Simple Home Network

[LG]

I am trying to set up what I think should be a SIMPLE home
network. I have followed the instructions here and its
not quite coming together so anyone who can help - THANKS.

Here is my setup:

1. I have a NetGear wireless router
2. I have a desktop PC connected directly to the internet
through a port on the router and a notebook computer
connecting wirelessly to the Internet through the router
3. Both of my computers Obtain IP Addresses Automatically
from the router (whose address is 192.168.0.1)

I am trying to network these two computers, primarily for
print sharing. I have created a workgroup
called...WORKGROUP (creative I know)

Beyond that I cant figure out exactly how to set the
networking so that the computers can see each other in My
Network Places, and so that the shared resources become
visible and accessible.

Can someone please step-by-step me through this?

One last point: If I Assign specific IP addresses to the
machines in my TCP/IP then the Internet Access no longer
works - I guess because the router is set to work
with "Obtain AutomaticallY".

Thanks for helping solve this!

 

[LG]

One other hint on my problem...

After I go to Network Identification and designate my
computer as part of the WORKGROUP, when I go to My Network
Places >>>Computers Near Me and double click on it, I get
the following message:

"Workgroup is not accessible. The list of servers for
this workgroup is not currently available"

What the...?

 

[Jeff Cochran]

I am trying to set up what I think should be a SIMPLE home
network. I have followed the instructions here and its
not quite coming together so anyone who can help - THANKS.

Here is my setup:

1. I have a NetGear wireless router
2. I have a desktop PC connected directly to the internet
through a port on the router and a notebook computer
connecting wirelessly to the Internet through the router
3. Both of my computers Obtain IP Addresses Automatically
from the router (whose address is 192.168.0.1)

I am trying to network these two computers, primarily for
print sharing. I have created a workgroup
called...WORKGROUP (creative I know)

Both systems have to be members of the same workgroup.

Beyond that I cant figure out exactly how to set the
networking so that the computers can see each other in My
Network Places, and so that the shared resources become
visible and accessible.

Have you any shared resources? Have you shared a folder, or shared a
printer? If not, there's nothing to see.

Can someone please step-by-step me through this?

No. Since the exact steps depend on operating system and you've
neglected to tell us those, best we can do is refer you to the Help on
each system.

One last point: If I Assign specific IP addresses to the
machines in my TCP/IP then the Internet Access no longer
works - I guess because the router is set to work
with "Obtain AutomaticallY".

Because you're assigning IP addresses that aren't in the same logical
network, or because you're not assigning Gateway, Netmask or DNS
settings properly.

See:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
http://www.homenethelp.com/home-network.asp

Jeff

 

[LG]

They are both WIndows 2000. I have set them both to be in
the same workgroup.

I have tried to share a folder and also a printer on the
desktop. I seem to be having two problems:

On the laptop, when I go My Network Places and click to
see Computers Near Me, I can see the desktop's name
showing. But if I try to click on it to see the shared
resources, it tells me the server cannot be accessed.

On the desktop, when I got to My Network Places and click
to see Computers Near Me computers, I get an error message
(posted previously).

I dont understand if I DO or DO NOT need to assign static
IP addresses. If I do, then I have no idea what else I
need to set and what to set it for so that the internet
access will work through my wireless router...

 

[Steven Umbach]

First make sure that no personal firewall or ip filtering are used on either
computer as that will stop access to each other. I assume in your case each
computer has only one nic.

It does not matter if you use static or dhcp as long as all computers are on the
same network, use the same subnet mask, and default gateway. In your case the
default gateway must be 192.168.0.1, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, and the
computer IP addresses all need to start with 192.168.0.xxx and have different
host addresses in the last octet is showed represented by .xxx [except don't use
0 or 255 and don't use leading zeros such as use .5 NOT .005 in an address]. Use
ipconfig /all to verify proper tcp/ip configuration and then try to ping each
other by first assigned IP address and then by computer name which must be less
than fifteen characters. Ping is easy to use as " ping 192.168.0.5 ". Ipconfig
/all should show your node type as broadcast in a workgroup which normally would
not be using a wins server.

Verify that that Client for Microsoft Networks and file and print sharing are
installed and enabled on each computer for tcp/ip and that netbios over tcp/ip
is enabled and that you have shared the needed resources in folder permissions.
An easy way to verify it is run "net start" on each computer and you will see
server and workstation services listed if they are installed and enabled. Also
"net start" should show computer browser service on each computer. Then use
"nbtstat -n" and you will need to see at least a couple of names registered to
verify that netbios over tcp/ip is enabled. For good measure run "net config
server" on each computer to verify that server hidden setting is NO. Verify that
the computers are in the same workgroup.

This is not required, but I recommend that on non Active Directory domain
computers that you disable "register this connection" in dns on each computer in
tcp/ip properties/advanced/dns.

You also need to configure authentication for your computers to allow access to
shares. Each computer needs to have an account that uses the exact logon name
and password that you use to logon to the other computers that need share
access. The shares and folders [ntfs] then need everyone/users permissions to
the share. Alternatively you could enable the guest account on each computer
which will allow unauthenticated access to shares that have everyone permissions
[including ntfs]. Enabling the guest account is not recommended unless all users
are trusted and the network is protected by a firewall from unwanted users.
Users will need the "access this computer from the network" user right which is
the default setting in W2K/XP Pro.

If that is all configured properly, and the computers have default Local
Security Policy settings, you should be able to see and access each other. Keep
in mind that the network browse service is a bit slow and you may not be able to
see all the computers right away though fifteen minutes time should be adequate
if both computers are left on and active [not in sleep mode, etc]. If you can
not "see" the other computers at least verify that file and print sharing is
working correctly by entering unc in the run box for the computer you want to
access as in \\computername\sharename or use the other computers IP address as
in \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\sharename if computer name does not work which would
indicate a name resolution problem if IP address did work. Make sure your
laptop nic is not configured to power down after a certain idle period as that
can cause problems. Be sure to properly shutdown your computers otherwise that
will interfere with the browse list in My Network Places. Sometimes installed
software such as vpn client or network protection packages can interfere with
networking on the lan. Usually booting into safe mode with networking for a
while will help determine if that is going on. -- Steve

 

[Mr_jones9999]

Hello

try this, have the client machine running with cable
hooked up to both machines, then restart the main machine
(server machine)for some reason that works for me when i
had that problem. then it sees the other machine, also
make sure you have set permission under groups and users
in computer maintaincs in control panel

good luck

Mr_jones9999