Home network

[Sirius]

I would like to transfer files from old pc to new one
with network. Ran setup wizard, but computers will not talk.
On old computer, no computer names are visible in workgroup. (There was a
time when it did work, like when I built it and the old pc was the "new". I
don't know what happend.)
On new computer, it can see itself. I guess problem is with old computer.
Both win xp. DSL 4 port router Westell Versalink 327W. Internet no problem
on both. Turned off firewall, didn't not help.
If the old pc can be made to see itself, I could handle the rest ( I think).
NetBIOS over tcp/ip is on, computer browser service is on.....I'm lost.
Please help.

ipconfig/all returns:
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KD7-RAID
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : myhome.westell.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-47-3B-61
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.47
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, September 08, 2007
11:29:0
9 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, September 09, 2007
11:29:09
PM

 

[Brian A.]

I would like to transfer files from old pc to new one
with network. Ran setup wizard, but computers will not talk.
On old computer, no computer names are visible in workgroup. (There was a time when
it did work, like when I built it and the old pc was the "new". I don't know what
happend.)
On new computer, it can see itself. I guess problem is with old computer. Both win
xp. DSL 4 port router Westell Versalink 327W. Internet no problem on both. Turned
off firewall, didn't not help.
If the old pc can be made to see itself, I could handle the rest ( I think).
NetBIOS over tcp/ip is on, computer browser service is on.....I'm lost. Please
help.

ipconfig/all returns:
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KD7-RAID
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : myhome.westell.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-47-3B-61
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.47
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, September 08, 2007 11:29:0
9 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, September 09, 2007 11:29:09
PM

Your DNS Server IPs are wrong, they are using the routers IP and not the DNS IPs
from your ISP. Check your other machine that does connect for the proper DNS IPs
that should be used.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Malke]

Your DNS Server IPs are wrong, they are using the routers IP and not
the DNS IPs from your ISP. Check your other machine that does connect
for the proper DNS IPs that should be used.

There is no problem in using the router as DNS server. This is a normal
setup for many and is not the cause of the OP's problems. Since the OP
only gave us ipconfig results for one of the computers, I'm assuming
that the other one also has an IP address in the 192.168.1.xx subnet.

To the OP - please read through the following network troubleshooting.
Not everything may be applicable to you; just take the bits that are.
Offhand, my guess is that you inadvertently have two firewalls running.

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally
caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall; or 2) inadvertently running two
firewalls such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party
firewall; and/or 3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on
all Workgroup machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating
system does not permit it.

Here are some general networking tips for home/small networks:

1. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network
(LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing
File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network
Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only
"gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you
aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with
"Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a
firewall, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually
configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
subnet. Do not run more than one firewall.

2. With earlier Microsoft operating systems, the name of the Workgroup
didn't matter. Apparently it does with Vista, so put all computers in
the same Workgroup. This is done from the System applet in Control
Panel, Computer Name tab.

3. Create identical user accounts and passwords on all machines. If you
wish a machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular
user's account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at
this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

4. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center:

a. If you need Pro's ability to set fine-grained permissions, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create identical user
accounts/passwords on all computers.

b. If you don't care about using Pro's advanced features, leave the
Simple File Sharing enabled.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it matters
in your situation.

5. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users'
home directories (My Documents) or Program Files, but you can share
folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the
Shared Documents folder.


Malke

 

[Sirius]

On new computer it's the same, the only things are different:
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : AN-32X
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : nVidia Nforce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-91-07-DE
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.44

Are we on the right path? As I said, the internet works on both, but they
will not talk to each other. The new pc sees itself and the old one does
not-in the workgroup.

Thank you for trying to help. Any additional input would be appreciated.

 

[Malke]

On new computer it's the same, the only things are different:
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : AN-32X
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : nVidia Nforce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-91-07-DE
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.44

Are we on the right path? As I said, the internet works on both, but they
will not talk to each other. The new pc sees itself and the old one does
not-in the workgroup.

As I said, problems such as you are describing are usually caused by a
misconfigured firewall and/or inadvertently running two firewalls. Go
through the steps I already gave you or use MVP Hans-Georg Michna's
small network troubleshooter here:

http://winhlp.com/wxnet.htm

If you take the time to go through the troubleshooter, it will usually
pinpoint the source(s) of the problem.


Malke

 

[Brian A.]

Sorry, different paths. I missed the part where you mentioned they both had net
connection.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Brian A.]

There is no problem in using the router as DNS server. This is a normal setup for
many and is not the cause of the OP's problems. Since the OP only gave us ipconfig
results for one of the computers, I'm assuming that the other one also has an IP
address in the 192.168.1.xx subnet.

I beg to differ. Even though many routers have the ability to act as a DNS Server,
problems can, will and do arise if certain steps/rules aren't followed. Another
issue is toughening up the network, one start is to block/allow ports TCP and UDP 53
properly for security reasons. Opinions may vary, yet that's a portion of my
personal opinion on DNS Server/Client domain setups.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Sirius]

I totally removed the firewall but to no avail. The only thing left to do is
a repair install. That fixed it. No rest for the weary... I was hoping like
a simple registry fix or something. Who knows what was wrong exactly.