Computer is not visible in workgroup, even from same machine !!

[Txl]

Hello

Using Xp Pro Sp1 on my my laptop (ACER) I can connect to the internet
using the gateway provided by the server (DEBORAH) but in the workgroup
(BUGG) the laptop (ACER) does not see itself.

On the server (DEBORAH) I can see the DEBORAH computer but not the laptop
and on the laptop I see nothing at all.

All pings are OK in every direction, on both computers the windows
firewall is disabled and the relevant ports (TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138,
445) have been opened, there is no product from Norton on any computer,
all the proper services are up and running (serve, workstation and so on)
and I really don't know what the problem might be.

The only "weird" thing I have been able to spot is that apparently netbios
seems to be down on the laptop, when I try a nbtstat -a acer I get told
that it can't access netbt and maybe the driver is down, but how do I fix
it ?



Thanks for the help

 

[Ron Lowe]

Hello

Using Xp Pro Sp1 on my my laptop (ACER) I can connect to the internet
using the gateway provided by the server (DEBORAH) but in the workgroup
(BUGG) the laptop (ACER) does not see itself.

On the server (DEBORAH) I can see the DEBORAH computer but not the laptop
and on the laptop I see nothing at all.

All pings are OK in every direction, on both computers the windows
firewall is disabled and the relevant ports (TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138,
445) have been opened, there is no product from Norton on any computer,
all the proper services are up and running (serve, workstation and so on)
and I really don't know what the problem might be.

The only "weird" thing I have been able to spot is that apparently netbios
seems to be down on the laptop, when I try a nbtstat -a acer I get told
that it can't access netbt and maybe the driver is down, but how do I fix
it ?



Thanks for the help

Ensure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on the laptop.
( LAN connection, TCP/IP, properties, advanced, WINS tab. )

What does an "nbtstat -n" show on the laptop itself?

Double-check there's no firewall enabled.
Sometimes, 3-rd party software like VPN clients can install a firewall.