I can see Internet -Network No

[Alex]

I don't think Microsoft ever created a more infuriating system than
Networking. The error message that says "see your administrator" is idiotic
when many people have networks at home or in small offices where WE are the
administrators.

OK..enough of the soapbox. Two problems likely related.I have to desktops
and a laptop on my network connected through a DSS 5+ switch. (all Win XP)
On a simply random basis I can almost be assured that on any given day, I
cannot see one of the computers. No reason. Nothing was changed...we just
turn them on the morning and sure enough one of them will not want talk to
the others or is not visible...YET...all three are always able to access the
internet.

Today the laptop cannot be SEEN and cannot see the other two BUT is able to
access the web.

What is the deal with that????

Alex

 

[Chuck]

I don't think Microsoft ever created a more infuriating system than
Networking. The error message that says "see your administrator" is idiotic
when many people have networks at home or in small offices where WE are the
administrators.

OK..enough of the soapbox. Two problems likely related.I have to desktops
and a laptop on my network connected through a DSS 5+ switch. (all Win XP)
On a simply random basis I can almost be assured that on any given day, I
cannot see one of the computers. No reason. Nothing was changed...we just
turn them on the morning and sure enough one of them will not want talk to
the others or is not visible...YET...all three are always able to access the
internet.

Today the laptop cannot be SEEN and cannot see the other two BUT is able to
access the web.

What is the deal with that????

Alex

Alex,

Check for a browser conflict between the computers. I"m not talking about
Internet Explorer here. The browser is the program that allows any computer to
see any other computer on the LAN. The browser has no effect on web access.

For a LAN with 3 computers, you should have the browser running on only 2 - the
master and the backup.

Make sure the browser service is running on the 2 desktop computers. Control
Panel - Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and
the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both show with Status = Started. Disable
the browser service on the laptop.

After checking / disabling / enabling as above, power all computers off to reset
the browser settings on each. Then power each of the computers back on.

The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers you have in your
domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305

You can download Browstat from either:
<http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip>
<http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip>

Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window, by "browstat status". Make sure all computers list the same master
browser.
For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=231312
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Carey Holzman]

www.careyholzman.com/net1.htm

Carey

 

[Alex]

Chuck,
Thank you for the help. Well I tried all of that, yet the anti-social laptop
STILL is invisible. It can see... and can't BE seen. It does however access
the internet. I am using ICS with one of the desktops being the portal to
the internet. If it can access the internet, then that would presumably
exclude cables and ethernet card as the problem, right?

It was working OK for the past six months and suddenly, it decided to not
talk to the other computers.

I have run ICS Wizard on all three computers...nothing. I have the IP
addresses and have tried to search for the laptop using the IP. Nothing.

Any other clues?

Alex

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
Thank you for the help. Well I tried all of that, yet the anti-social laptop
STILL is invisible. It can see... and can't BE seen. It does however access
the internet. I am using ICS with one of the desktops being the portal to
the internet. If it can access the internet, then that would presumably
exclude cables and ethernet card as the problem, right?

It was working OK for the past six months and suddenly, it decided to not
talk to the other computers.

I have run ICS Wizard on all three computers...nothing. I have the IP
addresses and have tried to search for the laptop using the IP. Nothing.

Any other clues?

Alex

Alex,

I think physical connectivity is probably the last possibility.

Do all 3 computers now report the same master browser?

The browser requires anonymous access, so look at registry key
[HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa], value restrictanonymous, on each
computer.
<http://www.microsoft.com/windows200...2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/regentry/46688.asp>
<http://www.jsifaq.com/subf/tip2600/rh2625.htm>
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=246261
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=296403

The above articles refer to Windows 2000. Remember WinXP is NT V5.1, and Win2K
is NT V5.0.

Have you used the Registry Editor before? If not, it's a scary tool, but it's
pretty simple once you get used to it. Here are a couple articles that might
help:
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...home/using/productdoc/en/tools_regeditors.asp>
<http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/registry>

Just remember to backup the key (create a registry patch) for
[HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa] before making any changes, if
appropriate.

From the Annoyances article:
You can create a Registry patch by opening the Registry Editor, selecting a
branch, and choosing Export from the File menu. Then, specify a filename, and
press OK. You can then view the Registry patch file by opening it in Notepad
(right-click on it and select Edit). Again, just double-click on a Registry
patch file (or use Import in the Registry Editor's File menu) to apply it to the
registry.

And Alex, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.