Network is working but Vista can't see XP in explorer

[Dave in Arizona]

Hello all

I have a home network with one Vista machine and one XP machine. I have set
up the network and here is the status:
-- Both machines can be pinged by either machine
-- Both machines can share files with either machine by using the computer
name in the run box such as \\name
-- The XP machine can see the Vista machine in the browser under networks,
but the Vista machine CANNOT see the XP machine in the browser under
networks. The XP machine only sees the Vista machine and the Vista machine
only sees the itself in the browser under networks
-- The network map is complete and correct when "show complete network" is
clicked in the network and sharing center on the Vista machine.
-- both the XP and Vista machine show only the vista machine when running
the "net view" command.

The firewalls are turned off on both machines for debugging purposes.

Any idea what I have to do so that the Vista machine can see the XP machine?

Thanks

Dave

 

[Mick Murphy]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.

How to give Permissions are there, too.

If you are running Norton, Trend Micro, McAfee, etc’s Firewall, check its
settings to make sure it allows file and printer sharing..

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords on ALL computers in your Network) If you have it ON, you will be
asked for a username and password when you try to access a Vista computer
from an XP computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home Network File and Printer sharing Wizard.

 

[Dave in Arizona]

Thanks for the help.

As I stated in my post, both firewalls were off for debugging purposes, so
that was not an issue. I had read the article you referenced, and those
settings were correct which is why the file sharing worked correctly when the
computers were referenced by name such as \\computername. Only the browser
didn't work -- you couldn't see the XP machine in the browser.

I did figure out how to fix it. Here is what did it:

The problem was fixed on the XP machine even though this machine had been
working correctly on a previous home network. The following instructions are
all done on the XP machine. The fix was to turn off all of the shares on the
folders, and then go the the control panel and remove "File and Printer
Sharing for Microsoft Networks" from the Network Connection Properties. After
doing that, reboot the computer. Next, go into the control panel and add the
"File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" back in. After that, reboot
and then add the folder shares back. Problem solved in my case.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Nice of you to post back Dave.

At the bottom of my advice I mentioned to run the file sharing wizard.
That is standard practice, whether changing the network, or a new network.
You have to run it in XP, so XPs computers know that vista is there.

 

[Dave in Arizona]

Well, that was it. I thought I had run the wizard, but perhaps not. I did
run it for sure on the Vista machine. When I got it working, I deleted the
file and print sharing, rebooted, reinstalled file and print sharing, and
rebooted. I guess that the wizard would have had the same effect. I am
assuming that I only have to do that the first time there is a new Vista
machine on the network? In other words, I could add another Vista machine
tomorrow, and I wouldn't have to run to network wizard again on the XP
machine to see it?

Thanks for your help.