windows XP - Vista home network

[Duane Lee]

I would certainly appreciate anyone's help in setting up my home network
using Vista.

Here is my situation:
I have a home wireless net work consisting of three computers. I have had
this network set up and running for about three years (so I am not "brand
new" at this). However, what has changed is the fact that now one of my
computers runs Vista - the other two run Windows XP Home (formerly, of
course, all three were running Win XP). I am sure that my problem lies
within the fact that Vista is more secure and there by is putting up some
"road blocks" that I am unfamiliar with.

On my VISTA computer - I can currently open and share files with my other
two XP computers without any problem.

On my XP computers - this is where I am having my problems - I have not been
able to access my "shared" files residing on the Vista computer.

Can someone help me "crack this nut" or lead me to helpful information on
the web?

Thanks

 

[flambe]

You may solve this problem and feel you have it working but I assure you
that one day you will find that connections that worked stably for awhile
have disappeared and you are back where you started from.
Why do I say this?
Because, just today, in a mixed XP wireless/Vista wired network that, after
much more trouble than it was worth, was working apparently reliably, just
that happened AGAIN.
Today, for no reason, the Vista computer refuses to see the XP computers,
which see each other. I check the settings and all is exactly the same as
when it was working but it is not working now.
Fortunately the Vista computer can dual boot to XP: voila, no networking
problems.
My suggestion: trash Vista. Even if you have to buy another copy of XP the
cost will be worth it in the time you save dodging the garbage Vista throws
at you.
Vista is so awful that I am now seriously looking into Apple (after nearly
twenty years of all Microsoft all the time).

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I would certainly appreciate anyone's help in setting up my home network
using Vista.

Here is my situation:
I have a home wireless net work consisting of three computers. I have had
this network set up and running for about three years (so I am not "brand
new" at this). However, what has changed is the fact that now one of my
computers runs Vista - the other two run Windows XP Home (formerly, of
course, all three were running Win XP). I am sure that my problem lies
within the fact that Vista is more secure and there by is putting up some
"road blocks" that I am unfamiliar with.

On my VISTA computer - I can currently open and share files with my other
two XP computers without any problem.

On my XP computers - this is where I am having my problems - I have not been
able to access my "shared" files residing on the Vista computer.

Can someone help me "crack this nut" or lead me to helpful information on
the web?

Thanks

This is most frequently a problem with a misconfigured or overlooked personal
firewall. What anti virus protection do you use?
<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

Read about known issues with Windows Vista and Windows Networking.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html

If you want to diagnose the problem, look at 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, and note how to start a command window from
Vista!):
<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.

 

[Mick Murphy]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.

Permissions/Share info is there as well.

If using Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro I.S., make sure file and printer
sharing is enabled in THEIR firewall.

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords on ALL computers in your Network) If you have it ON, you will be
asked for a username and password when you try to access a Vista computer
from an XP computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home Network File and Printer Sharing Wizard to include
Vista in your “New†Network, even if you had an XP Network set up prior to
adding a Vista computer to it.

 

[Duane Lee]

Thanks to you Mike and everyone else who offered suggestions. I up and
running
now. As so often the case - it's just one simple thing that is overlooked
or forgotten. In my case it was the "password protected "on/off". I had
neglected to "turn it off" - that's all it took.
Thanks again,
Duane

 

[Mick Murphy]

Good to see a happy poster!