Random file share loss

[jkat54]

A customer called me today with a "network file or path not found error".
They were trying to open a spreadsheet that is stored on a main pc. After
having him check the sharing settings, etc, we did not make any
configuration changes, but the file was able to be found towards the end of
our telephone call.

Here's the setup: P2P, both in standard "WORKGROUP", Specified IP & DNS

PC1 (files computer)
192.168.0.100
255.255.255.0
192.168.0.1
c:\documents and settings\all users\documents\ (shared as "SharedDocs")

PC2 (opening files from PC1)
192.168.0.103
255.255.255.0
192.168.0.1
browses to my network places --> SharedDocs on PC1
* Within MS Excel

Same DNS on both
1st:67.95.143.35
2nd:69.15.209.146


Computers are hard wired with CAT5, they converge at a linksys wireless
router, linksys router's wan port goes to DSL modem, DSL modem goes to DSL
filter and into wall jack.

Printer and File sharing is enable on both computers and 9 times out of 10
everything works smoothly. This error seems to occur randomly and as
mentioned, it fixed itself before we made any configuration changes.

Before we re-tested, I was convinced that I might walk the customer thru
unsharing and then resharing the folder on the network to fix the problem.
Since the problem fixed itself during the course of my over-the-phone
diagnostics, and since the customer does not receive "network cable
unplugged" error messages I would assume this has to do with the firmware
on the linksys. However we do not know the admin password for the router,
as the usual techies are friends of my customer and are unavailable to
assist. Due to the possible complications within the router setup I dont
want to reset the router and end up in a bigger pickle... as with the case
of not knowing the PPPoE configurations etc. right of hand.

My question becomes... has anyone seen this before that has an opinion on
what I should do?

Thank you in advance,
Michael

 

[Jim]

A customer called me today with a "network file or path not found error".
They were trying to open a spreadsheet that is stored on a main pc. After
having him check the sharing settings, etc, we did not make any
configuration changes, but the file was able to be found towards the end
of
our telephone call.

Here's the setup: P2P, both in standard "WORKGROUP", Specified IP & DNS

PC1 (files computer)
192.168.0.100
255.255.255.0
192.168.0.1
c:\documents and settings\all users\documents\ (shared as "SharedDocs")

PC2 (opening files from PC1)
192.168.0.103
255.255.255.0
192.168.0.1
browses to my network places --> SharedDocs on PC1
* Within MS Excel

Same DNS on both
1st:67.95.143.35
2nd:69.15.209.146


Computers are hard wired with CAT5, they converge at a linksys wireless
router, linksys router's wan port goes to DSL modem, DSL modem goes to DSL
filter and into wall jack.

Printer and File sharing is enable on both computers and 9 times out of 10
everything works smoothly. This error seems to occur randomly and as
mentioned, it fixed itself before we made any configuration changes.

Before we re-tested, I was convinced that I might walk the customer thru
unsharing and then resharing the folder on the network to fix the problem.
Since the problem fixed itself during the course of my over-the-phone
diagnostics, and since the customer does not receive "network cable
unplugged" error messages I would assume this has to do with the firmware
on the linksys. However we do not know the admin password for the router,
as the usual techies are friends of my customer and are unavailable to
assist. Due to the possible complications within the router setup I dont
want to reset the router and end up in a bigger pickle... as with the case
of not knowing the PPPoE configurations etc. right of hand.

My question becomes... has anyone seen this before that has an opinion on
what I should do?

Thank you in advance,
Michael

I get this type of event all the time with my wireless network. This kind
of connectivity problem is usually caused by the hardware.

It seems likely to me that there is a bad connection somewhere. A bad cable
or a bad connector is where you need to start checking.

I would rule out software because software either works or not. It does not
work sometimes and then magically fix itself.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Jim's suggestion that this is hardware related is unlikely to be correct. If
that were the case, then your customer would also be complaining of
intermittent problems when accessing the Internet.

The problem is also unlikely to be the router. If the router is supplying a
DHCP parameter that prevents NETBIOS over TCP/IP, then you would NEVER be
able to browse the network or see shared files. However, if you are
concerned about this, you can work around the router problem. See KB article
315978. But this is also unlikely to be the cause.

AND, I am having exactly the same problems. Sometimes I can see shared
files, sometimes not, in a peer-to-peer environment, all machines are Win XP
Pro, fully updated. Sometimes a re-boot fixes the problem, sometimes not.
Firewalls are all turned off, just to eliminate that possible problem.

I have also consulted KB articles 318030 (issues with computer node type)
and 903267 (NETBIOS over TCP/IP not turned on). Neither helped. Again, if
either of these were issues, one would NEVER be able to get at shared files.
The problem here is intermittent.

Does anyone out there know what causes this, and how to fix it?

--Bruce Morris

 

[Guest]

A few things to check:

Power-saving active (and buggy) on the LAN card. This is a favourite. Check
the card's properties under Device Manager.

Timed Disconnection of inactive shares. In principle this shouldn't cause
problems, but I've seen cases where it does.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297684
(Mentions NT/2000 but I'm reasonably sure this applies to XP too)

IRQ conflict with another PCI device. This will make the card very slow at
receiving data, but not affect sending.