Lost Access To Workgroup

[Allan C]

A friend has a LinkSys 4 port wired router and 2 XP PRO sp2 workstations.
I successfully configured the 'B' workstation to share its printer and the
'A' computer could print to it.
They are the only 2 computers in the workgroup and they could both access
the Internet.

We then had to relocate the 'A' computer to another spot in the same room.
We powered down all of the computers, removed all cables (including power)
from the 'A' computer, powered down the router and also removed its power
cable and the same with the cable modem.
We then powered up the cable modem, router and computers in this order and
waited about a minute after each device.
The network was powered down for about 10-15 minutes in total.

Now, both computers can still access the Internet.
However, the 'A' computer can no longer see the 'B' computer in the network
and of course, cannot print to the 'B' printer.
I have checked both computers and System/Computer name indicates that they
are still in the same workgroup.

Does anyone have an idea as to why this happened and how to prevent it from
happening again?

TIA.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

A friend has a LinkSys 4 port wired router and 2 XP PRO sp2
workstations.
I successfully configured the 'B' workstation to share its printer
and the 'A' computer could print to it.
They are the only 2 computers in the workgroup and they could both
access the Internet.

We then had to relocate the 'A' computer to another spot in the
same room. We powered down all of the computers, removed all cables
(including power) from the 'A' computer, powered down the router
and also removed its power cable and the same with the cable modem.
We then powered up the cable modem, router and computers in this
order and waited about a minute after each device.
The network was powered down for about 10-15 minutes in total.

Now, both computers can still access the Internet.
However, the 'A' computer can no longer see the 'B' computer in the
network and of course, cannot print to the 'B' printer.
I have checked both computers and System/Computer name indicates
that they are still in the same workgroup.

Does anyone have an idea as to why this happened and how to prevent
it from happening again?

Did they retain the same IPs?
Or did your router assign them differently?

 

[Allan C]

Did they retain the same IPs?
Or did your router assign them differently?

I am sorry, but I do not know as I did not note the original IPs.
Does it actually make a difference?
I would think that some people might power off their routers every night.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I am sorry, but I do not know as I did not note the original IPs.
Does it actually make a difference?
I would think that some people might power off their routers every
night.

Depends on how you had shared/accessed the printer.

If your Windows XP Firewalls are still allowing File & Printer sharing (even
if just on your network) and *if* you can access one of the other machine's
hard drive (START -> RUN -> \\machinename\sharename) then everything is
setup as it should be.

What are yor firewall setting on each computer?
Can each of the computers PING one another?

 

[Allan C]

Depends on how you had shared/accessed the printer.

If your Windows XP Firewalls are still allowing File & Printer sharing (even
if just on your network) and *if* you can access one of the other machine's
hard drive (START -> RUN -> \\machinename\sharename) then everything is
setup as it should be.

What are yor firewall setting on each computer?
Can each of the computers PING one another?

The Windows Firewall is turned off because we are using Kerio.
After the power reset, I can't see *any* share on the 'B' computer.
The printer and h.d. were shared.
I haven't tried the ping.