Trying to network two XP computers - help needed.

[zeebop]

(Please advise if there is a more appropriate group for this question)


I have 2 computers that I am trying to connect to eachother.
(They can both connect to the Internet)

The error I get when trying to click through in the microsoft network
browser is:
"\\abc is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out
if you have access permission. The user name could not be found"

Laptop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Home SP3
Can ping itself, not desktop (timed out)
Can view desktop in 'Microsoft Windows Network browser'

Desktop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Pro SP3
Can ping itself and laptop
Cannot view laptop in 'Microsfot Windows Network broswer'



I have enabled 'file and print sharing' on both.
Both computers have at least one folder shared.
Both computers can browse their own shares through the network browser
Both computers are running the Microsoft firewall, with file and print
sharing ticked as an exception.
I have tried with the firewall disabled on both PC's and I get the
same result.
Both computers have 'Guest' Account enabled.
I am using simple XP networking.
I have checked that the 'restrictanonymous' value in the registry is 0
I have tried connected in the //name and //ipaddress format, I dont
get any different results than if I browse the network.

Does anyone have any recommendations to get these two talking?

 

[Tom Allen]

(Please advise if there is a more appropriate group for this question)


I have 2 computers that I am trying to connect to eachother.
(They can both connect to the Internet)

The error I get when trying to click through in the microsoft network
browser is:
"\\abc is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out
if you have access permission. The user name could not be found"

Laptop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Home SP3
Can ping itself, not desktop (timed out)
Can view desktop in 'Microsoft Windows Network browser'

Desktop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Pro SP3
Can ping itself and laptop
Cannot view laptop in 'Microsfot Windows Network broswer'



I have enabled 'file and print sharing' on both.
Both computers have at least one folder shared.
Both computers can browse their own shares through the network browser
Both computers are running the Microsoft firewall, with file and print
sharing ticked as an exception.
I have tried with the firewall disabled on both PC's and I get the
same result.
Both computers have 'Guest' Account enabled.
I am using simple XP networking.
I have checked that the 'restrictanonymous' value in the registry is 0
I have tried connected in the //name and //ipaddress format, I dont
get any different results than if I browse the network.

Does anyone have any recommendations to get these two talking?

Is the Guest account net enabled or just switched on in User Accounts ?

Tom

 

[Malke]

(Please advise if there is a more appropriate group for this question)


I have 2 computers that I am trying to connect to eachother.
(They can both connect to the Internet)

The error I get when trying to click through in the microsoft network
browser is:
"\\abc is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out
if you have access permission. The user name could not be found"

Laptop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Home SP3
Can ping itself, not desktop (timed out)
Can view desktop in 'Microsoft Windows Network browser'

Desktop:
Using wireless connection to router
XP Pro SP3
Can ping itself and laptop
Cannot view laptop in 'Microsfot Windows Network broswer'



I have enabled 'file and print sharing' on both.
Both computers have at least one folder shared.
Both computers can browse their own shares through the network browser
Both computers are running the Microsoft firewall, with file and print
sharing ticked as an exception.
I have tried with the firewall disabled on both PC's and I get the
same result.
Both computers have 'Guest' Account enabled.
I am using simple XP networking.
I have checked that the 'restrictanonymous' value in the registry is 0
I have tried connected in the //name and //ipaddress format, I dont
get any different results than if I browse the network.

Does anyone have any recommendations to get these two talking?

Create matching user accounts and passwords on both machines. Disable Simple
File Sharing on the XP Pro box. See below.

For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally caused
by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including a stateful
firewall in a VPN); or 2) inadvertently running two firewalls such as the
built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party firewall; and/or 3) not having
identical user accounts and passwords on all Workgroup machines; 4) trying
to create shares where the operating system does not permit it.

A. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network (LAN)
traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing File/Printer
Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network Setup Wizard on
XP will take care of this for those machines.The only "gotcha" is that this
will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you aren't running a
third-party firewall or have an antivirus with "Internet Worm
Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a firewall, then you're
fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually configure the LAN allowance
with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you
would substitute your correct subnet. Do not run more than one firewall. DO
NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS; CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.

B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup. This
is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords
assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just
need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE
PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a machine to boot directly
to the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you
can do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

Malke

 

[zeebop]

Is the Guest account net enabled or just switched on in User Accounts ?

Tom

How do I verify this?

Thanks.

 

[zeebop]

Create matching user accounts and passwords on both machines. Disable Simple
File Sharing on the XP Pro box. See below.

For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally caused
by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including a stateful
firewall in a VPN); or 2) inadvertently running two firewalls such as the
built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party firewall; and/or 3) not having
identical user accounts and passwords on all Workgroup machines; 4) trying
to create shares where the operating system does not permit it.

A. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network (LAN)
traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing File/Printer
Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network Setup Wizard on
XP will take care of this for those machines.The only "gotcha" is that this
will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you aren't running a
third-party firewall or have an antivirus with "Internet Worm
Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a firewall, then you're
fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually configure the LAN allowance
with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you
would substitute your correct subnet. Do not run more than one firewall. DO
NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS; CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.

B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup. This
is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords
assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just
need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE
PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a machine to boot directly
to the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you
can do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

Malke

Thank-you for your comprehensive answer.

As an aside, after changing NOTHING, the laptop could suddenly browse
the desktop without issue. Very odd. The desktop could still not see
the laptop.

However, at one point this did suddenly come to a crashing halt, as it
suddenly disconnected, as did my PS3 media server connection to the
desktop. I was not using the desktop at the time, and am unsure why it
decided to suddenly disconnect.

To discuss your points:

A) I do not run any other firewall, just the Microsoft one, with the
exception ticked on file and print sharing. (Unless AVG or Spybot is
doing something over and above their normal job)

B) My computers are in the same workgroup.

C) I already had matching user (admin) accounts and passwords on both
machines. I have just one account (and Guest account) setup on both
machines. Same username, same password.

D) I had previously tried disabling simple sharing but this made no
difference - however I will revert this.

 

[Tom Allen]

How do I verify this?

Thanks.

This is only relevant if you are using simple file sharing but check it
by setting it -
at a command prompt enter net user guest /active:yes

Set the Guest passwords to blank but if it works you have then only
proved a point so follow Malke's guidance for a more secure and solid
method.

Tom

Tom