Replacing Old Home Network/Workgroup settings

[Joseph Carrier]

I've spent many fruitless hours trying to revive my home network of three
WinXP SP2 (Home Edition) computers and at this point badly need help.

What happened is that, one recent morning, one of the three computers in the
"workgroup" suddenly became invisible and inaccessible to the other two
computers, and vice versa. I've tried using the Network Setup Wizard on the
machines to reestablish the old network, using the same computer and
Workgroup names, but that doesn't correct the problem at all.

Now I'm thinking of starting all over by using Network Setup Wizard on the
three machines using a different Workgroup name but the same computer names.
Is there a way to eliminate the existing, dysfunctional, workgroup settings?
Is even necessary to do that before trying the new setup?

Thanks

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Windows doesn't store "old" network configurations, so if you re-run the
Wizard on all computers it will replace the existing network configuration
with your "new" one.

 

[Joseph Carrier]

Thank you.

Was about to start when another question occurred to me: Should I disable
the AVG firewall on my desktop before using the Network Setup Wizard? (I'm
suspicious that the firewall may have had a role in my problem.)

Thanks again.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Don't disable the firewall - uninstall it. Firewall software other than the
Windows XP firewalls usually don't fully disable properly.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Joseph Carrier]

Thanks again.

I'm waiting for Grisom to respond to my email request for help with appears
to be AVG's blockage of my file and printer sharing network.

I did re-setup the Work Group-- with AVG Firewall disabled--and ended up
with the same mess I started with:

1. The AVG-equipped desktop identified only itself as a member of the Work
Group.

2. Both laptops identified two laptops as members of the Work Group, but
not the desktop.

I guess that does make it appear that the problem resides on the Desktop?

I suspect I won't get a response from Grisom that I can understand and act
upon, so I'll probably end up uninstalling the AVG Firewall to try once more
to establish a functioning, three computer, Work Group.

I'll let you know what happens.

Don't disable the firewall - uninstall it. Firewall software other than
the Windows XP firewalls usually don't fully disable properly.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Thank you.

Was about to start when another question occurred to me: Should I disable
the AVG firewall on my desktop before using the Network Setup Wizard?
(I'm suspicious that the firewall may have had a role in my problem.)

Thanks again.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Exactly. Remove the firewall software, configure the network, then
re-install and re-configure the firewall software. That generally works
when all else will not.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Thanks again.

I'm waiting for Grisom to respond to my email request for help with
appears to be AVG's blockage of my file and printer sharing network.

I did re-setup the Work Group-- with AVG Firewall disabled--and ended up
with the same mess I started with:

1. The AVG-equipped desktop identified only itself as a member of the
Work Group.

2. Both laptops identified two laptops as members of the Work Group, but
not the desktop.

I guess that does make it appear that the problem resides on the Desktop?

I suspect I won't get a response from Grisom that I can understand and act
upon, so I'll probably end up uninstalling the AVG Firewall to try once
more to establish a functioning, three computer, Work Group.

I'll let you know what happens.

Don't disable the firewall - uninstall it. Firewall software other than
the Windows XP firewalls usually don't fully disable properly.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Thank you.

Was about to start when another question occurred to me: Should I
disable the AVG firewall on my desktop before using the Network Setup
Wizard? (I'm suspicious that the firewall may have had a role in my
problem.)

Thanks again.


Windows doesn't store "old" network configurations, so if you re-run
the Wizard on all computers it will replace the existing network
configuration with your "new" one.

--
... on the road again ...
Back in the office next week!


I've spent many fruitless hours trying to revive my home network of
three WinXP SP2 (Home Edition) computers and at this point badly need
help.

What happened is that, one recent morning, one of the three computers
in the "workgroup" suddenly became invisible and inaccessible to the
other two computers, and vice versa. I've tried using the Network
Setup Wizard on the machines to reestablish the old network, using the
same computer and Workgroup names, but that doesn't correct the
problem at all.

Now I'm thinking of starting all over by using Network Setup Wizard on
the three machines using a different Workgroup name but the same
computer names. Is there a way to eliminate the existing,
dysfunctional, workgroup settings? Is even necessary to do that before
trying the new setup?

Thanks

 

[Joseph Carrier]

Oh well -- that didn't work either. Am still working with Grisom but I no
longer believe that it is an AVG Firewall Issue, though I don't know what it
could be.

Exactly. Remove the firewall software, configure the network, then
re-install and re-configure the firewall software. That generally works
when all else will not.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Thanks again.

I'm waiting for Grisom to respond to my email request for help with
appears to be AVG's blockage of my file and printer sharing network.

I did re-setup the Work Group-- with AVG Firewall disabled--and ended up
with the same mess I started with:

1. The AVG-equipped desktop identified only itself as a member of the
Work Group.

2. Both laptops identified two laptops as members of the Work Group, but
not the desktop.

I guess that does make it appear that the problem resides on the Desktop?

I suspect I won't get a response from Grisom that I can understand and
act upon, so I'll probably end up uninstalling the AVG Firewall to try
once more to establish a functioning, three computer, Work Group.

I'll let you know what happens.

Don't disable the firewall - uninstall it. Firewall software other than
the Windows XP firewalls usually don't fully disable properly.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Thank you.

Was about to start when another question occurred to me: Should I
disable the AVG firewall on my desktop before using the Network Setup
Wizard? (I'm suspicious that the firewall may have had a role in my
problem.)

Thanks again.


Windows doesn't store "old" network configurations, so if you re-run
the Wizard on all computers it will replace the existing network
configuration with your "new" one.

--
... on the road again ...
Back in the office next week!


I've spent many fruitless hours trying to revive my home network of
three WinXP SP2 (Home Edition) computers and at this point badly need
help.

What happened is that, one recent morning, one of the three computers
in the "workgroup" suddenly became invisible and inaccessible to the
other two computers, and vice versa. I've tried using the Network
Setup Wizard on the machines to reestablish the old network, using
the same computer and Workgroup names, but that doesn't correct the
problem at all.

Now I'm thinking of starting all over by using Network Setup Wizard
on the three machines using a different Workgroup name but the same
computer names. Is there a way to eliminate the existing,
dysfunctional, workgroup settings? Is even necessary to do that
before trying the new setup?

Thanks