Vista file sharing across and Access Point / Networks / Merging, etc.

[Fred Marshall]

I have a simple LAN that includes a wireless access point device.
Some computers are wired and some computers are connected via the AP /
wireless.
All computers are on the same subnet as you might well expect.
Most computers are XP Pro.

We just introduced a new Vista system on the wireless part of the LAN.
The Network and Sharing Center settings were normal for our Vista systems:
"private network,
Network Discovery ON,
File Sharing ON,
Public Folder Sharing ON,
Printer Sharing ON,
Password Protected Sharing OFF,
Media Sharing OFF.

We shared the C: drive and the following observations were made:
All the computers on the LAN could see and get into the Public Folder
Only the wireless connected computers could see and get into the shared C:
drive.
The wired computers could see but could NOT get into the shared C: drive ...
initially.

I notice in other LANs that the wired computers in Network and Sharing
Center are connected to "Network"
I notice that this wireless Vista computer in Network and Sharing Center is
connected to "[ssid]" as a network name - so I suspect that a wired Vista
system on this same LAN would be connected to "Network".

I found the control that will "merge" networks and merged the SSID-named
wireless network with the "Network". That didn't help.
I added Everyone to the permissions on the Vista shared drive. That didn't
help.

Eventually, I added Guest to the shared drive permissions and it fixed the
problem. Now all the computers on the LAN can see the shared C: drive and
can get into it.
On other LANs I've not had to add Guest in order to gain access to shared
folders such as c:\Users\Me

I wonder why having the wireless segment matters here?
I wonder if the C: drive is handled differently than a subordinate folder in
such a case?

I need explanations that will allow me to reliably network Vista machines!

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
The Wireless connection per-se (including SSID) has nothing to do with
Sharing.
If you Wireless works (I.e. you can use the internet from the Wireless
computer) then leave the Wireless related settings alone.
Successful Sharing involves some general consideration in Network settings,
http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html
As well as specific adjustment of each computer according to what it is
allowed to be shared.
Vista File and Printer Sharing-
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx
Windows XP File Sharing -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040
Printer Sharing XP -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx
Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357
Windows XP patch for Sharing with Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120
Jack (MVP-Networking).

I have a simple LAN that includes a wireless access point device.
Some computers are wired and some computers are connected via the AP /
wireless.
All computers are on the same subnet as you might well expect.
Most computers are XP Pro.

We just introduced a new Vista system on the wireless part of the LAN.
The Network and Sharing Center settings were normal for our Vista systems:
"private network,
Network Discovery ON,
File Sharing ON,
Public Folder Sharing ON,
Printer Sharing ON,
Password Protected Sharing OFF,
Media Sharing OFF.

We shared the C: drive and the following observations were made:
All the computers on the LAN could see and get into the Public Folder
Only the wireless connected computers could see and get into the shared C:
drive.
The wired computers could see but could NOT get into the shared C: drive
... initially.

I notice in other LANs that the wired computers in Network and Sharing
Center are connected to "Network"
I notice that this wireless Vista computer in Network and Sharing Center
is connected to "[ssid]" as a network name - so I suspect that a wired
Vista system on this same LAN would be connected to "Network".

I found the control that will "merge" networks and merged the SSID-named
wireless network with the "Network". That didn't help.
I added Everyone to the permissions on the Vista shared drive. That
didn't help.

Eventually, I added Guest to the shared drive permissions and it fixed the
problem. Now all the computers on the LAN can see the shared C: drive and
can get into it.
On other LANs I've not had to add Guest in order to gain access to shared
folders such as c:\Users\Me

I wonder why having the wireless segment matters here?
I wonder if the C: drive is handled differently than a subordinate folder
in such a case?

I need explanations that will allow me to reliably network Vista machines!

 

[Fred Marshall]

Jack,

That's quite a grab bag of tricks! I've saved all the links. I already had
some of them and had followed them.

With all that information, it's just a bit hard to sift through it all to
figure out what's likely at issue here. As I said, there are some
strangenesses that I've not seen before.


Why would multiple wireless XP machines be able to see INTO both the Vista
Public folder AND the Vista C: drive while:

multiple wired XP machines can only see into the Vista Public folder and can
see but not INTO the Vista C: drive?

Why would adding a Guest privilege on the Vista C: drive fix the problem
when the same setting isn't needed for the other wireless XP machines to see
into it?

I can certainly follow instructions. What I'm seeking is understanding.

Thanks,

Fred

Hi
The Wireless connection per-se (including SSID) has nothing to do with
Sharing.
If you Wireless works (I.e. you can use the internet from the Wireless
computer) then leave the Wireless related settings alone.
Successful Sharing involves some general consideration in Network
settings, http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html
As well as specific adjustment of each computer according to what it is
allowed to be shared.
Vista File and Printer Sharing-
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx
Windows XP File Sharing -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040
Printer Sharing XP -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx
Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357
Windows XP patch for Sharing with Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120
Jack (MVP-Networking).

I have a simple LAN that includes a wireless access point device.
Some computers are wired and some computers are connected via the AP /
wireless.
All computers are on the same subnet as you might well expect.
Most computers are XP Pro.

We just introduced a new Vista system on the wireless part of the LAN.
The Network and Sharing Center settings were normal for our Vista
systems:
"private network,
Network Discovery ON,
File Sharing ON,
Public Folder Sharing ON,
Printer Sharing ON,
Password Protected Sharing OFF,
Media Sharing OFF.

We shared the C: drive and the following observations were made:
All the computers on the LAN could see and get into the Public Folder
Only the wireless connected computers could see and get into the shared
C: drive.
The wired computers could see but could NOT get into the shared C: drive
... initially.

I notice in other LANs that the wired computers in Network and Sharing
Center are connected to "Network"
I notice that this wireless Vista computer in Network and Sharing Center
is connected to "[ssid]" as a network name - so I suspect that a wired
Vista system on this same LAN would be connected to "Network".

I found the control that will "merge" networks and merged the SSID-named
wireless network with the "Network". That didn't help.
I added Everyone to the permissions on the Vista shared drive. That
didn't help.

Eventually, I added Guest to the shared drive permissions and it fixed
the problem. Now all the computers on the LAN can see the shared C:
drive and can get into it.
On other LANs I've not had to add Guest in order to gain access to shared
folders such as c:\Users\Me

I wonder why having the wireless segment matters here?
I wonder if the C: drive is handled differently than a subordinate folder
in such a case?

I need explanations that will allow me to reliably network Vista
machines!