Network Path Fun

[Guest]

Three computers
1) Desktop; XP Home SP2- Name- "Margo"
2) Laptop; XP Home SP2- Name- "Dirty"
3) Laptop; XP Pro SP2- Name- "Mothership"

All three computers are on a wireless network.

Okay...been surfing the forums and did the checklist. Made some progress
and all three computers are in three separate states. Here's where I'm at:

"Margo", upon clicking on the workgroup name to see the other computers gets
the "Network Path not found" error. "Mothership" can look into the workgroup
name, but can only see itself. "Dirty" can see all three machines and can
interact fine.

For "Margo", I've enabled file sharing through the Windows firewall, so when
I attempt to go in and manually open the ports listed, it tells me that they
are already opened. I've gone into TCP/IP advanced settings and enabled
NETBIOS. There is no P-t-P (currently listed as "unknown" for node). Guest
accounts are active on all three computers, and their passwords have been
reset. Can't remember what else I've done as I'm getting tired and annoyed.

Here's the l"ipconfig" file for "Margo":

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : margodesktop

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG111T 108Mbps Wireless
USB2.0 Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-36-39-03

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.5

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.64.196

68.87.66.196

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, April 05, 2005 11:19:23
PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 06, 2005
11:19:23 PM

 

[Chuck]

Three computers
1) Desktop; XP Home SP2- Name- "Margo"
2) Laptop; XP Home SP2- Name- "Dirty"
3) Laptop; XP Pro SP2- Name- "Mothership"

All three computers are on a wireless network.

Okay...been surfing the forums and did the checklist. Made some progress
and all three computers are in three separate states. Here's where I'm at:

"Margo", upon clicking on the workgroup name to see the other computers gets
the "Network Path not found" error. "Mothership" can look into the workgroup
name, but can only see itself. "Dirty" can see all three machines and can
interact fine.

For "Margo", I've enabled file sharing through the Windows firewall, so when
I attempt to go in and manually open the ports listed, it tells me that they
are already opened. I've gone into TCP/IP advanced settings and enabled
NETBIOS. There is no P-t-P (currently listed as "unknown" for node). Guest
accounts are active on all three computers, and their passwords have been
reset. Can't remember what else I've done as I'm getting tired and annoyed.

Here's the l"ipconfig" file for "Margo":

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : margodesktop

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG111T 108Mbps Wireless
USB2.0 Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-36-39-03

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.5

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.64.196

68.87.66.196

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, April 05, 2005 11:19:23
PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 06, 2005
11:19:23 PM

When you're well rested, you need to go to Dirty and Mothership, check the same
settings, and extract ipconfig for them, and post here, too.

Also, what's the Simple File Sharing and Network access Local Security Policies
on Mothership?

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have SFS enabled, if on the LAN with XP Home systems.

On XP Pro with SFS disabled, check the Local Security Policies (Control Panel -
Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

On XP Pro with SFS disabled, if you set the above Local Security Policy to
"Guest only", enable the Guest account, using Start - Run - "cmd" - type "net
user guest /active:yes" in the command window. If "Classic", setup and use a
common non-Guest account on all computers. Whichever account is used, give it
an identical, non-blank password on all computers.

On XP Home, and on XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled, on each computer. Enable Guest, with Start - Run -
"cmd", then type "net user guest /active:yes" in the command window. Ensure
that the password for Guest is blank, with Start - Run - "control
userpasswords2"; select Guest, click Reset Password, click OK without entering a
new password.

On XP Pro, if you're going to use Guest authentication, check your Local
Security Policy (Control Panel - Administrative Tools) - User Rights Assignment,
on the XP Pro computer, and look at "Deny access to this computer from the
network". Make sure Guest is not in the list. Look at "Access this computer
from the network", and make sure that Everyone is in this list.

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

 

[Guest]

Here's the ipconfig file for the "Mothership" after completing the steps you
listed:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MOTHERSHIP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net. Description
.. . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card WG511T
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-09-5B-EF-B0-4E
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.64.196
68.87.66.196
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 06, 2005 8:32:54 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 07, 2005 8:32:54 AM
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8169/8110 Family Gigabit
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-0D-11-07-D8

Now, in your list of instructions, it says on the XP Pro computer that I
should switch my local security policy to "Classic", but that's only if I
want to use a non-Guest log-in for all of the computers?

Okay, all of the steps are complete for Mothership: I went in and ensured
that SFS is ON. I then turned it off momentarily to check the settings for
my local security settings. I turned it back on, then restarted the computer.

I am still seeing only "Mothership" in my workgroup for this computer.

 

[Chuck]

Here's the ipconfig file for the "Mothership" after completing the steps you
listed:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MOTHERSHIP
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net. Description
. . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card WG511T
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-09-5B-EF-B0-4E
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.64.196
68.87.66.196
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 06, 2005 8:32:54 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 07, 2005 8:32:54 AM
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8169/8110 Family Gigabit
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-0D-11-07-D8

Now, in your list of instructions, it says on the XP Pro computer that I
should switch my local security policy to "Classic", but that's only if I
want to use a non-Guest log-in for all of the computers?

Okay, all of the steps are complete for Mothership: I went in and ensured
that SFS is ON. I then turned it off momentarily to check the settings for
my local security settings. I turned it back on, then restarted the computer.

I am still seeing only "Mothership" in my workgroup for this computer.

With one XP Pro system, on a LAN with 2 XP Home systems, you should probably
enable SFS, and use Guest authentication. This will mirror the authentication
used by the XP Home systems.

I'm still waiting for ipconfig for Dirty, so we can enumerate your LAN, and its
problems. That may be necessary,in addition to resolving the ability for each
workstation to see each other.

Do you have any personal firewalls, other than Windows Firewall, on any
computer? Ever installed?

With Windows Firewall, on each computer you need to either:
1) Disable it thru Security Center, or
2) Enable it, and enable the File and Printer Sharing exception.

The ability to see each computer (in Network Neighborhood) is provided by the
browser.

The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers (I'm not talking about
Internet Explorer here) 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>
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win95/w95brows.mspx>

The browser requires anonymous access, so look at registry key
[HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa], value restrictanonymous.
<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.

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

 

[Guest]

Third computer Windows IP Configuration:



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DIRTY

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.pa.comcast.net.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network
Connection

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-B8-55-26-9D

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.6

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.64.196

68.87.66.196

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 06, 2005
3:25:23 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 07, 2005 3:25:23
AM

Okay, made sure to do all the previous steps on all three computers. Have
not messed around with browsers or regedit yet, seeing as I'm crossing into
uncharted territory here yet. I'll wait until you see what the third
computer's stats are and standby.

 

[Guest]

All this talk about firewalls....doesn't a wireless router have some kind of
firewall program running independently? I've got a NETGEAR Wireless router
(WGU624).

 

[Guest]

Oh, and BTW. All three computers had Zonealarm at one point in time. All
three have had them removed. I also had another personal firewall installed
on "Dirty" but just uninstalled that as well. Will be using the Windows
Firewall "enabled file and printer sharing" mode. There's nothing more to
that than adding an exception and checking the block marked "File and print
share" right?

All three computers are now up to date and are running SP2. All three
firewalls are set the same.

 

[Chuck]

Oh, and BTW. All three computers had Zonealarm at one point in time. All
three have had them removed. I also had another personal firewall installed
on "Dirty" but just uninstalled that as well. Will be using the Windows
Firewall "enabled file and printer sharing" mode. There's nothing more to
that than adding an exception and checking the block marked "File and print
share" right?

All three computers are now up to date and are running SP2. All three
firewalls are set the same.

Windows Firewall, as long as it's properly enabled, with the FPS exception
selected (Edit the FPS exception and make sure its scope is set to Subnet)
should be OK.

Third party personal firewalls are another story. If you don't un install them
properly (using all procedures provided by the vendor), they can cause problems
after un installed.

Did you un install Zone Alarm completely:
<http://nh2.nohold.net/noHoldCust25/Prod_1/Articles55646/CompleteUninstallNonNT.html>
<http://www.donhoover.net/uninstall.html>

And what is the un named personal firewall that you un installed from Dirty?

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

 

[Chuck]

All this talk about firewalls....doesn't a wireless router have some kind of
firewall program running independently? I've got a NETGEAR Wireless router
(WGU624).

Some NAT routers use SPI, which is one component of a firewall. And NAT
provides a filtering effect, which is similar to (but NOT equal to) the effect
of a firewall.

However, the firewall, whatever its nature, only protects between the WAN
(internet) and the LAN. Your LAN basically connects thru a multi-port switch,
there is no LAN firewall.

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

 

[Guest]

Told through eMule that I should use a Sygate Personal Firewall. Had it
installed for about two days, when I started reading about Firewalls causing
problems with sharing files etc.

 

[Chuck]

Told through eMule that I should use a Sygate Personal Firewall. Had it
installed for about two days, when I started reading about Firewalls causing
problems with sharing files etc.

Sygate is a good choice - it's small, rules based, and stable. But it, like any
firewall, has to be configured properly. If it's not configured properly, as
the articles you read indicated, you will have problems with various
applications, such as file sharing.

If you're going to use Sygate, you should disable Windows Firewall. The
protection provided by WF is redundant, is only a subset of SPF, and may cause
complications when the two are running simultaneously.

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