Problems with file sharing between 3 computers on a wired LAN

[Guest]

I am trying to get three computers to file share on a wired LAN but I am
experiencing problems. All three computers are running Windows XP and are
fully up to date. All three can connect to the internet through the router
without any problems. Connection between the computers works as I've tested
it using the ping command.

The problem is that when I try to access a file on another computer I get
lots of 'Program not responding' errors. This isn't just restricted to one
particular pc or to one particular type of file or program. Sometimes I can
open a shared folder over the LAN and everything works fine, other times it
all grinds to a halt.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

 

[picohat]

If you enabled Windows firewall or other firewalls on computer, make
sure you allow file sharing traffic to go through. Also make sure you
can ping each computer.

As for file sharing, there are 2 types of file sharing in Windows XP.
Take a look and see any misconfiguration.

Simple file sharing
http://www.home-network-help.com/file-sharing.html

Share file with user/group permission in XP pro
http://www.home-network-help.com/share-file.html

Hope helps..

 

[Guest]

Thank you for that. as I mentioned earlier, I can ping each computer without
any problems so I don't suspect that it is a firewall problem.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I am trying to get three computers to file share on a wired LAN but I am
experiencing problems. All three computers are running Windows XP and are
fully up to date. All three can connect to the internet through the router
without any problems. Connection between the computers works as I've tested
it using the ping command.

The problem is that when I try to access a file on another computer I get
lots of 'Program not responding' errors. This isn't just restricted to one
particular pc or to one particular type of file or program. Sometimes I can
open a shared folder over the LAN and everything works fine, other times it
all grinds to a halt.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

Rich,

The error message "program not responding" isn't commonly seen here. What's the
exact text of the message? Can you give a more useful description of when you
get the message?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html

Do you see any entries in Event Viewer?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-event-viewer-to-get-details.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-event-viewer-to-get-details.html

And BTW, just because you can ping one computer from another, don't assume that
you don't have a firewall problem.
<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

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Hi Chuck,

I've done some more testing. I've tried hooking up two computers through the
router with the phone line unplugged and the firewalls turned off. This
doesn't seem to make any difference so I would say that the firewalls aren't
causing the problem.

I've looked at the event viewer and it doesn't show anything when the
programs fail to respond.

The program not responding error is from the task manager window. If I open
that and monitor which programs and files are running, when I try to access a
shared file it often changes from running to not responding.

I am trying to get three computers to file share on a wired LAN but I am
experiencing problems. All three computers are running Windows XP and are
fully up to date. All three can connect to the internet through the router
without any problems. Connection between the computers works as I've tested
it using the ping command.

The problem is that when I try to access a file on another computer I get
lots of 'Program not responding' errors. This isn't just restricted to one
particular pc or to one particular type of file or program. Sometimes I can
open a shared folder over the LAN and everything works fine, other times it
all grinds to a halt.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

Rich,

The error message "program not responding" isn't commonly seen here. What's the
exact text of the message? Can you give a more useful description of when you
get the message?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html

Do you see any entries in Event Viewer?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-event-viewer-to-get-details.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/using-event-viewer-to-get-details.html

And BTW, just because you can ping one computer from another, don't assume that
you don't have a firewall problem.
<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

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Hi Chuck,

I've done some more testing. I've tried hooking up two computers through the
router with the phone line unplugged and the firewalls turned off. This
doesn't seem to make any difference so I would say that the firewalls aren't
causing the problem.

I've looked at the event viewer and it doesn't show anything when the
programs fail to respond.

The program not responding error is from the task manager window. If I open
that and monitor which programs and files are running, when I try to access a
shared file it often changes from running to not responding.

Rich,

If you do any reading here, you'll find that firewall problems, even when they
are turned off (what make and model is turned off, anyway??), are unbelievably
complex, and hard to detect. But we'll look in another direction, to start.

Let's start with logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config
server", and "net config workstation", from each computer. Read this article,
and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Hi Chuck,

Here's the info you asked for:

Office PC running XP Pro 2002 SP2

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : RICHARDSOFFICE

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-92-11-60-B7

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.242

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 16 August 2007 16:24:42

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 17 August 2007 16:24:42

Server Name \\RICHARDSOFFICE
Server Comment Richard's Office

Software version Windows 2002
Server is active on
NetBT_Tcpip_{0BC6BD9B-2878-483B-B5D4-43F26F2B3882} (001a921160b7)
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)


Server hidden No
Maximum Logged On Users 10
Maximum open files per session 16384

Idle session time (min) 15
The command completed successfully.

Computer name \\RICHARDSOFFICE
Full Computer name RICHARDSOFFICE
User name Richard Tanfield

Workstation active on
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)
NetBT_Tcpip_{0BC6BD9B-2878-483B-B5D4-43F26F2B3882} (001A921160B7)

Software version Windows 2002

Workstation domain HOME
Workstation Domain DNS Name (null)
Logon domain RICHARDSOFFICE

COM Open Timeout (sec) 0
COM Send Count (byte) 16
COM Send Timeout (msec) 250
The command completed successfully.



Status for domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{0BC6BD9B-2878-483B-B5D4-43F26F2B3882}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: RICHARDSOFFICE
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master RICHARDSOFFICE
\\RICHARDSOFFICE
There are 2 servers in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{0BC6BD9B-2878-483B-B5D4-43F26F2B3882}
There are 1 domains in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{0BC6BD9B-2878-483B-B5D4-43F26F2B3882}



Laptop running XP Home 2002 SP2


Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : RICHARDSLAPTOP

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-43-6E-A0-39

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.249

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 16 August 2007 16:49:22

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 17 August 2007 16:49:22

Server Name \\RICHARDSLAPTOP
Server Comment Richard's Laptop

Software version Windows 2002
Server is active on
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)
NetBT_Tcpip_{9E35E734-97F8-4EE4-AE38-ECC06EC7B60A} (0011436ea039)


Server hidden No
Maximum Logged On Users 5
Maximum open files per session 16384

Idle session time (min) 15
The command completed successfully.

Computer name \\RICHARDSLAPTOP
Full Computer name RICHARDSLAPTOP
User name Richard Tanfield

Workstation active on
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)
NetBT_Tcpip_{9E35E734-97F8-4EE4-AE38-ECC06EC7B60A} (0011436EA039)

Software version Windows 2002

Workstation domain HOME
Workstation Domain DNS Name (null)
Logon domain RICHARDSLAPTOP

COM Open Timeout (sec) 0
COM Send Count (byte) 16
COM Send Timeout (msec) 250
The command completed successfully.



Status for domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9E35E734-97F8-4EE4-AE38-ECC06EC7B60A}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: RICHARDSOFFICE
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 5
\\\\RICHARDSOFFICE. Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master RICHARDSOFFICE
\\RICHARDSOFFICE
There are 2 servers in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9E35E734-97F8-4EE4-AE38-ECC06EC7B60A}
There are 1 domains in domain HOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9E35E734-97F8-4EE4-AE38-ECC06EC7B60A}

Hi Chuck,

I've done some more testing. I've tried hooking up two computers through the
router with the phone line unplugged and the firewalls turned off. This
doesn't seem to make any difference so I would say that the firewalls aren't
causing the problem.

I've looked at the event viewer and it doesn't show anything when the
programs fail to respond.

The program not responding error is from the task manager window. If I open
that and monitor which programs and files are running, when I try to access a
shared file it often changes from running to not responding.

Rich,

If you do any reading here, you'll find that firewall problems, even when they
are turned off (what make and model is turned off, anyway??), are unbelievably
complex, and hard to detect. But we'll look in another direction, to start.

Let's start with logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config
server", and "net config workstation", from each computer. Read this article,
and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Hi Chuck,

Here's the info you asked for:

<SNIP>

OK, Rich. Not a lot of interest here. You have 2 computers (where's the 3rd,
how does it fit in?), both using NetBT and SMB, both in the same workgroup and
recognising the same master browser.

You indicate that RICHARDSOFFICE is running XP Pro. Is it using Simple, or
Advanced File Sharing? If Advanced, is the Guest account, or a non-Guest
account, used for sharing?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

Maybe if you connect the 3rd, and ran diagnostics on all 3, we'd see a clue. So
far, I don't see anything significant.

What programs do you run on these computers? Maybe we need to look at what the
computers are doing.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/watching-what-your-computer-is-doing.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/watching-what-your-computer-is-doing.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Sorry for the delay, I had to shelve the problem solving for a while to get
some work done.

I've done some more testing and there are two problems on the same pc which
is running windows xp pro. The two laptops can share files from each other
and the desktop pc can also read those files on the laptops. The only file
sharing problem is that the laptops can't read anything on the pc.

There's also another problem on this pc which may be related. I use Outlook
to send my emails and I can't send any emails with attachments. I can receive
attachments ok but sending attachments usually times out with a TCP/IP error
message. The two laptops use the same version of Outlook and don't have any
problems.

Any ideas?

Hi Chuck,

Here's the info you asked for:

<SNIP>

OK, Rich. Not a lot of interest here. You have 2 computers (where's the 3rd,
how does it fit in?), both using NetBT and SMB, both in the same workgroup and
recognising the same master browser.

You indicate that RICHARDSOFFICE is running XP Pro. Is it using Simple, or
Advanced File Sharing? If Advanced, is the Guest account, or a non-Guest
account, used for sharing?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

Maybe if you connect the 3rd, and ran diagnostics on all 3, we'd see a clue. So
far, I don't see anything significant.

What programs do you run on these computers? Maybe we need to look at what the
computers are doing.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/watching-what-your-computer-is-doing.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/watching-what-your-computer-is-doing.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.