Windows 98/XP Networking

[Eric]

What are we missing?
We tried setting up a network using a Windows 98SE machine and a Windows XP
Pro machine.
We switched the 98 machine to use Client for Microsoft Networks.
The XP machine is also connected to another network and signed in to a
domain on Windows 2003 Server.
We set up a local user on the XP machine with the same username and password
the 98 machine was using.
The XP machine is getting a static IP from DHCP.
If we try to connect to the XP machine from the 98 machine, it pops up a
window with IPC$ and prompts for password.
If we enter the password, it says it failed to connect.
It is finding the user, because after a few failures the user gets locked.
Why doesn't it accept? What could it be missing?

We were just trying to get the 98 machine to be able to print to a shared
local printer on the XP machine.
Our solution for now is to connect the printer to the 98 machine.
The XP machine has no problem connecting to the 98 machine and it's shared
printer.
This setup used to work fine before we brought in the XP machine, which
replaced a machine that was running Windows 2000.

 

[Guest]

Does the user logged into the XP machine have a password set? Not the
account you are trying to access it with the 98 machine, but the actual user
account currently on the XP machine. If not, give it a password.

Here are a few other tips -

I can't access other computers from My Network Places/Network Neighborhood

The most common cause is authentication. Windows 2000 and Windows XP both
take security very seriously, and won't allow remote access to any computer
without a valid username and password. Conversely, Windows 9x/Me has
virtually no security, and does not enforce any sort of user authentication.
Here's what you need to do:

1. Make sure your Windows 9x/Me systems all have valid users logged in;
if you don't see Log off (username) in the Start Menu, then you're not really
logged in. (Note that some early versions of Windows 95 might be a little
flaky here).
2. Also, make sure you've entered a password; although Windows 9x/Me
allows blank passwords, Windows XP/2000 does not. (If you don't want to enter
a password each time you start Windows, see this article.)
3. If you have more than one Windows 9x/Me-based computer, and you don't
care about security between the computers in your home/office, it will
probably be easiest to give all the computers the same username and password.
4. Then, in any Windows XP/2000 systems you want to connect to, use the
Users and Passwords icon in Control Panel to add a new user: the username and
password should match those entered on the Windows 9x/Me systems. You can
make as many user accounts as you need, and even set different permissions
depending on what you want them to be able to access (make them
Administrators if you want everyone to have full access).

5. Also: if you're using Windows XP with the built-in Internet Connection
Firewall and you can't connect to it from other computers, see How to Share
Files through Windows XP's Internet Connection Firewall.

 

[Eric]

I might need to try the port stuff specified in this article then
(http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article04-109) unless someone has a
better idea.

 

[Guest]

Try disabling the firewall on the Windows XP computer. This should tell you
if it's a firewall problem or not.

 

[Eric]

Try disabling the firewall on the Windows XP computer. This should tell
you
if it's a firewall problem or not.

We can't do that, but I'll try that port exception thing if we ever go back
to it.
Disabling the entire firewall can only be done through Group Policy which
must apply to the entire network.
The users seem to be fine for now with the printer connected to the 98 PC so
it's not a huge concern if there's not a simple solution.

 

[Keith Manning]

We can't do that, but I'll try that port exception thing if we ever go
back to it.
Disabling the entire firewall can only be done through Group Policy which
must apply to the entire network.
The users seem to be fine for now with the printer connected to the 98 PC
so it's not a huge concern if there's not a simple solution.

I've had the same problem. It'd be nice if Microsoft had of added a little
more to their error message to give people a lead on to how to find a
solution. Not that we need it now, but there are millions of other SOHO
users out there at his very minute wondering why they can't set up their
network.

Keith

I think this sums it all up.. A Microsoft executive, Christopher Jones,
testified today that using a personal computer would turn into a confusing
and frustrating experience if antitrust sanctions were sought against
Microsoft. Hmmm... Isn't the PC experience already frustrating and
confusing, thanks to Microsoft?
http://www.annoyances.org/