Notebooks on Wireless Network Cannot Browse Each Other

[Ronald \Alan\ Gumm, Jr.]

I have come upon a most interesting problem. I have 4 computers, 2
desktops and 2 notebooks all running XP Pro. They are presently networked
via a Linksys wireless router. The 2 desktops are wired to the router with
cable, and the 2 notebooks connect wirelessly.

All 4 computers can utilize the internet connection, and all 4 computers
can see each other in "view workgroup computers". Additionally, the 2
desktops which are wired into the router can browse all computers on the
network.

The problem is that the 2 notebooks cannot browse each other. Both
notebooks can see themselves and the desktop computers in "view workgroup
computers", but when one of the notebooks is used to click on the other to
actually browse it an error message stating that the computer is not
available and that the network path cannot be found appears.

Extremely confusing since the laptops can browse the desktops and use
the internet connection and see one another in the workgroup, MSHOME.

I have manually assigned each wireless adapter an IP address and subnet
mask, and that did not work. I use WPA security, but have tried different
variants of that, including turning it off all together, and that does not
work.

The other odd aspect is that on some rare occasions the laptops can
browse each other briefly. But in these brief windows of time I have not
been able to figure out what changed, or what renders it back to the
previous state of not being able to browse each other.


One notebook is an HP zv5000 with a Broadcom 54g wireless card, the
other laptop is a Compaq Presario 900 using the Linksys Wireless G card that
came with the router. All drivers are up to date, as I have checked them
with Windows Update and by manually clicking "update driver" in system
manager. The systems come back clean on a scan with updated Norton
Anti-Virus.

Last, the network worked perfectly prior to moving from my old Linksys
wire-only router to this new wireless one. So I know that the laptops used
to be able to browse each other.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I cannot seem to find an answer
in the Microsoft or Linksys KB. And their respective tech supports are
pointing their fingers at each other. Microsoft states its a router issue,
and Linksys states it's an OS issue. Basically I've come up with a problem
neither tech support can figure out, so they're both passing the buck rather
than saying "I don't know."


Thank You In Advance

 

[Ronald \Alan\ Gumm, Jr.]

All-


Further troubleshooting reveals that totally disabling WPA security on my router solves this issue, but who wants a wireless network with no security?

So the question is now how to maintain network browsing functionality between the two wireless machines without compromising security.

Thank you.

-Alan

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437
I have come upon a most interesting problem. I have 4 computers, 2
desktops and 2 notebooks all running XP Pro. They are presently networked
via a Linksys wireless router. The 2 desktops are wired to the router with
cable, and the 2 notebooks connect wirelessly.

All 4 computers can utilize the internet connection, and all 4 computers
can see each other in "view workgroup computers". Additionally, the 2
desktops which are wired into the router can browse all computers on the
network.

The problem is that the 2 notebooks cannot browse each other. Both
notebooks can see themselves and the desktop computers in "view workgroup
computers", but when one of the notebooks is used to click on the other to
actually browse it an error message stating that the computer is not
available and that the network path cannot be found appears.

Extremely confusing since the laptops can browse the desktops and use
the internet connection and see one another in the workgroup, MSHOME.

I have manually assigned each wireless adapter an IP address and subnet
mask, and that did not work. I use WPA security, but have tried different
variants of that, including turning it off all together, and that does not
work.

The other odd aspect is that on some rare occasions the laptops can
browse each other briefly. But in these brief windows of time I have not
been able to figure out what changed, or what renders it back to the
previous state of not being able to browse each other.


One notebook is an HP zv5000 with a Broadcom 54g wireless card, the
other laptop is a Compaq Presario 900 using the Linksys Wireless G card that
came with the router. All drivers are up to date, as I have checked them
with Windows Update and by manually clicking "update driver" in system
manager. The systems come back clean on a scan with updated Norton
Anti-Virus.

Last, the network worked perfectly prior to moving from my old Linksys
wire-only router to this new wireless one. So I know that the laptops used
to be able to browse each other.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I cannot seem to find an answer
in the Microsoft or Linksys KB. And their respective tech supports are
pointing their fingers at each other. Microsoft states its a router issue,
and Linksys states it's an OS issue. Basically I've come up with a problem
neither tech support can figure out, so they're both passing the buck rather
than saying "I don't know."


Thank You In Advance

 

[JR]

I suggest to leave the WPA off, and enable MAC address
filtering. I know it's not really completely secure, but
it will stop the average hacker....
on top of MAC filtering, you could work with static IP's
on the wireless side, that increases security.

-----Original Message-----
All-


Further troubleshooting reveals that totally

disabling WPA security on my router solves this issue,
but who wants a wireless network with no security?

So the question is now how to maintain network

browsing functionality between the two wireless machines
without compromising security.

Thank you.

-Alan

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437
"Ronald "Alan" Gumm, Jr." <[email protected]>

wrote in message

I have come upon a most interesting problem. I have 4 computers, 2
desktops and 2 notebooks all running XP Pro. They are presently networked
via a Linksys wireless router. The 2 desktops are wired to the router with
cable, and the 2 notebooks connect wirelessly.

All 4 computers can utilize the internet

connection, and all 4 computers

 

[Ronald \Alan\ Gumm, Jr.]

So the MAC filtering will keep unauthorized people out of the network?

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437
I suggest to leave the WPA off, and enable MAC address
filtering. I know it's not really completely secure, but
it will stop the average hacker....
on top of MAC filtering, you could work with static IP's
on the wireless side, that increases security.

-----Original Message-----
All-


Further troubleshooting reveals that totally

disabling WPA security on my router solves this issue,
but who wants a wireless network with no security?

So the question is now how to maintain network

browsing functionality between the two wireless machines
without compromising security.

Thank you.

-Alan

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437
"Ronald "Alan" Gumm, Jr." <[email protected]>

wrote in message

I have come upon a most interesting problem. I have 4 computers, 2
desktops and 2 notebooks all running XP Pro. They are presently networked
via a Linksys wireless router. The 2 desktops are wired to the router with
cable, and the 2 notebooks connect wirelessly.

All 4 computers can utilize the internet

connection, and all 4 computers

 

[Bob Willard]

So the MAC filtering will keep unauthorized people out of the network?

Pretty much. For an unwanted user to sneak in, he would need to watch
your network long enough to find out what MAC addresses your laptops
use (easy enough), then clone one of those MAC addresses on his laptop
(easy with many laptops), then wait for your laptop to be off for awhile
and jump in with his using your cloned MAC address. So, if some evil
person/government really wants in, MAC filtering can be defeated; but,
it is good enough to keep out the casual wardrivers.

Before giving up on WPA, try setting the same WPA key values on both
laptops and the WAP. That case is simpler than unique keys for each
laptop and might work.

While MAC filtering may be good enough for sites without valuable data,
if you keep business info or credit card numbers or PIN numbers on your
PCs, I'd make WPA (or at least WEP) work - even if that means changing
hardware.

 

[Ronald \Alan\ Gumm, Jr.]

Bob-

I have the same WPA shared key on all three, they had to have that just to log onto the network.

Are you referring to copying the actual key generated from this from one of the PCs and making the WAP and other PC match?

If so I have a few questions on how to make it work.

1. Where do I find the actual key generated on the PCs and the WAP?

2. Once found how do I change the actual key?

3. The router is currently set to generate a new key every hour, so how would I synchronize the keys once changed?

Thanks!

-Alan

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437

So the MAC filtering will keep unauthorized people out of the network?

Pretty much. For an unwanted user to sneak in, he would need to watch
your network long enough to find out what MAC addresses your laptops
use (easy enough), then clone one of those MAC addresses on his laptop
(easy with many laptops), then wait for your laptop to be off for awhile
and jump in with his using your cloned MAC address. So, if some evil
person/government really wants in, MAC filtering can be defeated; but,
it is good enough to keep out the casual wardrivers.

Before giving up on WPA, try setting the same WPA key values on both
laptops and the WAP. That case is simpler than unique keys for each
laptop and might work.

While MAC filtering may be good enough for sites without valuable data,
if you keep business info or credit card numbers or PIN numbers on your
PCs, I'd make WPA (or at least WEP) work - even if that means changing
hardware.

 

[Bob Willard]

Bob-

I have the same WPA shared key on all three, they had to have that just to log onto the network.

Are you referring to copying the actual key generated from this from one of the PCs and making the WAP and other PC match?

If so I have a few questions on how to make it work.

1. Where do I find the actual key generated on the PCs and the WAP?

2. Once found how do I change the actual key?

3. The router is currently set to generate a new key every hour, so how would I synchronize the keys once changed?

Thanks!

-Alan

Sorry, but I can't help with WPA details. My WLAN only supports WEP.

 

[Ronald \Alan\ Gumm, Jr.]

Bob-

That's where I got confused. While WEP generates a pass key at the router to be placed on the computers, WPA uses a "pass phrase" then the computers are automatically issued a new key every so often, usually every hour by default.

Thanks for the help!

-Alan

--
R. Alan Gumm, Jr.
(e-mail address removed)
(432) 553-5437

Bob-

I have the same WPA shared key on all three, they had to have that just to log onto the network.

Are you referring to copying the actual key generated from this from one of the PCs and making the WAP and other PC match?

If so I have a few questions on how to make it work.

1. Where do I find the actual key generated on the PCs and the WAP?

2. Once found how do I change the actual key?

3. The router is currently set to generate a new key every hour, so how would I synchronize the keys once changed?

Thanks!

-Alan

Sorry, but I can't help with WPA details. My WLAN only supports WEP.