INVISIBLE BROADBAND CONNECTION

[Guest]

I have a small wireless network with peer to peer working, just a PC and a
laptop. No encryption at present.

The operating system is Windows XP Home Edition plus SP2.The PC is connected
to broadband with a BT Voyager 105 modem.

When I set up the network each PC could see the other, shared files worked
and I was able to print laptop files on the PC printer. Great so far.

Then I wanted to share my PC broadband connection with the laptop.

I looked up the MS HELP files on the PC and was advised to use the NETWORK
SETUP WIZARD to enable INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING. I printed out the help
sheets and followed the steps exactly. After completing the steps and closing
the wizard the network behaved exactly the same, each computer could see the
other’s shared files and remote printing worked.

A note in the NETWORK SETUP WIZARD instructions said that the TCP/IP
settings must be configured to obtain an IP address automatically. I changed
the TCP/IP settings for the PC and the laptop.

The instructions also said that Internet options must be configured for
INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING. The steps are to open INTERNET EXPLORER – click
INTERNET OPTIONS on the TOOLS menu – click NEVER DIAL A CONNECTION on the
CONNECTIONS tab. In LAN SETTINGS – AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION clear the
AUTOMATICALLY DETECT SETTINGS and USE AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION SCRIPT check
boxes. I did find that these boxes were already clear.

The network does not now function. On clicking VIEW WORKGROUP COMPUTERS in
MY NETWORK PLACES the PC does not see anything, not even itself. I get the
error message “MSHOME IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO USE
THIS NETWORK RESOURCE†The PC still has access to broadband.

The laptop sees itself but not the PC. It does not have access to broadband
only to the 56k dial up.

Disabling the PC Norton firewall and the laptop Windows firewall makes no
difference.


Can someone please help?

 

[Guest]

If both computer has Windows XP then you must run Network Setup Wizard on
both computers at the same time. Furthermore, workgroup name must be remain
same on both computer like MSHOME. The network setup wizard will ask you that
is that computer directly connect to internet gateway or running internet
from lan. Choose these options carefully on both pc.

This is the best method for wire networking. Don't have enough knowledge
about wireless networking.

One more thing. Before running NSW on both computers set the TCP/IP
addresses as they were before (if you know about them). Wizard will
automatically assign the addresses.

Let us know if this information was useful to you.

 

[Javan]

You might not want to do this, but the best and easiest way would be to go
pick up a cheap router. Your broadband company might use mac address for
authentication so you would have to contact the broadband provider and let
them know the mac address of the router, but after that it is pretty much
plug and play. Assuming the Network Setup Wizard hasnt screwed up your
settings. You could end up spending a lot of time trying to get windows to
figure out how to share the connection with the laptop.

Jon

 

[Guest]

I set up the internet exactly as you described with the woeful results.

The Windows help file instructed me to change the TCP/IP settings to obtain
an IP address automatically.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that. I will persevere with the replies I receive to my help
request and if all else fails I will buy a router. I am reluctant to change
the hardware as I had a great deal of trouble getting the present network to
work and for each computer to see the other.

 

[Dyawlak]

I would set IP addresses of your own. Make the desktop 10.1.1.1 and the
laptop 10.1.1.2 with subnet of 255.255.255.0 rather than using DHCP. Not
sure if you also set the laptop's gateway address to 10.1.1.1 whether this
should let it work.

 

[Guest]

The problem has now been solved.

The cause was masked by misleading error messages. Turns out that a box to
use a proxy server was ticked. I don't remember ticking it but unticking
resulted in a working network with the laptop able to use the PC printer and
to share the broadband connection.

Thanks for responding.