Networking a set top box with XP Home

[Guest]

I recently installed a router at home to allow both my PC and
internet-capable set top box (STB) to use the same internet connection. I
now have two problems:

1) despite 'following the bouncing ball' for creating a home network with XP
Home, I cannot "see" the network (even though I have seen evidence that it
exists), and attempting to see the computers on the network gives me an
error message that I do not have sufficient permission to do this. Also,
although both the PC and the STB can access the internet, neither can see
the other on the network.

2) the PC rarely stays connected to the internet for more than five minutes.
The only way to reconnect is to reboot, or run the Network Diagnostics tool
(although even that failed once). There appears to be no reason for the
disconnection -- although on a couple of occasions, I have seen a dial-up
connection dialog box appear, which does not look like my old connection
dialog box: in fact, it looked like the box I got with an auto-dialler
trojan I had many years ago. However, scans with the latest version of
PC-Cillin 2007, Ad-Aware, Trojan Hunter, Spy Sweeper and Windows Defender
show that I am "clean". How do I stay connected?

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I recently installed a router at home to allow both my PC and
internet-capable set top box (STB) to use the same internet connection. I
now have two problems:

1) despite 'following the bouncing ball' for creating a home network with XP
Home, I cannot "see" the network (even though I have seen evidence that it
exists), and attempting to see the computers on the network gives me an
error message that I do not have sufficient permission to do this. Also,
although both the PC and the STB can access the internet, neither can see
the other on the network.

2) the PC rarely stays connected to the internet for more than five minutes.
The only way to reconnect is to reboot, or run the Network Diagnostics tool
(although even that failed once). There appears to be no reason for the
disconnection -- although on a couple of occasions, I have seen a dial-up
connection dialog box appear, which does not look like my old connection
dialog box: in fact, it looked like the box I got with an auto-dialler
trojan I had many years ago. However, scans with the latest version of
PC-Cillin 2007, Ad-Aware, Trojan Hunter, Spy Sweeper and Windows Defender
show that I am "clean". How do I stay connected?

Does the STB have a keyboard interface, and a network operating system? You
could be talking about a non programmable black box, or a specialised computer.
The STB may or may not participate in Windows Networking, and may or may not be
expected to "see" the other.

When the PC disconnects from the network, does the STB stay connected?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Does the STB have a keyboard interface, and a network operating system? You
could be talking about a non programmable black box, or a specialised computer.
The STB may or may not participate in Windows Networking, and may or may not be
expected to "see" the other.

When the PC disconnects from the network, does the STB stay connected?

OK, I have solved part of the problem: When the router was first
installed, it defaulted to being firewalled by the Windows Firewall, even
though I had (previously) turned it off to use my Trend Micro firewall. So
when it showed as being "firewalled", I assumed this meant by Trend Micro:
not so. Turning off the Windows Firewall means that the STB (a 'black box',
as you call it) can now see the PC (yay!) ... but the PC still cannot see the
STB. Huh?? Help here would still be appreciated.

Also, the internet connection for the PC is still being dropped regularly.
I ran the Trend Micro 'House Call' off their website, which reported the
tspy_bifrose trojan (despite its own Internet Security 2007 product being
unable to find it!!), but it offered no info on how to find / clean it ...
help?!

And thanx!!

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

OK, I have solved part of the problem: When the router was first
installed, it defaulted to being firewalled by the Windows Firewall, even
though I had (previously) turned it off to use my Trend Micro firewall. So
when it showed as being "firewalled", I assumed this meant by Trend Micro:
not so. Turning off the Windows Firewall means that the STB (a 'black box',
as you call it) can now see the PC (yay!) ... but the PC still cannot see the
STB. Huh?? Help here would still be appreciated.

Also, the internet connection for the PC is still being dropped regularly.
I ran the Trend Micro 'House Call' off their website, which reported the
tspy_bifrose trojan (despite its own Internet Security 2007 product being
unable to find it!!), but it offered no info on how to find / clean it ...
help?!

And thanx!!

Mark,

So tell us more about this STB (apparently more than a black box). There's
nothing magical about one computer (STB) being able to see another (PC). In
Microsoft Windows, the client (computer that you access directly) runs a service
called "Client for Microsoft Windows", and the server (computer that you access
remotely) runs "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Windows". Most computers
act as both a client and a server, depending upon which one you are sitting in
front of.

The ability for you to "see" one computer from another depends upon Server
Message Blocks being sent between the client and the server.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

A personal firewall, on either the client or server, will interfere with your
ability to "see" one computer from another (and other abilities).
<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

So before I go any farther, tell me is the STB running a version of Windows?
What do you look at, to "see" the PC from it?

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Mark,

So tell us more about this STB (apparently more than a black box). There's
nothing magical about one computer (STB) being able to see another (PC). In
Microsoft Windows, the client (computer that you access directly) runs a service
called "Client for Microsoft Windows", and the server (computer that you access
remotely) runs "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Windows". Most computers
act as both a client and a server, depending upon which one you are sitting in
front of.

The ability for you to "see" one computer from another depends upon Server
Message Blocks being sent between the client and the server.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

A personal firewall, on either the client or server, will interfere with your
ability to "see" one computer from another (and other abilities).
<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

So before I go any farther, tell me is the STB running a version of Windows?
What do you look at, to "see" the PC from it?

Chuck,

The STB is a Beyonwiz DP-P1. In order to "see" the PC, I press the button
to "play a file", then select "Network" instead of "HDD". The screen then
shows me the name of my PC ("STUDY"), and allows me to browse the shared
folders on the PC. I have no idea what the STB's OS is based on ...

The lunacy of the day today is that the dang thang NOW shows up as a UPnP
device (why now? I di'n't do nuttin'!!), and the yellow mouseover tag says
it is a "device available on my network" ... but double-clicking on it
("invoking" it) produces an error message which says it is "unavailable".
Bizarre -- I wish I knew what I was doing ... (

Mark

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Mark,

So tell us more about this STB (apparently more than a black box). There's
nothing magical about one computer (STB) being able to see another (PC). In
Microsoft Windows, the client (computer that you access directly) runs a service
called "Client for Microsoft Windows", and the server (computer that you access
remotely) runs "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Windows". Most computers
act as both a client and a server, depending upon which one you are sitting in
front of.

The ability for you to "see" one computer from another depends upon Server
Message Blocks being sent between the client and the server.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

A personal firewall, on either the client or server, will interfere with your
ability to "see" one computer from another (and other abilities).
<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

So before I go any farther, tell me is the STB running a version of Windows?
What do you look at, to "see" the PC from it?

Chuck,

The STB is a Beyonwiz DP-P1. In order to "see" the PC, I press the button
to "play a file", then select "Network" instead of "HDD". The screen then
shows me the name of my PC ("STUDY"), and allows me to browse the shared
folders on the PC. I have no idea what the STB's OS is based on ...

The lunacy of the day today is that the dang thang NOW shows up as a UPnP
device (why now? I di'n't do nuttin'!!), and the yellow mouseover tag says
it is a "device available on my network" ... but double-clicking on it
("invoking" it) produces an error message which says it is "unavailable".
Bizarre -- I wish I knew what I was doing ... (

Mark[/QUOTE]

Mark,

What do you want to do with the STB? It doesn't sound like it's providing any
server services, just UPnP so you can control it maybe using a specialised
application.

The ability to "see" other computers in Windows Explorer is there so you can
access shared resources (typically files or printers). What shared resources
does the STB provide?

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Guest]

Chuck,

The STB is a Beyonwiz DP-P1. In order to "see" the PC, I press the button
to "play a file", then select "Network" instead of "HDD". The screen then
shows me the name of my PC ("STUDY"), and allows me to browse the shared
folders on the PC. I have no idea what the STB's OS is based on ...

The lunacy of the day today is that the dang thang NOW shows up as a UPnP
device (why now? I di'n't do nuttin'!!), and the yellow mouseover tag says
it is a "device available on my network" ... but double-clicking on it
("invoking" it) produces an error message which says it is "unavailable".
Bizarre -- I wish I knew what I was doing ... (

Mark

Mark,

What do you want to do with the STB? It doesn't sound like it's providing any
server services, just UPnP so you can control it maybe using a specialised
application.

The ability to "see" other computers in Windows Explorer is there so you can
access shared resources (typically files or printers). What shared resources
does the STB provide?
[/QUOTE]

Chuck,

In the same way that I can now play files stored on the PC's HDD on my big
screen TV via the STB, I'd like to be able to move files from the STB to the
PC for editing / longer term storage.

I'm not asking too much of the system, am I?

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:55:01 -0800, Mark Raymond <Mark

:

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:00:01 -0800, Mark Raymond

:

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:58:00 -0800, Mark Raymond

I recently installed a router at home to allow both my PC and
internet-capable set top box (STB) to use the same internet connection. I
now have two problems:

1) despite 'following the bouncing ball' for creating a home network with XP
Home, I cannot "see" the network (even though I have seen evidence that it
exists), and attempting to see the computers on the network gives me an
error message that I do not have sufficient permission to do this. Also,
although both the PC and the STB can access the internet, neither can see
the other on the network.

2) the PC rarely stays connected to the internet for more than five minutes.
The only way to reconnect is to reboot, or run the Network Diagnostics tool
(although even that failed once). There appears to be no reason for the
disconnection -- although on a couple of occasions, I have seen a dial-up
connection dialog box appear, which does not look like my old connection
dialog box: in fact, it looked like the box I got with an auto-dialler
trojan I had many years ago. However, scans with the latest version of
PC-Cillin 2007, Ad-Aware, Trojan Hunter, Spy Sweeper and Windows Defender
show that I am "clean". How do I stay connected?

Does the STB have a keyboard interface, and a network operating system? You
could be talking about a non programmable black box, or a specialised computer.
The STB may or may not participate in Windows Networking, and may or may not be
expected to "see" the other.

When the PC disconnects from the network, does the STB stay connected?


OK, I have solved part of the problem: When the router was first
installed, it defaulted to being firewalled by the Windows Firewall, even
though I had (previously) turned it off to use my Trend Micro firewall. So
when it showed as being "firewalled", I assumed this meant by Trend Micro:
not so. Turning off the Windows Firewall means that the STB (a 'black box',
as you call it) can now see the PC (yay!) ... but the PC still cannot see the
STB. Huh?? Help here would still be appreciated.

Also, the internet connection for the PC is still being dropped regularly.
I ran the Trend Micro 'House Call' off their website, which reported the
tspy_bifrose trojan (despite its own Internet Security 2007 product being
unable to find it!!), but it offered no info on how to find / clean it ...
help?!

And thanx!!

Mark,

So tell us more about this STB (apparently more than a black box). There's
nothing magical about one computer (STB) being able to see another (PC). In
Microsoft Windows, the client (computer that you access directly) runs a service
called "Client for Microsoft Windows", and the server (computer that you access
remotely) runs "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Windows". Most computers
act as both a client and a server, depending upon which one you are sitting in
front of.

The ability for you to "see" one computer from another depends upon Server
Message Blocks being sent between the client and the server.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

A personal firewall, on either the client or server, will interfere with your
ability to "see" one computer from another (and other abilities).
<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

So before I go any farther, tell me is the STB running a version of Windows?
What do you look at, to "see" the PC from it?

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/


Chuck,

The STB is a Beyonwiz DP-P1. In order to "see" the PC, I press the button
to "play a file", then select "Network" instead of "HDD". The screen then
shows me the name of my PC ("STUDY"), and allows me to browse the shared
folders on the PC. I have no idea what the STB's OS is based on ...

The lunacy of the day today is that the dang thang NOW shows up as a UPnP
device (why now? I di'n't do nuttin'!!), and the yellow mouseover tag says
it is a "device available on my network" ... but double-clicking on it
("invoking" it) produces an error message which says it is "unavailable".
Bizarre -- I wish I knew what I was doing ... (

Mark

Mark,

What do you want to do with the STB? It doesn't sound like it's providing any
server services, just UPnP so you can control it maybe using a specialised
application.

The ability to "see" other computers in Windows Explorer is there so you can
access shared resources (typically files or printers). What shared resources
does the STB provide?

Chuck,

In the same way that I can now play files stored on the PC's HDD on my big
screen TV via the STB, I'd like to be able to move files from the STB to the
PC for editing / longer term storage.

I'm not asking too much of the system, am I?

Cheers,

Mark

Mark,

I'm not sure that you can move files from the STB to a client computer. I found
a CNet review of the Beyonwiz DP-P1.
<http://www.cnet.com.au/dvdpvr/pvr/0,239035858,339281401,00.htm>
http://www.cnet.com.au/dvdpvr/pvr/0,239035858,339281401,00.htm

"There's no FTP server or HTTP interface so you're stuck with the built-in
browser for interacting with files. Unfortunately there's no way to transfer
recorded files to a PC with the current firmware."

IOW, it looks like it will act as a client to play files from a server onto the
attached TV, and that's about it. It has no Network OS, so no ability to
actually move files, just to play them.

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.