Network Problems with a PC and Laptop Workgroup

[Guest]

I am trying to set up a workgroup with 1 PC and 1 laptop. Both are running
Windows XP SP2. I have them connected with a Linksys WRV54G router. They
are currently both sharing a network connection from the router and that is
working great. The problem I am having is that neither the laptop nor the
router can ping the PC. The PC can ping the router and laptop, the router
can ping the laptop and the laptop can ping the router. When I could not ping
the PC after turning off everything I could find on Norton Internet Security
2006, I completely uninstalled that software from the PC. I have also turned
off the Windows Firewall on the PC and laptop. When I select My Network
Places and then View Workgroup Computers, I can see the PC and laptop on the
PC and the PC and laptop on the laptop. When I click on both of them on the
PC, everything displays as expected. When I click on the laptop on the
laptop, I see everything but when the PC is selected the system cannot find
it. Any help with this problem could very well keep me from losing what
little mind I have left. Thanks in advance.
Marc

 

[Chuck]

I am trying to set up a workgroup with 1 PC and 1 laptop. Both are running
Windows XP SP2. I have them connected with a Linksys WRV54G router. They
are currently both sharing a network connection from the router and that is
working great. The problem I am having is that neither the laptop nor the
router can ping the PC. The PC can ping the router and laptop, the router
can ping the laptop and the laptop can ping the router. When I could not ping
the PC after turning off everything I could find on Norton Internet Security
2006, I completely uninstalled that software from the PC. I have also turned
off the Windows Firewall on the PC and laptop. When I select My Network
Places and then View Workgroup Computers, I can see the PC and laptop on the
PC and the PC and laptop on the laptop. When I click on both of them on the
PC, everything displays as expected. When I click on the laptop on the
laptop, I see everything but when the PC is selected the system cannot find
it. Any help with this problem could very well keep me from losing what
little mind I have left. Thanks in advance.
Marc

Marc,

Please define "cannot ping". What complete and exact error condition or message
are you observing? Ditto for "when the PC is selected the system cannot find
it".

Right now, I am thinking a name resolution problem. This could be one of
several possibilities:
# Incorrect node type.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/address-resolution-on-lan.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/address-resolution-on-lan.html
# Inconsistent NetBT setting.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/netbios-over-tcpip.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/netbios-over-tcpip.html
# Personal firewall or other security component.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html
# LSP / Winsock corruption.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html

The first two are relatively simple to identify and correct. The latter two are
not simple either way. Read thru all 4 articles, and linked articles, and
decide for yourself. And ask questions.

 

[Guest]

Chuck,
When I type ping and the IP address of the PC, I receive Request Timed Out
from the laptop and the router. When I select the PC in the laptop's View
workgroup computers, I receive \\computername is not accessible. You might
not have permissions to use this network resource. Contact the administrator
of the server to find out if you have access permissions. The network path
was not found.
I changed the NetBios setting to enabled for all connections on the PC and
laptop and I ran the network setup wizard again. I still see the PC and
laptop on the PC and can access all shares and on the laptop when I select
View workgroup computers, I receive the same message as described above. I
am signed on to both machines as administrator.

Also, my node type is hybrid on both machines. Do you think I should change
this or is there something else I should try? Thank you for your help.
Marc

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
When I type ping and the IP address of the PC, I receive Request Timed Out
from the laptop and the router. When I select the PC in the laptop's View
workgroup computers, I receive \\computername is not accessible. You might
not have permissions to use this network resource. Contact the administrator
of the server to find out if you have access permissions. The network path
was not found.
I changed the NetBios setting to enabled for all connections on the PC and
laptop and I ran the network setup wizard again. I still see the PC and
laptop on the PC and can access all shares and on the laptop when I select
View workgroup computers, I receive the same message as described above. I
am signed on to both machines as administrator.

Also, my node type is hybrid on both machines. Do you think I should change
this or is there something else I should try? Thank you for your help.
Marc

Marc,

Node type Hybrid should be OK. If you have NetBT set properly, let's move on.

Let's look at "browstat status" from each computer. Read this article, and
linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[Guest]

Chuck,
I ran browstat on both computers and the results are as follows:
PC
Browsing is active on domain.
Master Browser is PC
Master Browser is running build 2600.
1 backup servers retrieved from master PC
\\PC
There are 2 servers on domain ABMICH on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip etc
There are 1 domains on domain ABMICH on same transport as above

Laptop
Earlier, the laptop was listing the Master Browser as the PC but was giving
error 53.
Now, it is the same as the PC except the laptop name is in place of all the
PC names and the number and letters after Tcpip are different.

Also, under Local Area Connection properites for this connection, there is
an authentication tab with a Enable 802.1x authentication for this network
checkbox with EAP Type: Smart Card or other Certificate Dropdown box below.
Is this supposed to be checked for enable or unchecked. It was checked and I
unchecked it and it did not seem to help.

Also, I have had the PC longer than the laptop and it was connected to the
internet using a broadband modem before I added the router. Not sure if this
matters, but I was wondering if something (firewall,etc.) may have had it
hidden somehow.
Thanks, Marc.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
I ran browstat on both computers and the results are as follows:
PC
Browsing is active on domain.
Master Browser is PC
Master Browser is running build 2600.
1 backup servers retrieved from master PC
\\PC
There are 2 servers on domain ABMICH on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip etc
There are 1 domains on domain ABMICH on same transport as above

Laptop
Earlier, the laptop was listing the Master Browser as the PC but was giving
error 53.
Now, it is the same as the PC except the laptop name is in place of all the
PC names and the number and letters after Tcpip are different.

Also, under Local Area Connection properites for this connection, there is
an authentication tab with a Enable 802.1x authentication for this network
checkbox with EAP Type: Smart Card or other Certificate Dropdown box below.
Is this supposed to be checked for enable or unchecked. It was checked and I
unchecked it and it did not seem to help.

Also, I have had the PC longer than the laptop and it was connected to the
internet using a broadband modem before I added the router. Not sure if this
matters, but I was wondering if something (firewall,etc.) may have had it
hidden somehow.
Thanks, Marc.

Marc,

On a 2 computer network, either can be the master browser, with no difference.
The error = 53 is a bit disturbing though.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html#Error53>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html#Error53
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

If the Local Area Connection is by WiFi, and there is no Radius server,
specifying 802.1x authentication will give periodic problems. If it's Ethernet,
this is generally not a problem one way or the other.

Your symptoms still fit either a personal firewall, or LSP / Winsock corruption.
Did you read the articles lined above?

And please do us both a favour, and type your replies after mine.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting

 

[Guest]

Marc,

On a 2 computer network, either can be the master browser, with no difference.
The error = 53 is a bit disturbing though.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html#Error53>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html#Error53
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

If the Local Area Connection is by WiFi, and there is no Radius server,
specifying 802.1x authentication will give periodic problems. If it's Ethernet,
this is generally not a problem one way or the other.

Your symptoms still fit either a personal firewall, or LSP / Winsock corruption.
Did you read the articles lined above?

And please do us both a favour, and type your replies after mine.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html#TopPosting

Chuck,
I think I finally found the problem. I have a Cisco VPN client on my PC
that allows me to connect to a facility that I do some work for. After
reading your information, I searched Windows Services looking for whatever I
could find and there it was. When I stop this service, I can ping my PC from
the laptop. The curious part is that I have the same VPN client on my laptop
and it did not start blocking the laptop until I enabled the Norton Internet
Security 2006. I had Norton disabled on the laptop for a couple of days
trying to fix this network problem and during this time I installed the VPN
client on the laptop. Now I have to try and figure out how to configure this
VPN client to not block everything. Thank you so much for your help. I
would not have solved this without your help. Thanks again, Marc.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,
I think I finally found the problem. I have a Cisco VPN client on my PC
that allows me to connect to a facility that I do some work for. After
reading your information, I searched Windows Services looking for whatever I
could find and there it was. When I stop this service, I can ping my PC from
the laptop. The curious part is that I have the same VPN client on my laptop
and it did not start blocking the laptop until I enabled the Norton Internet
Security 2006. I had Norton disabled on the laptop for a couple of days
trying to fix this network problem and during this time I installed the VPN
client on the laptop. Now I have to try and figure out how to configure this
VPN client to not block everything. Thank you so much for your help. I
would not have solved this without your help. Thanks again, Marc.

OK, a VPN client. Yes, that would do it. Glad you sorted it. Thanks for the
updates.