XP Network Problem "Seeing" other computer in workgroup

[Roy]

I have a home network with a NETGEAR WGR614 router.
Three desktops are connected by ethernet cable and the
laptop is connected wireless. The DSL moden goes into
the router and the computers all connect to the router.
All the computers can use the internet. The three
desktop computers will show each other when I go to My
Network Places, View Workgroup Computers; and from there
I can go to the shared folders and printers on the
individual computers. However when I try to do the same
thing with the laptop I get the error message "Mshome is
not accessible. You might not have permission to use
this network resource. Contact the administrator of this
sever to find out if you have access permissions. The
list of servers for this workgroup is not currently
available." I can however get to the shared folders by
going "tools", "map network drive" and typing in the name
of the computer and shared resource I want. I set up the
network by running the network wizard in XP and other
than picking the network type where each computer
connects to the internet directly through a hub just
accepted the defaults. Any ideas on what I can do to get
the network where it wil let the laptop "see" the other
computers?

 

[Chuck]

I have a home network with a NETGEAR WGR614 router.
Three desktops are connected by ethernet cable and the
laptop is connected wireless. The DSL moden goes into
the router and the computers all connect to the router.
All the computers can use the internet. The three
desktop computers will show each other when I go to My
Network Places, View Workgroup Computers; and from there
I can go to the shared folders and printers on the
individual computers. However when I try to do the same
thing with the laptop I get the error message "Mshome is
not accessible. You might not have permission to use
this network resource. Contact the administrator of this
sever to find out if you have access permissions. The
list of servers for this workgroup is not currently
available." I can however get to the shared folders by
going "tools", "map network drive" and typing in the name
of the computer and shared resource I want. I set up the
network by running the network wizard in XP and other
than picking the network type where each computer
connects to the internet directly through a hub just
accepted the defaults. Any ideas on what I can do to get
the network where it wil let the laptop "see" the other
computers?

Roy,

Make sure the browser service is running on each computer. Control Panel -
Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser service is
started.

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have SFS properly set on each computer.

With XP Pro, if SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel
- Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

With XP Pro, if you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure
that the Guest account is enabled, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc"), and has an identical, non-blank, password on all computers. If
"Classic", setup and use a common non-Guest account, with identical, non-blank,
password on all computers.

For XP Home, OR for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled (for XP Pro, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc")), on each computer.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF or third party)? If so,
you need to configure them for file sharing, by opening ports TCP 139, 445 and
UDP 137, 138, 445, and / or by identifying the other computers as present in the
Local (Trusted) zone. Firewall configurations are a very common cause of
(network) browser, and file sharing, problems.

And Roy, please don't contribute to the spread and success of email address
mining viruses. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself a
bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.