computer.

Tried the \\computer from PC B get the same message again unable to
connect. PC C gets same error. Cannot not do ipconfig from PC B get 16
bit subsystem error.

Thanks,

Brian