What's in Network Places?

[Karen]

What determines whether a machine will appear in Network Places? I'm not
asking for boilerplate information about Windows Networking or the
uninformative Help content for Vista Networking which is reposted at the
Microsoft web site with no additional information.

I want to know where I can get substantive information that can help me
determine why one of my XP machines is accessible from my Vista machine --
as in I can add its shared folders to "My Computer" -- but does not appear
in the Network Places folder or in the tree in the common file dialogs. On
the XP side, the Vista Public tree is visible and acessible from the
invisible XP machine but I can't browse the workgroup. When I click the
"View workgroup computers" link in the XP Network Tasks pane, I get an error
message:

[Workgroup name] 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 permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is
not currently available"

This message doesn't make any sense. All of the shared/public folders on my
machines are visible and accessible in the XP Network folder so how can I
not have access to the workgroup? Why isn't the list of servers available?

I can see the shared folder tree for the problem machine in the Network
Places of my other 3 XP machines and can browse the network...but I just
discovered that the system doesn't appear when I browse the network.

Why is this one machine, which belongs to the workgroup and is fully
accessible from all of them, invisible when browsing? Is the Vista machine
controlling this or is there something on the XP side that has rendered it
invisible? If it is the Vista Machine, can control be wrested from it?

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
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://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx
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).

 

[Karen]

Hello,

I've read all the general documentation -- and nothing addresses this
particular problem. The problem here is not sharing -- I can get to the
files in the shared folders from any of my machines and the invisible
machine appears in the common file dialogs of the other XP machines.

My problem seems to be in network *browsing*; for some reason, the one XP
machine is invisible to network browsing. Where exactly is *that*
controlled?

Thank you.

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hello,

I've read all the general documentation -- and nothing addresses this
particular problem. The problem here is not sharing -- I can get to the
files in the shared folders from any of my machines and the invisible
machine appears in the common file dialogs of the other XP machines.

My problem seems to be in network *browsing*; for some reason, the one XP
machine is invisible to network browsing. Where exactly is *that*
controlled?

Thank you.

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
It is not a matter of single control. If the XP computer has a component
that was set for sharing and its Firewall, or the other computers' Firewalls
do not block the traffic, the XP computer should appear on the Network.
In case of Vista to XP connection this should be applied to the XP computer,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120
Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Hello,

I've read all the general documentation -- and nothing addresses this
particular problem. The problem here is not sharing -- I can get to the
files in the shared folders from any of my machines and the invisible
machine appears in the common file dialogs of the other XP machines.

My problem seems to be in network *browsing*; for some reason, the one XP
machine is invisible to network browsing. Where exactly is *that*
controlled?

Karen

Network browsing is a result of Server Message Block traffic, which is
frequently blocked by personal firewalls and / or anti-worm protection that
comes in many anti-virus suites.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

We can probably help you diagnose the problem, if you can produce logs from
"browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config server", and "net config
workstation", from each computer. Read this article, and linked articles, and
follow instructions precisely (Download browstat, and note how to open a command
window under Vista!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Karen]

The Vista Network Map doesn't have anything at all to do with the Network
Places folder and browsing.

 

[Karen]

Hi Chuck,

I read through your very thorough blog entries and experimented a bit with
my settings. Browsing seemed to be more reliable when I enabled NetBIOS on
the XP machine but that had an undesirable side effect -- the Vista machine
wouldn't go into standby.

On the other hand, displaying the advanced properties for the connection
revealed an entry for my antivirus software. After disabling that, all my
network browsing problems seem to have cleared up. So you're pointer to
AV proved to be correct in this case and I'm taking my problem up with he
publisher.

Thank you.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Hi Chuck,

I read through your very thorough blog entries and experimented a bit with
my settings. Browsing seemed to be more reliable when I enabled NetBIOS on
the XP machine but that had an undesirable side effect -- the Vista machine
wouldn't go into standby.

On the other hand, displaying the advanced properties for the connection
revealed an entry for my antivirus software. After disabling that, all my
network browsing problems seem to have cleared up. So you're pointer to
AV proved to be correct in this case and I'm taking my problem up with he
publisher.

Thank you.

Thank you for the feedback, Karen. That's what makes these forums work as they
do. I'm glad that I was able to help you sort the problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-to-post-on-usenet-and-encourage.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.