Problem adding laptop to home network

[meyer47]

I have an existing home network with two computers currently connected
through Ethernet ports in my house. I would like to add a laptop to
the network. I ran the xp network setup wizard on the laptop and
entered the same workgroup name, but it wouldn't connect to the other
computers. I am able to get an internet connection on all three
computers, but I can't seem to add the laptop to the network. I'd
like
to be able to have the laptop on the network and be able to use it
that
way wherever I plug it in the house (I have 8 Ethernet ports). Can
someone suggest why the wizard isn't working and how I can get this
fixed? Thanks.

 

[Maincat]

I have an existing home network with two computers currently connected
through Ethernet ports in my house. I would like to add a laptop to
the network. I ran the xp network setup wizard on the laptop and
entered the same workgroup name, but it wouldn't connect to the other
computers. I am able to get an internet connection on all three
computers, but I can't seem to add the laptop to the network. I'd
like
to be able to have the laptop on the network and be able to use it
that
way wherever I plug it in the house (I have 8 Ethernet ports). Can
someone suggest why the wizard isn't working and how I can get this
fixed? Thanks.

Try enabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP in the connection properties. I have a
situation similar to yours and connection through My Network Places is
flakey, but I can see every computer by using the Run box and typing in
\\computername.

Steve

 

[meyer47]

On which computer do I do this?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have an existing home network with two computers currently connected
through Ethernet ports in my house. I would like to add a laptop to
the network. I ran the xp network setup wizard on the laptop and
entered the same workgroup name, but it wouldn't connect to the other
computers. I am able to get an internet connection on all three
computers, but I can't seem to add the laptop to the network. I'd
like
to be able to have the laptop on the network and be able to use it
that
way wherever I plug it in the house (I have 8 Ethernet ports). Can
someone suggest why the wizard isn't working and how I can get this
fixed? Thanks.

I assume that your Internet connection is through a home broadband
router.

What connection method did you specify to the Wizard? If the Wizard
detects your router's shared Internet connection, tell it to use that.
Otherwise, select "This computer connects to the Internet through a
residential gateway or through another computer on my network."

Tell the Wizard to enable File and Printer Sharing.

Configure any firewall program (Norton, McAfee, PC-cillin, ZoneAlarm,
etc) on the laptop to allow access on the local area network. Note
that some recent antivirus programs, such as Norton Antivirus 2006,
have built-in firewall components that need configuring.

If the computer has a firewall program, disable the built-in Windows
Firewall.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[meyer47]

I assume that your Internet connection is through a home broadband
router.

Yes.

What connection method did you specify to the Wizard? If the Wizard
detects your router's shared Internet connection, tell it to use that.
Otherwise, select "This computer connects to the Internet through a
residential gateway or through another computer on my network."

I think I chose "other" -- connected through a hub.

Tell the Wizard to enable File and Printer Sharing.

Yes -- done.

Configure any firewall program (Norton, McAfee, PC-cillin, ZoneAlarm,
etc) on the laptop to allow access on the local area network. Note
that some recent antivirus programs, such as Norton Antivirus 2006,
have built-in firewall components that need configuring.

No firewall installed other than windows. I've disabled Windows
firewall.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I think I chose "other" -- connected through a hub.


Yes -- done.


No firewall installed other than windows. I've disabled Windows
firewall.

Selecting the "other" connection method blocks File and Printer
Sharing. Run the Wizard again and select "through a residential
gateway".
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Maincat]

On which computer do I do this?

On the laptop.

 

[meyer47]

I reran the Network Setup Wizard and selected Residential Gateway. I
added NetBIOS and I disabled Windows Firewall. Same result. When I
try to view other computers in the workgroup, only the laptop shows
up. Do I need to reboot the other computers after I've run the wizard
on the laptop? Any other suggestions?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I reran the Network Setup Wizard and selected Residential Gateway. I
added NetBIOS and I disabled Windows Firewall. Same result. When I
try to view other computers in the workgroup, only the laptop shows
up. Do I need to reboot the other computers after I've run the wizard
on the laptop? Any other suggestions?

No, you don't need to reboot any computers.

Are you trying to view the other computers in My Network Places? In
my opinion, network browsing through My Network Places is inherently
unreliable, and I recommend not using it. You can spend a lot of time
troubleshooting it, but I don't think it's worth the effort.

To access another computer directly, without using My Network Places,
type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in this format:

\\computer

To access a shared folder directly, type the computer name and the
folder's share name in the Start > Run box in this format:

\\computer\share

You can also create a desktop shortcut to the another computer or
shared folder specifying the location of the item as:

\\computer

or

\\computer\share
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[meyer47]

I tried this, but it didn't work. It seems that for whatever reason,
this computer is not getting added to the workgroup.

I suppose I could start over with all my computer and create a new
workgroup. How would I go about this? Do I need to delete the
existing group? If so, how do I do that? Since I have more than one
router, do I need to make changes to the router settings? What I
don't quite get is how I'm able to access the internet with the
laptop but cannot connect to the other computers.

Thanks.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Are you trying to view the other computers in My Network Places? In
my opinion, network browsing through My Network Places is inherently
unreliable, and I recommend not using it. You can spend a lot of time
troubleshooting it, but I don't think it's worth the effort.

To access another computer directly, without using My Network Places,
type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in this format:

\\computer

To access a shared folder directly, type the computer name and the
folder's share name in the Start > Run box in this format:

\\computer\share

You can also create a desktop shortcut to the another computer or
shared folder specifying the location of the item as:

\\computer

or

\\computer\share

I tried this, but it didn't work. It seems that for whatever reason,
this computer is not getting added to the workgroup.

I suppose I could start over with all my computer and create a new
workgroup. How would I go about this? Do I need to delete the
existing group? If so, how do I do that? Since I have more than one
router, do I need to make changes to the router settings? What I
don't quite get is how I'm able to access the internet with the
laptop but cannot connect to the other computers.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Creating a new workgroup won't help. Workgroups serve no useful
purpose in Windows XP networking. A computer in any workgroup can
access a workgroup in any workgroup. Using "\\computer", as I
recommended, should access another computer, regardless of which
workgroup either computer is in.

Something else is causing the problem. One possibility is that
firewall is blocking access to that computer. Configure any firewall
(Norton, McAfee, ZoneAlarm, PC-cillin, etc) to allow access by other
computers. Note that some recent antivirus programs have firewall
functions that need to be configured.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[meyer47]

It took a little experimentation, but I think I figured out the
problem. The laptop I wanted to add was hooked up to a router that
was hooked up to another router that included the other two
computers. Once I switched the laptop connection to the same router
as the other two,then I was able to see all three computers on the
network. This solves one problem but creates another. How do I
configure the second router (or others that may be daisy-chained
together) so that computers can see each other no matter which router
they're connected to? As I mentioned earlier, I can get on the
internet when I'm connected to the second router, but I wasn't able to
see the other networked computers.

I think I'm getting closer to a solution. Thanks for your help!

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

It took a little experimentation, but I think I figured out the
problem. The laptop I wanted to add was hooked up to a router that
was hooked up to another router that included the other two
computers. Once I switched the laptop connection to the same router
as the other two,then I was able to see all three computers on the
network. This solves one problem but creates another. How do I
configure the second router (or others that may be daisy-chained
together) so that computers can see each other no matter which router
they're connected to? As I mentioned earlier, I can get on the
internet when I'm connected to the second router, but I wasn't able to
see the other networked computers.

I think I'm getting closer to a solution. Thanks for your help!

You're welcome. When you daisy-chain routers, configure all but the
one closest to the Internet connection to act as network switches
only, bypassing their routing capabilities.

On each router after the first one:

1. Disable its built-in DHCP server.

2. Assign its LAN interface a static IP address in the same subnet as
the first router's LAN interface, but outside of the first router's
DHCP pool.

3. Connect it to the previous router using a LAN port.

4. Don't connect anything to its WAN (Internet) port.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com