Unable to setup a network

[Don J]

Right clicking a folder on my system and selecting "Sharing and Security"
from the displayed menu yields a dialog box that has no "Share this folder
on the network" checkbox available. I gather from my reading, that this
implies that the computer is not on a network.

On the same display is the statement "As a security measure, Windows has
disabled remote access to this computer. However, you can enable remote
access and safely share files by running the 'Network Setup Wizard'". I've
run the 'Network Setup Wizard', and it fails to establish a network, as
evidenced by the fact that again selecting "Sharing and Security" yields the
same screen as described above, with no changes.

I'm running Win'XP Home on two machines. I have firewalls disabled on both
machines.

I'm successfully pinging each PC one from the other.

What do I do? How do I create a network? I am trying to set it up so that
I can
share folders on one machine with another.

Don J

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[BillW50]

Right clicking a folder on my system and selecting "Sharing and
Security" from the displayed menu yields a dialog box that has no
"Share this folder on the network" checkbox available. I gather from
my reading, that this implies that the computer is not on a network.

Nope, it doesn't mean it isn't on a network. It means it isn't shared on
the network.

On the same display is the statement "As a security measure, Windows
has disabled remote access to this computer. However, you can enable
remote access and safely share files by running the 'Network Setup
Wizard'". I've run the 'Network Setup Wizard', and it fails to
establish a network, as evidenced by the fact that again selecting
"Sharing and Security" yields the same screen as described above,
with no changes.

Remote Access is something totally different. This allows someone to
take control of your computer and run the software on your computer,
just like they where sitting at your computer. You want this off
normally. This has nothing to do with sharing files over a network.

I'm running Win'XP Home on two machines. I have firewalls disabled
on both machines.
Good!

I'm successfully pinging each PC one from the other.
Good!

What do I do? How do I create a network? I am trying to set it up
so that I can
share folders on one machine with another.

You need to share folders like you started to do. If you share a whole
drive, you can't use c$, d$, etc. As this is automatically shared (with
administrator accounts) and to use other names (although you won't see
them as shared, they are secretly known). Maybe using names like "Drive
C", "Drive D", etc. But other folders, you can use almost anything.

 

[Don J]

I've been trying to set up two computers for sharing folders for some two
weeks, now. In that time I've probably posted a note a day with a variety
of newsgroups each with a specific question. I'm not getting very far, very
fast. Could you walk me through the entire process, one step at a time?

Don J

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[BillW50]

I've been trying to set up two computers for sharing folders for some
two weeks, now. In that time I've probably posted a note a day with
a variety of newsgroups each with a specific question. I'm not
getting very far, very fast. Could you walk me through the entire
process, one step at a time?

Well it can be very easy or very hard. Trust me, I have been through it
a lot. Although I have a lot of questions for you too. So I don't have
to spend a week writing a book about this.

1) Both computers can access the Internet through the network, right?

2) Is any computer wireless? This changes things a lot. How are they
connected to the network anyway? Ethernet, USB, wireless, HomePNA, etc?

3) I have seen no evidence that you allowed one single folder to be
shared. Share one and see if the other one can see it. Fire up Explorer
(nor Internet Explorer, but the file manager one).

3a) Open up "My Network Places"

3b) Entire Network

3c) Microsoft Windows Network

3d) Open a network name (default is MSHOME, I think)

3e) You should see the other computer and your computer that you have
shared (meaning folders, or whatever).

Now get back to us and let us know the answers to the best of your
ability.

 

[Don J]

Well it can be very easy or very hard. Trust me, I have been through it a
lot. Although I have a lot of questions for you too. So I don't have to
spend a week writing a book about this.

1) Both computers can access the Internet through the network, right?

Yes, both computers can access the internet.

2) Is any computer wireless? This changes things a lot. How are they
connected to the network anyway? Ethernet, USB, wireless, HomePNA, etc?

No, neither computer is wireless.

3) I have seen no evidence that you allowed one single folder to be
shared. Share one and see if the other one can see it. Fire up Explorer
(nor Internet Explorer, but the file manager one).

Yes, there are folders on both computers marked as shared.

3a) Open up "My Network Places"

3b) Entire Network

3c) Microsoft Windows Network

3d) Open a network name (default is MSHOME, I think)

3e) You should see the other computer and your computer that you have
shared (meaning folders, or whatever).

Yes, there is a folder marker Mshome on both machines.

When I try to open it I get a message on one machine that says "Mshome is
not accessible. You might not have permission to use this resource.
Contact th administrator of this server to find out if you have access
permissions. The list of servers for this newsgroup is not currently
available".

On the other machine the folder opens but there is nothing in it.

 

[BillW50]

Yes, both computers can access the internet.

Oh great!

No, neither computer is wireless.

Oh good, how are they connected? Is it that funny cable that almost
looks like a telephone jack?

Yes, there are folders on both computers marked as shared.


Yes, there is a folder marker Mshome on both machines.

When I try to open it I get a message on one machine that says
"Mshome is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
resource. Contact th administrator of this server to find out if you
have access permissions. The list of servers for this newsgroup is
not currently available".

On the other machine the folder opens but there is nothing in it.

List of servers for newsgroups? Oh no! You won't find any newsgroups
servers on the other computer. Well not on your own network anyway.

 

[Don J]

Yes, they are connected through a router using a pair of "Ethernet" cables
which look almost like telephone jacks.

Don J

 

[BillW50]

Okay what is this about trying to access newsgroup servers on the other
computer then?

Okay one computer can see MSHOME but nothing in it. Let's call this
computer A. It should see its own shared folders. Or did you only set
one computer (computer B) with shared folder(s)? Also to save some
confusion, is both computers running Administrator accounts?

Computer B can see its own shared folders right?

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[Don J]

Both computers are running Administrator accounts. Both are named Johansen.

A funny thing is happening. Every so often what I see when Mshome is
activated changes. Once I open it what I see stays the same when I close
and immediatly reopen it. But if I go off and, say, look at my email, then
come back and reopen it everything will change. I think that there have
probably been about every combination of items displayed. Right now it is
displaying "Computer A" on both screens. Usually when "Computer X" is
displayed on the "Computer Y" screen clicking the "Computer X" icon will
result in the error message described previously. However this time I've
got a dialog box displayed that says: "Connecting to 'Computer A'" and
asking me for a password for "Computer A\Guest". The Guest accounts are
inactive on both computers, and when activated will not accept a Password.

Where do we go from here?

Don J

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[BillW50]

Both computers are running Administrator accounts. Both are named
Johansen.
A funny thing is happening. Every so often what I see when Mshome is
activated changes. Once I open it what I see stays the same when I
close and immediatly reopen it. But if I go off and, say, look at my
email, then come back and reopen it everything will change. I think
that there have probably been about every combination of items
displayed. Right now it is displaying "Computer A" on both screens.
Usually when "Computer X" is displayed on the "Computer Y" screen
clicking the "Computer X" icon will result in the error message
described previously. However this time I've got a dialog box
displayed that says: "Connecting to 'Computer A'" and asking me for a
password for "Computer A\Guest". The Guest accounts are inactive on
both computers, and when activated will not accept a Password.
Where do we go from here?

Well computer names and user names are two different things. You
probably know this, but just in case. And if you are really signing in
on both computers with the same user name and password, it should never
ask you for one when you access shared folders on the other one. Why?
Because you are already signed in.

Now I don't use Guest accounts, so I might be all wet. But I thought
Guest accounts doesn't have passwords. Thus if you try to enter one, it
will always fail. Thus why most people turns Guest accounts off.
Although Guest accounts are useful for things like the public using a
computer in a public setting, or having the public access your shared
files, web pages, etc. But normally, you don't want such easy access to
your computer.

 

[Don J]

So why is machine "Computer B" displaying the "Connecting to Computer A"
screen asking me for a password for "Computer A/Ghost". What does it all
mean?

Don J

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