Home networking problems

[Guest]

I have my home network set up as a peer to peer with 3 computers (all windows
XP) connected to a router, connected to a cable modem. I also have a wireless
router as a second router for wireless connections.
2 computers work fine on the network...they can see each other, share files,
printer, network drive ect...
My second laptop can connect to the internet, but cannot see or use any
devices in the work group. This is the case wheter I am using the wireless
connection or the ethernet connection. When I go to my network places...no
LAN information... When I go to control panel > system>computer name...name
and work group are listed. However, when I click change...the computer name
can be changed but the workgroup name is not accesable.
One thing of note...This computer was working fine at one point. I had
Nortons internet security installed and subsequently uninstalled
it....haven't been able to use the network since....coincidence??

Any help appreciated. I have tried all the Microsoft networking trouble
shooter to no avail.

 

[Chuck]

I have my home network set up as a peer to peer with 3 computers (all windows
XP) connected to a router, connected to a cable modem. I also have a wireless
router as a second router for wireless connections.
2 computers work fine on the network...they can see each other, share files,
printer, network drive ect...
My second laptop can connect to the internet, but cannot see or use any
devices in the work group. This is the case wheter I am using the wireless
connection or the ethernet connection. When I go to my network places...no
LAN information... When I go to control panel > system>computer name...name
and work group are listed. However, when I click change...the computer name
can be changed but the workgroup name is not accesable.
One thing of note...This computer was working fine at one point. I had
Nortons internet security installed and subsequently uninstalled
it....haven't been able to use the network since....coincidence??

Any help appreciated. I have tried all the Microsoft networking trouble
shooter to no avail.

John,

One of the most common causes of this problem, which is discussed a lot in these
forums, would be a misconfigured or overlooked personal firewall, or other
security component. There are several other possibilities too, and any might be
the cause of your problem. Read this article with an open mind.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

Norton IS is a security product that is known for causing your problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html

For more direct help, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, so we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[Guest]

Chuck,
Thanks for the reply. Here is the ipconfig from the problem laptop.

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PAVILION

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-0D-79-D5

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.72.130

68.87.77.130

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, March 17, 2006 8:14:51 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:14:51
AM



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-95-12-65

When I ran the browstat (I'm no pro at this) I got the message "Unable to
retrieve workstation information: The workstation service has not been
started"

Does this shed any light on things? Something else I noticed...the ethernet
(or wireless) connection is constantly trying to acquire network address.

John.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
Thanks for the reply. Here is the ipconfig from the problem laptop.

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PAVILION

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B0-0D-79-D5

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.72.130

68.87.77.130

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, March 17, 2006 8:14:51 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:14:51
AM



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-95-12-65

When I ran the browstat (I'm no pro at this) I got the message "Unable to
retrieve workstation information: The workstation service has not been
started"

Does this shed any light on things? Something else I noticed...the ethernet
(or wireless) connection is constantly trying to acquire network address.

John.

Hi John,

If the Workstation service isn't running, you for sure will have problems.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components

 

[Guest]

Chuck,
Maybe I just didn't do the browstat properly. When I compare the LAN
properties on all the computers they are all the same.

Client for Microsoft Networks > Properties > Windows locator
File and printer sharing used but properties not an option (on any computer)
QoS Packet Scheduler > checked
TCP/IP > properties >Obtain IP Address automatically > Obtain DNS server
address automatically
TCP/IP > Properties > advanced > IP settings > DHCP Enabled

WINS > Enable NetBIOS over

TCP/IP

Wouldn't the network wizard have set these up properly anyway?
My network is peer/peer so I don't have the ICS running.

Still at a loss.

John

 

[Guest]

Chuck,

I think I got it....turns out that while I was baning around in control
panel > admin tools> services...I found a bunch of interdependant items that
were turned off (server, workstation, computer browser)...when I put them on
automatic and turned them on, everything came back. Just took me a while to
figure out your blog. Thanks. I'll let you know if any more problems crop up.

John