Problem sharing files on my LAN

R

Robert Krause

Network consisting of:

Desktop computer - XP pro SP2, 768MB ram, SiS 900-based ethernet
adapter integrated in the motherboard
Laptop computer - XP pro SP2, 768MB ram, SMC2632W network card
Laptop computer - XP home SP2, 512MB ram, SMC2632W card
SMC Wireless Router
Comcast Cable modem
All the computers have the latest version of drivers I can find and all the
windows updates installed.

The desktop and the modem are hardwired to the router with cat5 cable.
Laptops are wireless with no security.
Windows firewall is enabled on the router and DISABLED on all computers.

Both laptops can copy files between each other with no problem.

PROBLEM:
The desktop can NOT see either laptop!!
The laptops can see the desktop, but when I start coping files from the
desktop back to the laptop (using the laptop) it will copy for about 1
second and then stall. It will finally error out with the message: Cannot
copy "FILENAME": the specified network name is no longer available.

I can assess the internet from all the computers however the laptops are
about twice as fast finding a website as the desktop.

The laptops can print to the desktops attached printer with no problem.

Everything used to work, until I installed SP2.

Any help or advise would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Bob Krause
 
R

Ross Durie

Routers don't have "Windows" firewalls.

XP SP2 firewall on "desktop computer" problem I would imagine so I would
double check that it is indeed "off". NetBIOS etc. requires certain ports to
be open on the LAN subnet, e.g., 192.168.1.0. Ports 135,137,138,139 and 445
are my choice.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0204.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0104.mspx

If you are using a router you could really turn the SP2 firewall off on all
machines (yes I know you say this is the case) as it serves no purpose other
than to disable LANs such as yours.

For Internet speed issue see http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php.
 
R

Robert Krause

Additional info:
Ping from desktop to laptop 3ms
ping from laptop to desktop 3ms
ping from laptop to laptop 3ms

I tried to transfer files again. Sitting at the laptop using explorer to
transfer files from the desktop. Files start copying and then error. Leaving
explorer open I pinged the desktop and it timed out!!
Closed dos window and explorer waited 5 min and ping from laptop to desktop
was 3ms


Any other ideas
Thanks
Bob
 
R

Robert Krause

Redownloaded the drivers and installed:
Driver date 11-5-04 version 2.0.1039.1180

Still have the same problem.

Any more ideas?
Thanks
Bob
 
R

Robert Krause

Done and still have the same problem!!

If I ping any of the computers BEFORE I try to copy files, they all ping
each other with no problem (3ms)
If I ping immediately after I try to copy files and get the error:
Desktop and ping itself but cannot ping either laptop.
The laptops and see each other but cannot ping the desktop.

Any more ideas? If you think it might fix the problem, I will buy a new card
for the desktop and disable the internal LAN port.

Thanks for your help
Bob
 
R

Robert Krause

Installed a new Linksys NC100u 10/100 network card.

Still have the problem!!! Now what???

Thanks for you help
Bob
 
R

Robert Krause

Installed for this connection:
Client for Microsoft Networks
QoS Packet Scheduler
File and Printer Sharing
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) (NetBios setting is default)
Uninstalled and reinstalled all the above.
Ran a full Norton Antivirus scan
Ran a Ad-Aware scan
Ran Spybot search and destroy

Still have the same problem.
The desktop will surf the internet, but the laptops are much faster.

Can anyone give me some idea to fix this?

Thanks
Bob Krause
 
C

Carey

On the PC you are having problems with:

Click Start, click Run, type CMD and hit enter

At the prompt, type IPCONFIG /ALL > pcname.txt

Then copy the contents of pcname.txt to your next reply.
 
R

Robert Krause

Went through the setup page changes:
Uninstalled Qos Packet Scheduler
Changed NetBios from default to enable
Authenticate as guest was checked - unchecked
Firewall was off - turned on

Also on the page xphome-6.htm, I had to refresh 3 times to get the pictures
to display and could NEVER get the Options tab picture to come up. It worked
on the laptop just fine. Was doing this at 6:30 am so network traffic was
light.

Below is the result of ipconfig / all

Thanks for all your help!!

Bob

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : office2
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys NC100 Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-EB-58-D5
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.30
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, December 21, 2004
6:20:10 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038
10:14:07 PM
 
R

Robert Krause

Here it is:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Laptop3
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : SMC SMC2632W EZ Connect Wireless
PC Card (5-Volt)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-29-91-98-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.18
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, December 21, 2004
6:24:23 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038
10:14:07 PM

This one works with no problem!

Thanks for your help

Bob
 
C

Carey

Ok, as of today, can both PCs ping each other by IP address and by computer
name?
(ie: ping 192.168.2.30 and ping Laptop3)

Carey
 
R

Robert Krause

Results BEFORE trying to copy files:
From Office2 (192.168.2.30)
Ping Office2 <1ms
Ping Laptop3 3ms
From Laptop3 (192.168.2.18)
Ping Laptop3 <1ms
Ping Office2 3ms

Results immediately after trying to copy files it has errored out:
From Office2
Ping Office2 <1ms
Ping Laptop3 Request timed out
From Laptop3
Ping Laptop3 <1ms
Ping Office2 Request timed out

Thanks again for your help
Bob
 

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