Simple peer problem

[Charles Shapiro]

I am having a problem getting one machine to see another in a XP-PRO/WIN98
peer-peer setup.

There are 7 machine in this setup abc0 through abc6

3 machines are running XP, 4 are still running WIN98 (soon to be XP also),
but the problem is with two of the XP machines.

abc0 is what we are calling the server. We run a program with a database
that is on this machine and the other machines access this one (abc0) for
it's data.
2 (abc2 & abc5) of the 3 running XP Have no problem seeing abc0, but I
absolutely can not get abc6 to see abc0 or visa-versa.

I can go to any machine, XP or WIN98 and in Neighborhood Network or Network
Places see all the other machines and access them, but those two (abc0 &
abc6) will not see each other, it's tells me the path doesn't exist. I have
checked and doubled checked everything I can think of. The workgroup name
(ABC) is the same on all machines. I have even ran the network setup
wizard. I have changed the workgroup name on the server (abc0) and then
changed it back.

When I go to My Network Places, these machines do not show up. I have to go
to View workgroup computers to see them and then I can't access them... I
did so many things last night I don't know if I tried getting to abc6 from
one of the other computers or not, but I am pretty sure I did and it was not
accessible.

I am not new to peer-peer networking, but this is driving me nuts as I don't
know what else to do.

I brought it home last night, hooked it up to my peer network, changed the
workgroup to match mine and viola, no problem getting to any of the 4
machine here.. hmmmmmmm.

Could the WIN98 machine somehow be messing this up. Maybe I've hit some
kind of limit?

I will do whatever is necessary to get this to work, changing names,
workgroups

Appreciate any ideas, as I don't know what to do at this point.

Thanks.

...Chip..

Happy New Year. Be safe!

 

[Chuck]

I am having a problem getting one machine to see another in a XP-PRO/WIN98
peer-peer setup.

There are 7 machine in this setup abc0 through abc6

3 machines are running XP, 4 are still running WIN98 (soon to be XP also),
but the problem is with two of the XP machines.

abc0 is what we are calling the server. We run a program with a database
that is on this machine and the other machines access this one (abc0) for
it's data.
2 (abc2 & abc5) of the 3 running XP Have no problem seeing abc0, but I
absolutely can not get abc6 to see abc0 or visa-versa.

I can go to any machine, XP or WIN98 and in Neighborhood Network or Network
Places see all the other machines and access them, but those two (abc0 &
abc6) will not see each other, it's tells me the path doesn't exist. I have
checked and doubled checked everything I can think of. The workgroup name
(ABC) is the same on all machines. I have even ran the network setup
wizard. I have changed the workgroup name on the server (abc0) and then
changed it back.

When I go to My Network Places, these machines do not show up. I have to go
to View workgroup computers to see them and then I can't access them... I
did so many things last night I don't know if I tried getting to abc6 from
one of the other computers or not, but I am pretty sure I did and it was not
accessible.

I am not new to peer-peer networking, but this is driving me nuts as I don't
know what else to do.

I brought it home last night, hooked it up to my peer network, changed the
workgroup to match mine and viola, no problem getting to any of the 4
machine here.. hmmmmmmm.

Could the WIN98 machine somehow be messing this up. Maybe I've hit some
kind of limit?

I will do whatever is necessary to get this to work, changing names,
workgroups

Appreciate any ideas, as I don't know what to do at this point.

Thanks.

..Chip..

Happy New Year. Be safe!

Chip,

If you have a combination of Windows 98 and Windows XP on your LAN, and you have
a problem with some computers not "seeing" each other (Network Neighborhood?),
I'll bet you have a browser problem (I'm not talking about Internet Explorer
here). The browsers for Windows 98 and Windows XP don't work well on a LAN
together.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF / WF, or third party)? If
so, you need to configure them for file sharing. Firewall configurations are a
very common cause of (network) browser, and file sharing, problems.

After resolving any firewall issues, identify the two Windows XP computers that
stay online the most, and call them the browsers for the LAN. Make sure the
browser service is running on the browser computers. Control Panel -
Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and the
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both show with Status = Started. Disable the
browser on the other computers, including all Windows 98 computers:
http://cms.simons-rock.edu/faq_by_subtopic/node138.html

After checking / disabling / enabling as above, power all computers off to reset
the browser settings on each. Then power the browser computers on, and finally
the other computers on.

The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers (I'm not talking about
Internet Explorer here) you have in your domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305

You can download Browstat from either:
<http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip>
<http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip>

Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window, by "browstat status". Make sure all computers give the same result.

For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>

 

[Carey Holzman]

www.careyholzman.com/net1.htm

Carey

 

[Charles Shapiro]

Thanks Chuck. I have printed this message and will get on checking the
things you mentioned probably tomorrow. I don't know if my brain can take
any more today.

Do you think I could put the XP machines in another workgroup and use the
same hub/router, etc? I just have to make sure come next Saturday when the
whole network goes to XP that it will work. I can't have some machines
working and some not working..

...Chip..

 

[Charles Shapiro]

Thanks, I will check out that page and see if there is anything there to
help .

...Chip..

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck. I have printed this message and will get on checking the
things you mentioned probably tomorrow. I don't know if my brain can take
any more today.

Do you think I could put the XP machines in another workgroup and use the
same hub/router, etc? I just have to make sure come next Saturday when the
whole network goes to XP that it will work. I can't have some machines
working and some not working..

..Chip..

Chip,

You could use a 2 workgroup LAN as a temporary solution. Of course, each
computer would only see other computers in each workgroup, in Network
Neighborhood. You'll just have to look under Entire Network - Microsoft Windows
Network for the other workgroup.

No matter what workgroup a computer is in, you can map a share as
\\computername\sharename, if you don't have to look it up in Network
Neighborhood (My Network Places).

BTW, Chip, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

 

[Charles Shapiro]

Chip,

You could use a 2 workgroup LAN as a temporary solution. Of course, each
computer would only see other computers in each workgroup, in Network
Neighborhood. You'll just have to look under Entire Network - Microsoft
Windows
Network for the other workgroup.

Thanks Chuck. Each workgroup only seeing itself is not a problem, as right
now the XP machine are running the NEW program and the
WIN98 machines are running the current program. The WIN98 machine have a
printer and the NEW program doesn't really need to print yet, although one
of the XP machines has a printer (not shared yet), so they are able to print
for testing purposes..

For a while I thought it was these damn Compaq computers, which doesn't make
any sense I know. Don't know if I mentioned before but I brought these two
Compaq computers home. The one that wouldn't work works when on my LAN, but
the 2nd one appeared to have the same problem as the 1st one. After
installing XP and doing everything I know how to do it still wouldn't see
the ALL of the network, and although like the first one it WOULD see all
the workgroup computers you couldn't access them all.

I just happened to have a Ghost image of a XP install and attempted to image
the 2nd computer with this image, but dummy me and my lack of experience of
the program
imaged the compaq drive OVER my good image! (oops) . No big deal I still
have the computer here I made the image from and will make it again.
Anwyay, when the 2nd compaq computer rebooted, it now see the entire network
will all workgroup computer being accessible, in My Network Places, but when
I click on 'view workgroup computers', it tell me the network is no longer
available but it is. I am going to see if I can get the owner of the
autoshop to let me in today or tomorrow and see if these things will work...

No matter what workgroup a computer is in, you can map a share as
\\computername\sharename, if you don't have to look it up in Network
Neighborhood (My Network Places).

Thanks. Mapping drives has never been a problem, in fact with the new
program I only need to make a directory (where the database is) and thats
working fine.

BTW, Chip, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted
email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep
yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of
the
internet - read this article.

Thanks Chuck. This email is not my main one and goes to Outlook where the
rest of the junk goes. I try to never use my main email address on the
internet only giving it to firends, etc. I have read that article and
hopefully have munged my email address..

THANKS!

...Chip..