Configuration problem

[Dapper Dan]

Have a 2 'puter home network encompassing a win 98SE and a Win Me connected
via a hub for a few years. Each computer has its own name and operates
through a common workgroup. Protocols are TCP/IP and IPX/SPX for File and
Print Sharing.

Have just purchased a new Win XP and have tried for the last 3 hours to
connect to the home network but to no avail. I have deactivated the Windows
Firewall but am using the Norton firewall. The XP connects to the Internet
OK but I can't get it to see the home network nor will the other 'puters see
it. It's most likely a configuration problem but I can't seem to figure it
out because XP is so different from the Win 9x types.

Anything obvious ?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Have a 2 'puter home network encompassing a win 98SE and a Win Me connected
via a hub for a few years. Each computer has its own name and operates
through a common workgroup. Protocols are TCP/IP and IPX/SPX for File and
Print Sharing.

Have just purchased a new Win XP and have tried for the last 3 hours to
connect to the home network but to no avail. I have deactivated the Windows
Firewall but am using the Norton firewall. The XP connects to the Internet
OK but I can't get it to see the home network nor will the other 'puters see
it. It's most likely a configuration problem but I can't seem to figure it
out because XP is so different from the Win 9x types.

Anything obvious ?

The Norton firewall could be causing problems.

I've written a web page that should help:

Adding Windows XP to an Existing Network
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/addxp.htm
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Dapper Dan]

Thanks for the reply Steve. As a matter of fact, I had read your article
before posting. In any event, I reread it again and there is obviously
something that I'm not grasping.

I'm convinced that my problem is related to configuration but I can't seem
to correct it because I see no place to amend existing settings. For example
in the Win 98 & Me setup, TCP/IP properties allow me to uncheck File &
Printer sharing but I can't find that setting in XP. Similarly in the same
protocol in 98 & Me, there are setting to disable DNS and NO for allowing
binding to ATM but not in XP.
For the IPX/SPX protocol in 98 & Me, BINDINGS tab a checkmark is in both
Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer sharing but can't find
one in the XP setup.

I'm not sure if having tried so many times to setup the network on the XP
machine (at least a dozen via the Wizard) is causing any damage because when
I click on VIEW WORKGROUP COMPUTERS, it takes at least 60 seconds to come up
with only this one, whereas on either of the other two computers, it's
instantaneous.

One last thing, when I originally set this little network up a few years
back, it was suggested that IPX/SPX was needed because it was more secure
that TCP/IP when sharing files and printer. If that's no longer the case, I
can changes it on the other two computers and maybe these computers will all
see each other.

I appreciate your help.

Dan

 

[Ron Martell]

Have a 2 'puter home network encompassing a win 98SE and a Win Me connected
via a hub for a few years. Each computer has its own name and operates
through a common workgroup. Protocols are TCP/IP and IPX/SPX for File and
Print Sharing.

Have just purchased a new Win XP and have tried for the last 3 hours to
connect to the home network but to no avail. I have deactivated the Windows
Firewall but am using the Norton firewall. The XP connects to the Internet
OK but I can't get it to see the home network nor will the other 'puters see
it. It's most likely a configuration problem but I can't seem to figure it
out because XP is so different from the Win 9x types.

Anything obvious ?

Your simplest and most effective solution might be to purchase a home
router and use that instead of the hub for your networking. Then you
can use the DHCP server in the router to assign i.p. addresses to all
of the machines and they should all be able to see each other.

Also the NAT protection in the router will provide better protection
against intruders than a software firewall (although it will not stop
outgoing "phone home" activity).

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

 

[Jerry M. Gartner]

I've seen Norton Internet Security cause issues with networking. Try
disabling it *temporarily* and see if this has any effect. If so, take a
look at the docs that come with the product to see how to get it to allow
LAN access.

 

[Dapper Dan]

Thanks Ron, I'm not sure why I would have to go and buy a router to use
instead of the hub, but if all else fails, and it's looking like this is
becoming an impossible task,then I guess I'll do so.
Thank you too for your feedback Jerry. I tried turning off the firewall and
it didn't solve the problem (Both are in fact turned off). I then tried for
the umpteenth time to install a home network but to no avail. I also removed
IPX/SPX protocols and started from scratch yet again. Again the two older
computers see each other but not the new machine. On the new machine, when I
click on VIEW WORKGROUP COMPUTERS, I get the following message;
"MSHOME (workgroup name on all computers) is not accessible. You might not
have permission to use this network resource. Contact the Administrator of
this server to find out if you have access permissions. The list of servers
for this work group is not currently available"

There are no other users on this machine. It's straight out of the box and
it appears that I can make system changes so I think I have administrator
permissions.

Does any of the above provide an obvious clue?

Thanks
Dan

 

[Dapper Dan]

As an update, have finally succeeded in connecting to the home network. The
problem appears to have been associated to two issues, Norton even though it
was
deactivated and NetBIOS over TCP/IP. So now all computers see each other.
Have two issues: 1). The computer has slowed to a crawl (like about +3
minutes to reboot and even when rebooted, opening applications are really
really slow)
2). In trying to configure printing from a client machine, I cannot capture
the proper port on the new XP machine. All options relate to LPT (1 through
10), but the printer is actually connected via USB. Thus when I send a print
job from client computer, it does appear to print (in cyber space?) but a
message appears advising me that printer is offline.

Any of this make sense?

 

[Jerry M. Gartner]

Dan:

If the printer is networked on another machine, you can typically brows
to the machine that the printer is attached to and then connect to it via
the left click context menu.

 

[Dapper Dan]

Thanks Jerry, that's how I did it under the old system, but for some reason
I can't seem to do it on this one. The problem may be that the printer was
setup on a system that I am replacing. I uninstalled the printer on that
machine and reinstalled it on my new XP. It works fine on the XP but on a
networked Me laptop (which sees the computer with the printer), the laptop
accepts the print job but it never gets to the printer. So I tried directing
the printer settings to the right path via browse but can only seem to have
the LPT ports 1 through 10 and not the USB connection.