Missing PCs on Home Network

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Guest

I have XP Home SP2 on three computers connected through a Linksys
router. Only one computer...the prime or server computer...can see all
drives on the other two. Firewall and sharing settings are the same
and all have same security levels. In addition, despite firewall
settings and permissions to allow access for all drives and all three
computers, only the prime computer can either push out or pull in
files from the other two computers. Again, the security and
permissions are identical.

Any ideas what is going on...this has not always been the case.
Perhaps some hotfix is the problem...only there are no hotfix entries
in the Add/Remove menu, seemingly having been superceded by the recent
"bundled" cumulative patches. This stuff with networking breaking all
the time is damned annoying.

Henry
 
I have XP Home SP2 on three computers connected through a Linksys
router. Only one computer...the prime or server computer...can see all
drives on the other two. Firewall and sharing settings are the same
and all have same security levels. In addition, despite firewall
settings and permissions to allow access for all drives and all three
computers, only the prime computer can either push out or pull in
files from the other two computers. Again, the security and
permissions are identical.

Any ideas what is going on...this has not always been the case.
Perhaps some hotfix is the problem...only there are no hotfix entries
in the Add/Remove menu, seemingly having been superceded by the recent
"bundled" cumulative patches. This stuff with networking breaking all
the time is damned annoying.

Henry
Click to expand...

Henry,

If you're absolutely that no personal firewall is involved in your problem (and
I'm not convinced yet), check for registry setting restrictanonymous on each
computer.
Misconfigured / overlooked firewalls:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
Registry setting restrictanonymous:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>

If no help, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each computer,
and we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked articles, and
follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>

Please let us know if any of these suggestions are of any help. What you learn
may help others in the future, and that's the purpose of these forums.
 
Ok and thanks...this will take some time, but I will get back with you
with the outcome.

Henry
 
Interesting and curious results. I have two of the three behaving
correctly. The third one is a mystery. It now sees itself and ICS
machine and if I search the network for the missing computer, it finds
it..but the missing computert does not show it in any of the network
"trees" like in Windows Explorer or in the network places

Also, the ICS connection does not persist....when I fuss with things,
the ICS connection and tray icon show up sometimes then
disappear...but the ICS connectivity persists...I can connect to the
internet even though the connectivity does not show up.

There were funny settings that have crept in, including IP addresses
that were off or had funny entries. I run Zone Alarm and all the
settings are consistent. Oh, one other oddity. The security center for
the odd machine does not show up the same...no recommendations radio
button under the fire wall status descriiption...top item in the list
of three security entities.

That's it for now. Does this give any hints or do I need to dig even
deeper??

Henry
 
Interesting and curious results. I have two of the three behaving
correctly. The third one is a mystery. It now sees itself and ICS
machine and if I search the network for the missing computer, it finds
it..but the missing computert does not show it in any of the network
"trees" like in Windows Explorer or in the network places

Also, the ICS connection does not persist....when I fuss with things,
the ICS connection and tray icon show up sometimes then
disappear...but the ICS connectivity persists...I can connect to the
internet even though the connectivity does not show up.

There were funny settings that have crept in, including IP addresses
that were off or had funny entries. I run Zone Alarm and all the
settings are consistent. Oh, one other oddity. The security center for
the odd machine does not show up the same...no recommendations radio
button under the fire wall status descriiption...top item in the list
of three security entities.

That's it for now. Does this give any hints or do I need to dig even
deeper??

Henry
Click to expand...

Henry,

Visibility between Windows computers is a browser issue.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

Visibility, or browser functionality, can be affected by either firewalls, or
the above mentioned registry setting.

If your computers are connected thru a router, why is ICS involved? ICS is a
kludge, provided by Microsoft for those who can't afford to buy a router.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
 
Henry,

Visibility between Windows computers is a browser issue.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

Visibility, or browser functionality, can be affected by either firewalls, or
the above mentioned registry setting.

If your computers are connected thru a router, why is ICS involved? ICS is a
kludge, provided by Microsoft for those who can't afford to buy a router.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/ics-is-ok-but-you-can-do-better.html>
Click to expand...


Well, the registry settings are OK.I also unified my firewall
settings...shutting off Windows Firewall and except for a lack of
consistency among the displayed securty center screens, the setting
are the same. So, maybe there is a browser issue. But the browser in
this case is Windows explorer. If I put it into the classic mode, it
has nothing to do with IE interfaces...so why isn't it an XP
networking issue??

ICS is for my dial up...one line shared. How do I connect three
computers to a single internect connection and form a network without
a router? Can't do it with a hub and can't do it with multiple NICs,
so how do you do it without a router?? Sure ICS is a kudge, but then
dial up where you can't get cable, dsl, or wireless connectivity is
the only game in town.

H
 
Well, the registry settings are OK.I also unified my firewall
settings...shutting off Windows Firewall and except for a lack of
consistency among the displayed securty center screens, the setting
are the same. So, maybe there is a browser issue. But the browser in
this case is Windows explorer. If I put it into the classic mode, it
has nothing to do with IE interfaces...so why isn't it an XP
networking issue??

ICS is for my dial up...one line shared. How do I connect three
computers to a single internect connection and form a network without
a router? Can't do it with a hub and can't do it with multiple NICs,
so how do you do it without a router?? Sure ICS is a kudge, but then
dial up where you can't get cable, dsl, or wireless connectivity is
the only game in town.

H
Click to expand...

Henry,

It is indeed an XP networking issue, and the network component that you need to
start with is the browser. The browser is the intricate subsystem that
populates Network Neighborhood, as displayed by Windows Explorer. Please read
the browser article, to get an idea what you're experiencing here.

Or provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each computer, as noted
above, and we can diagnose the problem more efficiently. It's your dime.

OK, I sympathise with your dialup situation. You've got Earthlink / Qwest,
which should be PPP compatible. You might consider a router that will manage an
external modem - I use a SMC 7004ABR router, whenever my DSL goes out. There
are 3 vendors that you may consider.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/sharing-your-dialup-internet-service.html>
 
You are the man. I was not aware of the multiple master browser
issue...or even how the browser worked. All three PCs on the network
had the browser service on. I am not sure what you mean by having two
so one is the back up...does that mean just leave two services on?
Anyway, that did that trick....I also found that one of the computers
doesn't like to have the Windows firewall turned off. When I go into
the security center, for some reason there it is turned on again. I
will have to watch that to see if I can figure out what is happening.

The only other nag is that the ICS connection does not show up on that
same troublesome computer, even though the connection exists. I can
live without that.

Also, for anyone with dial up, the phone companies are suddenly
hitting the streets with a bunch of wireless options...not well
advertised for some reason...that may solve my problem. I am really
waiting for WiMax in the next 18 months to crack this connectivity
world wide open.

Again, thanks for your patience and expertise.

Henry
 
You are the man. I was not aware of the multiple master browser
issue...or even how the browser worked. All three PCs on the network
had the browser service on. I am not sure what you mean by having two
so one is the back up...does that mean just leave two services on?
Anyway, that did that trick....I also found that one of the computers
doesn't like to have the Windows firewall turned off. When I go into
the security center, for some reason there it is turned on again. I
will have to watch that to see if I can figure out what is happening.

The only other nag is that the ICS connection does not show up on that
same troublesome computer, even though the connection exists. I can
live without that.

Also, for anyone with dial up, the phone companies are suddenly
hitting the streets with a bunch of wireless options...not well
advertised for some reason...that may solve my problem. I am really
waiting for WiMax in the next 18 months to crack this connectivity
world wide open.

Again, thanks for your patience and expertise.

Henry
Click to expand...

Henry,

The browser is a lot of fun. With just 2 computers, either can be the browser,
and you can turn off the browser service on either with equal results.

With 3 computers, you want to pick the computer that's online the most, and is
the most stable, as the master browser. The one that's online and stable the
second most then becomes the backup browser. But - here's the problem. If the
backup browser ever becomes separated from the master browser, depending upon
how long it becomes separated, it may elect itself the master. That gives you
the scenario that you were reporting, that's called a segmented workgroup.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/browsing-across-subnets.html>.

It's also possible that a firewall could block the browser datagrams, and cause
a segmented workgroup.

Good luck with your dial-up situation. The US is falling behind the rest of the
world in terms of broadband distribution. I have DSL, but since my house is 3
miles from the telephone office by walking distance (and 5 miles based upon how
fscked up the telephone company has made the cabling), I have very crappy DSL.

Oh well, if the earth didn't suck so much, we'd all fall off. </rant>
 
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