Can't enter 2 XP machines into a Workgroup

[Guest]

I have 2 XP machines. One is hard wired to my router using XP Pro, and the
other is connected through a Wireless NIC using XP Home Edition. I can ping
the XP Home computer from the XP Pro machine, but I can't ping the XP Pro
machine from the XP Home machine. I made them under the same workgroup name,
but only my XP Home machine can see both computers on the Workgroup, yet it
still cannot access the XP Pro machine. I connected into the router and I
can see both attached just fine and I don't see anything out of the ordinary
in terms of the configuration of the router to indicate that the router is
the cause of the problem. I disabled the XP firewalls on both machines and I
even disabled my Norton's Internet Security as well. I also recently
replaced the router but I was having the same problem on the previous router.
Peer-to-Peer windows component is enabled on both machines. I even tried
hard wiring the XP Home machine to see if it was the wireless NIC but it
proved unsuccessful. I really don't know what else to try. Any help would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
May be this can Help: http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[Guest]

The link you posted doesn't open. Is the link broken?

 

[Guest]

Why not just uninstall NIS altogether and see what happens? Sometimes
uninstalling the software firewall still does not completely remove it from
the system. Firewalls like NIS modify Windows own security files. So who
knows if NIS really put those files and settings back after uninstallation.

From my experience, Norton's Internet Security is more trouble than it's
worth. I have stopped using it and have been in smooth sailing in terms of
sharing resources in a network. I mean what is the reaon for installing it in
a computer anyway? The same goes for ZoneAlarm. The point of all this
security measures is to prevent the outside world from hacking into the
computers. Since all the computers in the network trust each other, why
install NIS on some or all of them? Our attention should focus on permimeter
security. Therefore, more attention should pay on the strength of the
router/gateway. If a comsumer level router like those of Linksys and Netgear
is "perceived" not powerful enough to keep the hackers away, then there are
"free" alternatives like Smoothwall, IPCop, and M0n0wall where you have
absolute control over their features. I have spent so many hours trying to
fix connectivity issues between computers that run software firewalls that in
retrospect, I should have focused on learning about these free but powerful
routers.

If I am worried about access security within the LAN,, using XP Pro NTFS
security policies is more efficient. NTFS security has been around for a long
time so if there is a problem, I can find help easier online on sites like
this. The same cannot be said about software firewall. I am pretty sure that
the percentage of people who use NIS or ZoneAlarm is pretty small. Software
firewalls have become less practical for the basic users and more academic
for the networking gurus. As for me who have to run a computer network for a
living, free time to play around with all the arcane firewall features is a
luxury.

Sorry for being off topic. Just want to let people know about how strongly I
feel about it.

 

[Guest]

I totally hear, and I did try that, but it didn't work either. This is the
funny thing about all of this. A while back, I had my XP Home machine hard
wired to the network and the workgroup worked fine. But I had to reformat my
drive on it and unfortunately, the pegs that hold the ethernet cable in
snapped off so the cable keeps sliding out which is why I went to the
wireless USB NIC. I haven't needed the workgroup until now, but even just
holding the hard wire to the machine won't allow it to see the other computer
on the workgroup. I can get Internet access and I ping the gateway, so I
know the wire is good. I just don't know what else to try. Any help is
greatly appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Try to reinstall the TCP/IP stack on the XP Home. MS has made it difficult to
do this, but there are freeware ultilities out there that do the same.