XP Home peer-to-peer network problem

[Cwazee Yeti]

Hi everyone,

I hope I have reached the correct group for this question:

I am trying to simply link 2 XP Home computers together in a
peer-to-peer network. My current set-up consists of:

- 2 computers (PC1 and PC2) running XP Home and configured with the
same worgroup name (HOMEBASE)
- Both PCs are connected to a Linksys DSL router with integrated
switch and can access the Internet without any problems
- Both PCs have File and Print sharing ENABLED
- Both PCs are logged on with ADMIN rights
- Both PC's have Microsoft's firewall DISABLED and the ZoneAlarm
Personal Firewall installed


The Problem:

When I go to "My Network Neighborhood" on PC2, it can see both PCs in
the HOMEBASE workgroup--PC1 and PC2 (i.e., itself). Everything's fine
on that end. But when I try to do the same thing on PC1, it does not
see any PCs (not even itself) and doesn't seem to be able to join the
HOMEBASE workgroup. I'm prompted with the error:

"Homebase is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator... <blah> <blah> <blah>"

I don't think it's a permission problem since they're both logged on
with Admin accounts.

If you have any ideas to share as to where I should look, it would be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Rob Elder MVP-Networking]

Do the accounts have passwords? By default network connections are not
permitted with blank passwords.

 

[Chuck]

Hi everyone,

I hope I have reached the correct group for this question:

I am trying to simply link 2 XP Home computers together in a
peer-to-peer network. My current set-up consists of:

- 2 computers (PC1 and PC2) running XP Home and configured with the
same worgroup name (HOMEBASE)
- Both PCs are connected to a Linksys DSL router with integrated
switch and can access the Internet without any problems
- Both PCs have File and Print sharing ENABLED
- Both PCs are logged on with ADMIN rights
- Both PC's have Microsoft's firewall DISABLED and the ZoneAlarm
Personal Firewall installed


The Problem:

When I go to "My Network Neighborhood" on PC2, it can see both PCs in
the HOMEBASE workgroup--PC1 and PC2 (i.e., itself). Everything's fine
on that end. But when I try to do the same thing on PC1, it does not
see any PCs (not even itself) and doesn't seem to be able to join the
HOMEBASE workgroup. I'm prompted with the error:

"Homebase is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator... <blah> <blah> <blah>"

I don't think it's a permission problem since they're both logged on
with Admin accounts.

If you have any ideas to share as to where I should look, it would be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Are the admin accounts on both computers identical (same user name, same
non-blank password)?

Is Zone Alarm setup with each computer defined in the Local (Most Trusted) Zone
of the other?

Please provide ipconfig information for each computer.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\ipconfig.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Cwazee Yeti]

Hello Chuck,

Do you need to have identical ADMIN user names and passwords on BOTH
XP Home machines for the file/printer sharing to work??? I thought
that as long as they were both under the same workgroup, they should
be able to share files.

The strange part is that PC1 described in my original message can't
even see itself in the HOMEBASE workgroup. Whereas PC2 can see PC1 but
can't access the shares created on it.

Does it matter if both PCs obtain their IP addresses via DHCP (from
the router)?

Thanks.

 

[Chuck]

Hello Chuck,

Do you need to have identical ADMIN user names and passwords on BOTH
XP Home machines for the file/printer sharing to work??? I thought
that as long as they were both under the same workgroup, they should
be able to share files.

The strange part is that PC1 described in my original message can't
even see itself in the HOMEBASE workgroup. Whereas PC2 can see PC1 but
can't access the shares created on it.

Does it matter if both PCs obtain their IP addresses via DHCP (from
the router)?

Cwazee,

Whatever account you are using (logged on with) on computer A needs to be
duplicated (with identical non-blank password) on computer B. And vice versa.
You don't have to USE the account on the second computer - it just has to be
there.

Workgroup membership has nothing to do with security. That just determines what
shares get displayed directly under My Computer / My Network Places. If you
look under Entire Network - Microsoft Windows Network, you will see all
computers in all workgroups anywhere visible to you (which comes as a shock to
new users of cable broadband internet).

Check your Zone Alarm Local (Trusted) Zone membership on each computer.
Membership in Trusted Zone affects visibility of computers to other computers.

DHCP use is fine for a wired LAN, with your subnet Trusted. For wireless, I
recommend fixed address assignment, and Trusted Zone setup by individual
assigned fixed ip address only, as a further defense against intruders.

And Cwazee, please don't contribute to the spread of email address mining
viruses. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself a bit
safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - never post your address unmunged.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.