Problems setting up home wireless network

[Guest]

Hi everyone! I am at my wits end trying to set up a home wireless network. I
even had some IT guy come in three weekends in a row, but the network was not
stable and is now not accessible...

I have two computers (desktop and notebook) both running XP Home. I would
like these to be on a network with file and printer sharing capabilities. The
desktop to be the server. We managed to get this done on 2 occasions, but
lost server access within a few hours the first time, and then within 1 day
on the second attempt. The IT guy even reformatting my desktop and
reinstalled all the software again but it was no use.

I looked up the system info for both computers and they are both having the
same workgroup name...but when i check "my workgroup computers" in Network
places, the notebook computer only shows itself, and the desktop computer
tells me that i am not authorized to access this info.

I tried setting up the network again using a new workgroup name. I was only
successful in setting up a network between the two computers that had the
Notebook as a server (not ideal)....and it is very slow in terms of working
on Word files.

Any solutions out there?

thanks so much!

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi everyone! I am at my wits end trying to set up a home wireless network. I
even had some IT guy come in three weekends in a row, but the network was not
stable and is now not accessible...

I have two computers (desktop and notebook) both running XP Home. I would
like these to be on a network with file and printer sharing capabilities. The
desktop to be the server. We managed to get this done on 2 occasions, but
lost server access within a few hours the first time, and then within 1 day
on the second attempt. The IT guy even reformatting my desktop and
reinstalled all the software again but it was no use.

I looked up the system info for both computers and they are both having the
same workgroup name...but when i check "my workgroup computers" in Network
places, the notebook computer only shows itself, and the desktop computer
tells me that i am not authorized to access this info.

I tried setting up the network again using a new workgroup name. I was only
successful in setting up a network between the two computers that had the
Notebook as a server (not ideal)....and it is very slow in terms of working
on Word files.

Any solutions out there?

thanks so much!

Since you say that you have a wireless network, I assume that you have
a home broadband router.

Run XP's Network Setup Wizard on each computer. If the Wizard detects
the router's shared Internet connection, tell it to use that.
Otherwise, tell the Wizard that the computer connects to the Internet
through a residential gateway.

Tell the Wizard to enable File and Printer Sharing.

It isn't strictly necessary, but specifying the same workgroup name
on both computers makes accessing them over the network a little
easier.

Configure any firewall program (e.g. Norton, McAfee, ZoneAlarm) to
allow access by other computers on the local area network. Note that
some antivirus programs (e.g. Norton Antivirus 2006, PC-cillin) have
firewall components that have to be configured.

Network browsing through My Network Places is so unreliable that I
recommend not using it at all. To access shared folders on the other
computer, type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in
this format:

\\computer

If there are "access denied" problems or prompts for a network
password, do this on each computer:

1. Open a command prompt window (Start > Run > cmd)

2. Type this command to allow networked access:

net user guest /active:yes

Remove any network password from the Guest account:

a. Click Start >Run.
b. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK.
c. Click Guest.
d. Click Reset Password.
e. Click OK without entering a new password.
--
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

 

[Guest]

Hi Steve

thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

I tried all the steps that you mentioned in your posting but still no luck.
More specific comments are interspersed with your suggestions.

Since you say that you have a wireless network, I assume that you have
a home broadband router.

Run XP's Network Setup Wizard on each computer. If the Wizard detects
the router's shared Internet connection, tell it to use that.
Otherwise, tell the Wizard that the computer connects to the Internet
through a residential gateway.

Tell the Wizard to enable File and Printer Sharing.

It isn't strictly necessary, but specifying the same workgroup name
on both computers makes accessing them over the network a little
easier.

Done All that!!

Configure any firewall program (e.g. Norton, McAfee, ZoneAlarm) to
allow access by other computers on the local area network. Note that
some antivirus programs (e.g. Norton Antivirus 2006, PC-cillin) have
firewall components that have to be configured.

Am using Windows as my Firewall

Network browsing through My Network Places is so unreliable that I
recommend not using it at all. To access shared folders on the other
computer, type the other computer's name in the Start > Run box in
this format:

\\computer

Done this - it worked for my desktop to notebook (i.e. desktop to access
notebook files) but did not work for notebook to desktop (ie notebook to
access desktop files). I had the error message - "No network path"

If there are "access denied" problems or prompts for a network
password, do this on each computer:

1. Open a command prompt window (Start > Run > cmd)

2. Type this command to allow networked access:

net user guest /active:yes

Done this successfully

Remove any network password from the Guest account:

a. Click Start >Run.
b. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK.
c. Click Guest.
d. Click Reset Password.
e. Click OK without entering a new password.

All done but still cannot access desktop files from the notebook even though
both have the same network name. There seems to be a one-way connection and
not a two-way connection, i.e. I can share folders from the notebook to the
desktop but NOT from the desktop to the notebook.

Any other suggestions? Thanks again for your time

 

[Guest]

I have another problem - i think i accidentally deleted the administrator
account while going through the control user passwords2 step below. Now I
cannot install any programs.

A check of the Control Panel under "User Accounts" indicates there are no
users.

Any suggestions?

thanks

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have another problem - i think i accidentally deleted the administrator
account while going through the control user passwords2 step below. Now I
cannot install any programs.

A check of the Control Panel under "User Accounts" indicates there are no
users.

Any suggestions?

thanks

Don't log off and don't shut the computer down!

Can you re-create your administrator account in Control Panel > User
Accounts?

Can you run "control userpasswords2", click the Add button, and
re-create your administrator account? Can you re-create the normally
hidden account that's actually named "Administrator"?

If that doesn't help, I recommend posting a message in the Windows XP
General news group, with a subject title like "No Accounts Appear in
Control Panel > User Accounts". Someone in that news group might
have a solution.
--
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

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi Steve

thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

I tried all the steps that you mentioned in your posting but still no luck.
More specific comments are interspersed with your suggestions.



Done All that!!

Am using Windows as my Firewall


Done this - it worked for my desktop to notebook (i.e. desktop to access
notebook files) but did not work for notebook to desktop (ie notebook to
access desktop files). I had the error message - "No network path"


Done this successfully


All done but still cannot access desktop files from the notebook even though
both have the same network name. There seems to be a one-way connection and
not a two-way connection, i.e. I can share folders from the notebook to the
desktop but NOT from the desktop to the notebook.

Any other suggestions? Thanks again for your time

Can you ping the Desktop from the Notebook? Try pinging the Desktop
by its IP address and by its computer name.

Are you sure that no firewall is active on the Desktop? Start the
Desktop in "Safe mode with networking" and try to access it from the
Notebook. If that works, something that runs in normal mode, but not
Safe mode, is causing the problem.
--
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

 

[Guest]

Just to update everyone - it seems that i had accidentally deleted the
administrator account. I called the Microsoft Technical Support Helpline and
they told me to install the Windows XP Home CD to repair the Windows XP
software....and it kept hanging at the installation.

the whole computer ended up unusable and I ultimately got an IT consultant
in to fix the computer, reformat the c drive and reinstall all the programs
again. The networking is going smoothly now....but definitely, going through
this whole exercise cost me a lot of $ (hired two different IT guys, paid for
Windows Technical support, bought a wireless adapter that i was later told i
didn't need, and had days of stress......)

thanks for the tips. I do appreciate them anyway....