Home Network -- 2 XP Machines

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I have two computers, both running Windows XP and I want to network the two together. I have both of the computers connected to a "Linksys 10/100 5-port Workgroup Hub" and the hub is connected to my cable modem.
I ran the "Network Setup Wizard" on both computers. Both computers can access the internet, however they can not see each other. I have disabled the "Internet Connection Firewall" on both machines ... this did not solve the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
I have two computers, both running Windows XP and I want to network the two together. I have both of the computers connected to a "Linksys 10/100 5-port Workgroup Hub" and the hub is connected to my cable modem.
I ran the "Network Setup Wizard" on both computers. Both computers can access the internet, however they can not see each other. I have disabled the "Internet Connection Firewall" on both machines ... this did not solve the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Without a firewall, Kyle, your computers are in grave danger from
hackers on the Internet. Enable XP's firewall on both computers
immediately. Then, come back and read the rest of this answer.

This answer applies to computers that connect to a cable modem or DSL
modem through a hub or switch. It doesn't apply if they connect
through a broadband router.

Your network setup is described in the Windows XP Help and Support
program. Click Start | Help and Support, search for the topic
"Network configurations overview", and look at the section labeled
"Individual Internet connections".

The solution given there is to install the IPX/SPX protocol for file
sharing and to disable file sharing on TCP/IP. I've written a web
page showing how to do it:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm

There are two reasons to use IPX/SPX instead of TCP/IP for file
sharing:

1. If your cable or DSL provider assigns IP addresses in different
subnets to your computers, it isn't possible for them to communicate
with each other using TCP/IP.

2. Since your computers connect directly to the Internet through the
cable or DSL modem, they receive public IP addresses that are
accessible by everyone on the Internet. Using TCP/IP for file sharing
could let other people access your shared files.

An alternative would be to remove the hub or switch, get a broadband
router, connect the cable modem to its WAN port, and connect the
computers to its LAN ports. In that case:

1. You'd only need to get one IP address from your cable modem
provider, which would save you money if your ISP charges a monthly fee
for more than one IP address.

2. The broadband router would assign private IP addresses to your
computers. Private IP addresses aren't accessible by other Internet
users, so your network would be safe.

3. You could use TCP/IP as the only network protocol, with no need for
IPX/SPX.
--
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
 
Please?! I have two computers w/ xp home and they are
connected together threough a Linksys cable router that
is connected directly to my cable modem. the internet
works great and the fire wall is enabled. I'v run the
network wizard as well and there is no evidence of a
network. I have tried various articles to get the network
astablished and they don't seem to be of help....I'm a
novice, please help.
-----Original Message-----
want to network the two together. I have both of the
computers connected to a "Linksys 10/100 5-port Workgroup
Hub" and the hub is connected to my cable modem.Both computers can access the internet, however they can
not see each other. I have disabled the "Internet
Connection Firewall" on both machines ... this did not
solve the problem.
Click to expand...
 
"Kanari" said:
Please?! I have two computers w/ xp home and they are
connected together threough a Linksys cable router that
is connected directly to my cable modem. the internet
works great and the fire wall is enabled. I'v run the
network wizard as well and there is no evidence of a
network. I have tried various articles to get the network
astablished and they don't seem to be of help....I'm a
novice, please help.
Click to expand...

My statement that Kyle needs a firewall doesn't apply to your setup,
Kanari, because you have a router between your computers and the cable
modem.

Run the Network Setup Wizard again and tell it that the computers
connect to the Internet through a "residential gateway", which is what
it calls a router. That should disable the firewall and get
everything working.
--
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
 
I guess there must be something up with one of the
computers becuase even though we Are connected to through
the router and i've run the wizard on both computers
putting the same workgroup name I still can't get them to
see each other in the workgroup.Please do you have any
sugguestions? I've run the wizard a half dozen times and
no matter what I do it won't work. It is probably
something simple, but i can't figure it out. -_-

thanx, the novice
-----Original Message-----
Click to expand...
 
"Kanari" said:
I guess there must be something up with one of the
computers becuase even though we Are connected to through
the router and i've run the wizard on both computers
putting the same workgroup name I still can't get them to
see each other in the workgroup.Please do you have any
sugguestions? I've run the wizard a half dozen times and
no matter what I do it won't work. It is probably
something simple, but i can't figure it out. -_-
Click to expand...

Did you tell the Wizard that the computers connect to the Internet
through a "residential gateway", as I suggested?

Here are some other troubleshooting tips:

1. Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection Firewall on
local area network connections -- it's for use only on a direct modem
connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all other
firewalls while troubleshooting. Details here:

Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/ic_firewall.htm

2. Use only one protocol for File and Printer Sharing. If the network
needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing from all
but one of them. Details here:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm

3. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers.
Details here:

Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/netbt.htm

4. Run "ipconfig /all" on XP and look at the "Node Type" at the
beginning of the output. If it says "Peer-to-Peer" (which should
actually be "Point-to-Point") that's the problem. It means that the
computer only uses a WINS server, which isn't available on a
peer-to-peer network for NetBIOS name resolution.

If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:

HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters

and delete these values if they're present:

NodeType
DhcpNodeType

Reboot, then try network access again.

If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".

For details, see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177

TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314053
--
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
 
I officially give up....I disabled the firewall, I was
always 'connecting through the resedential gateway', I
did the protocol and the netbios, it didn't say peer-to-
peer, it said hybrid whatever that was. As for changing
my registry key I didn't understand most of it and I
don't feel comfertable with that so I think I will have
someone come out and do this for me. At one point I was
connected to a network for a few hours with a friend of
mine and it took him forever and a day to get it to work.
We will see. I need a proffesional here doing this.

thank you agian for all of your help.
Kanari
-----Original Message-----
Click to expand...
 
att Steve

I have followed your discussion about Home Network, and it sounds to me that
you are a expert person about this fuzzy subject.

MY QUESTION :
Is it possible to add a 3th PC to a 2 PCs LAN (PC1- PC2) using crossover
cables, and having the Internet in the *crazzy* 3th PC (PC3) ?

Network
PC1 (winxp) PC2 (winxp) PC3 (win2k)
Internet side:
PC1 connected to Internet thru a moded ADSL. IP is dynamic.
Firewall applied.

LAN side:
PC1 with static IP : 192.168.0.1 , mask 255.255.255.0
all the configuration was not touched after the wizzard
PC2 with static IP: 192.168.0.2, mask 255.255.255.0
all the configuration was not modified, except the IP that was set to
192.168.0.2
Gateway and DNS of PC2 were set to the IP of PC1 (192.168.0.1)

Later i put a crazzy 3th PC (win2k) with a crossover cable connected to PC2.
PC2 and PC3 see each other, using static IPs ou dynamic IP.
for instances:
PC1 : IP 192.168.0.1
PC2 : IP 192.168.0.2 & 192.168.1.2
PC3 : IP 192.168.0.3

BUT, with this "crazy" LAN, most of the time PC2 losses its acess to
Internet althought it keeps seeing PC1.
I have tried too many times to overcome the issue. I have tried to use a
bridge, and the dynamic configuration in the PCs without succes.
I guess that Microsft does not allow PC2 to be the gateway for PC3, to
protect the network (PC1-PC2). What is your opinion ?

Thanks
alvaro
 
Kanari...

Don't give up yet. Here's some things I've run into. Since both can get
out on web... hardware's working!

1. You said TWO XP PCs... did you disable ICF on BOTH PCs? Seems whenever
you try to run the Network Wizard... it automatically turns ICF on.

2. I've two new XP Home PCs... and one was delivered with Norton
Firewall... remove it!

3. Earlier this year, a friend had a similar problem... it turned out he
had loaded McAfee... which included firewall too. Turn that firewall off.

4. XP builds "SharedDocs" folders on each XP system but... if you share
"something" of your own choosing... re-check ICF option again after doing
that... per PC.

5. Finally, of course, both PCs should have the same "workgroup" name... or
you'll need to look for them on "entire network".

That's all I can remember right now...
Steve


Kanari said:
I officially give up....I disabled the firewall, I was
always 'connecting through the resedential gateway', I
did the protocol and the netbios, it didn't say peer-to-
peer, it said hybrid whatever that was. As for changing
my registry key I didn't understand most of it and I
don't feel comfertable with that so I think I will have
someone come out and do this for me. At one point I was
connected to a network for a few hours with a friend of
mine and it took him forever and a day to get it to work.
We will see. I need a proffesional here doing this.

thank you agian for all of your help.
Kanari
Click to expand...
 
Firewalls are not a problem. Put your IP range in the trusted zone:
I.E. If your router is 192.168.1.1 then the trusted range would be
192.168.1.0 to 192.168.1.255
The only time I have had problems is when I over-look the firewall on new
installations. I done this with both NIS and Zone Alarm but haven't uses
McAfee. This way your PC's are fully protected for the internet (traffic
originating from your PC to the internet still relies on other firewall
rules).
Steve said:
Kanari...

Don't give up yet. Here's some things I've run into. Since both can get
out on web... hardware's working!

1. You said TWO XP PCs... did you disable ICF on BOTH PCs? Seems whenever
you try to run the Network Wizard... it automatically turns ICF on.

2. I've two new XP Home PCs... and one was delivered with Norton
Firewall... remove it!

3. Earlier this year, a friend had a similar problem... it turned out he
had loaded McAfee... which included firewall too. Turn that firewall off.

4. XP builds "SharedDocs" folders on each XP system but... if you share
"something" of your own choosing... re-check ICF option again after doing
that... per PC.

5. Finally, of course, both PCs should have the same "workgroup" name... or
you'll need to look for them on "entire network".

That's all I can remember right now...
Steve
Click to expand...
 

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