XP Network Names

[David Ray]

Working on a small (3 workstation) peer-to-peer network. Previously, they
were using some kind of satellite ISP (DirecWay), which we removed today and
replaced with a cable modem/Linksys router. Before, we used DHCP.

After removing the Direcway software, I have been able to map network drives
ONLY by using the share's static IP address (thus, we're no longer using
DHCP). So, to map driver letter f:, before I could use:

NET USE F: \\BACKOFFICE\C /PERSISTENT:YES

Now, it is necessary to use:

NET USE F: \\192.168.1.11\C /PERSISTENT:YES

It works fine, but is obviously not ideal.

Anyone have any idea why, suddenly, we can't use the computer names across
this network?

TIA

David

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Working on a small (3 workstation) peer-to-peer network. Previously, they
were using some kind of satellite ISP (DirecWay), which we removed today and
replaced with a cable modem/Linksys router. Before, we used DHCP.

After removing the Direcway software, I have been able to map network drives
ONLY by using the share's static IP address (thus, we're no longer using
DHCP). So, to map driver letter f:, before I could use:

NET USE F: \\BACKOFFICE\C /PERSISTENT:YES

Now, it is necessary to use:

NET USE F: \\192.168.1.11\C /PERSISTENT:YES

It works fine, but is obviously not ideal.

Anyone have any idea why, suddenly, we can't use the computer names across
this network?

TIA

David

Why did you find it necessary to change from computer names to IP
addresses in the NET USE statements? What exactly happened when you
used computer names? If there was an error message, what did it say?

Shut down all of the computers at the same time, start them up, and
try mapping using computer names again. I suspect that it will work.
If so, the problem could be that the computers' IP addresses changed
when the Linksys router was installed and that the old IP addresses
were still associated with the computer names.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[David Ray]

Thanks for your reply.

The computer names are unrecognized, but the IP addresses are fine. I
re-checked the workgroup names & all are fine. Also, one of the PCs (the
one we're sharing folders on) *CAN* see the computer names of the others.
But the other two recognize only the IP address. Also, there is a router
involved, but I replaced it temporarily with a switch and the problem
persisted. All machines have been power cycled to no avail.

Pretty strange, huh?

This is XP Pro -- I was wondering if there is some service that needs to be
running to handle using the network names? Also, wondered whether the
DirecWay satellite system might have had something to do with it....

TIA, again...