Cannot see or be seen on network but can connect to Internet???

[Bill]

I just installed a wireless network using a wireless cable/dsl router.
Internet access is via DSL. There are three computers on the network.
The problem computer is an old Dell desktop that was upgraded from
Win98 to XP Home SP2 a couple of years ago. The other two computers are
Dell laptops running XP Pro SP2. The following are the strange
characteristics exhibited by the desktop.

Desktop Charateristics
----------------------
Can browse the internet using the network DSL connection.

Cannot see any other computer on the network. When I navigate down
network tree in Windows Explorer and double click Workgroup I get an
error dialog with the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use theis network resource. Contact the
administrator of this server to find out if you have access
permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently
available."

Can ping other computers on the network by IP address.

Can share its printer on the network.

Laptop Characteristics
----------------------
Both laptops cannot see the desktop. Even a search by IP address fails.

Both laptops cannot ping the desktop by IP address.

Both laptops _can_ print to the desktop's shared printer.

Both laptops _can_ connect to the desktop using VNC.

I am not sure where to start looking for the cause of this bizarre
behavior. It makes no sense that the desktop can share its printer and
use the internet but cannot see other computers on the network while
the laptops cannot even ping the desktop but can print to its printer
and connect to it using VNC.

Any suggestions would be _very_ welcome.

 

[Bill]

Additional information. At least part of the problem appears to be due
to the Windows firwall on the desktop machine. If I disable the
firewall the desktop machine can see the other computers on the
network. However, it cannot access a shared folder on one of the
computers.

What settings must I change in the XP Home firewall so the computer can
browse the network normally?

The desktop is also running McAfee anti-virus but does not have the
McAfee personal firewall installed. The only firewall is Windows
firewall.

 

[Chuck]

I just installed a wireless network using a wireless cable/dsl router.
Internet access is via DSL. There are three computers on the network.
The problem computer is an old Dell desktop that was upgraded from
Win98 to XP Home SP2 a couple of years ago. The other two computers are
Dell laptops running XP Pro SP2. The following are the strange
characteristics exhibited by the desktop.

Desktop Charateristics
----------------------
Can browse the internet using the network DSL connection.

Cannot see any other computer on the network. When I navigate down
network tree in Windows Explorer and double click Workgroup I get an
error dialog with the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use theis network resource. Contact the
administrator of this server to find out if you have access
permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently
available."

Can ping other computers on the network by IP address.

Can share its printer on the network.

Laptop Characteristics
----------------------
Both laptops cannot see the desktop. Even a search by IP address fails.

Both laptops cannot ping the desktop by IP address.

Both laptops _can_ print to the desktop's shared printer.

Both laptops _can_ connect to the desktop using VNC.

I am not sure where to start looking for the cause of this bizarre
behavior. It makes no sense that the desktop can share its printer and
use the internet but cannot see other computers on the network while
the laptops cannot even ping the desktop but can print to its printer
and connect to it using VNC.

Any suggestions would be _very_ welcome.

Bill,

With the Windows Firewall (XP SP2), you enable the File and Printer Sharing
exception, which should resolve that issue.

The "cannot see" is a browser issue. Depending upon which computer is the
master browser, this can have the results you're observing. The pinging
problem, though, sounds like either a firewall issue, or LSP / Winsock
corruption.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html>

If that's the only firewall issue, check registry setting restrictanonymous on
each computer:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, as a diagnostic aid. Read this article, and linked articles, and
follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>

 

[Bill]

Thanks Chuck. I was wrong. The problem desktop machine is running XP
Home SP1 and does not have a File and Printer Sharing exception. In
fact, it does not even have an Exceptions tab like the XP Pro machines.
The only tabs on the XP Home machine are Services, Security Logging and
ICMP. What setting should I change in this envronment?

 

[Bill]

Also, there is no chance of upgrading the desktop to SP2 since it only
has a 6 gig hard drive (that is total size, not free space<g>) and
there is very little free space. It needs to be replaced but that is
not going to happen until next year.

 

[Chuck]

Also, there is no chance of upgrading the desktop to SP2 since it only
has a 6 gig hard drive (that is total size, not free space<g>) and
there is very little free space. It needs to be replaced but that is
not going to happen until next year.

Gack.

Well, with that little disk space, you'll not want either Norton Personal
Firewall or Zone Alarm. The only others I know about are Kerio / Tiny, and
Sygate. And you can forget about Sygate - they just got bought out by Symantec.
For the time being, you'll have to learn how to open Internet Connection
Firewall (WF pre SP2).

You need to open ports TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138, 445. You do that from the
Local Area Connection properties wizard, but I forget where in the wizard. It's
tricky cause there are two places where you make security entries; one is in
Properties - Advanced tab, the other under TCP/IP Properties - Advanced button -
Options tab. It's been over a year since I tried to help with SP1 firewall, so
you'll have to play this by ear. I'm just lucky I saved all my old notes, which
is where I had all of those details.

 

[Bill]

Thanks Chuck. I I cannot get going with that information I will turn
the firewall off. That should be safe enough since they are behind a
hardware firewall.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck. I I cannot get going with that information I will turn
the firewall off. That should be safe enough since they are behind a
hardware firewall.

Well, Bill, you have my sympathy. I remember trying to deal with ICF, and how
glad I was when SP2 replaced it with WF. Just upgrade that thing as soon as you
can. It may be sort of safe behind a NAT router (I doubt that you have a true
hardware firewall), but you could do better. Personal firewalls are a very good
idea.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/what-is-nat-router.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/better-protection-hardware-or-software.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/please-protect-yourself-layer-your.html>

 

[Bill]

I would happily put SP2 on it now if I could figure out how to do it
but with about 500mb free on the hard drive I am afraid to try it. The
safest thing to do is replace it as soon as possible so that is the
current plan. Thanks again.