XP Pro cannot find XP Home Shares

[Ralph]

I have 3 computers on a wireless net in my home.

1 is a XP Home system with a printer attached. It is
named "family" and is defined in a workgroup
called "home".

2 is a XP Pro Laptop from my work that is named "ralpha"
and is a member of a DOMAIN (not the home workgroup)
during the day. When it connects to the wireless net at
home is shows up being a member of the domain even though
the domain server is not present. This computer can do a
computer search for "family" on the wireless network in
order to then use the printer and/or shared folders on
family.

3 is a XP Pro system that was just re-connected to my
wireless network after being part of a college network
during the school year. This computer is named "brian"
and is a member of workgroup "home". It is not a member
of a domain.

Computer 3 cannot search the wireless network and
find "family". Additionally it shows no computers in
workgroup "home".

Neither the laptop or the XP Home PC can see computer 3
(Brian).

It acts like it is in a workgroup (or domain) of it's own.

Anybody got any suggestions?

 

[Chuck]

I have 3 computers on a wireless net in my home.

1 is a XP Home system with a printer attached. It is
named "family" and is defined in a workgroup
called "home".

2 is a XP Pro Laptop from my work that is named "ralpha"
and is a member of a DOMAIN (not the home workgroup)
during the day. When it connects to the wireless net at
home is shows up being a member of the domain even though
the domain server is not present. This computer can do a
computer search for "family" on the wireless network in
order to then use the printer and/or shared folders on
family.

3 is a XP Pro system that was just re-connected to my
wireless network after being part of a college network
during the school year. This computer is named "brian"
and is a member of workgroup "home". It is not a member
of a domain.

Computer 3 cannot search the wireless network and
find "family". Additionally it shows no computers in
workgroup "home".

Neither the laptop or the XP Home PC can see computer 3
(Brian).

It acts like it is in a workgroup (or domain) of it's own.

Anybody got any suggestions?

Ralph,

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro
and XP Home on the same LAN, you should enable SFS.

If SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel -
Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

If you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure that the Guest
account is enabled, and has an identical, non-blank, password on all computers.
If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical, non-blank, password
on all computers.

For XP Home, or for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled, with identical, non-blank passwords, on each computer.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF or third party)? If so,
you need to configure them for file sharing, by opening ports TCP 139, 445 and
UDP 137, 138, 445, and / or by identifying the other computers as present in the
Local (Trusted) zone. Firewall configurations are a very common cause of
(network) browser, and file sharing, problems.

And Ralph, please don't contribute to the success 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.