XP SP2 Killed My Network!

[AllanK]

I used to network fine with a wireless laptop (Win2K Pro), 802.11b wireless
router, and PC with XP Pro connected to the network via a cat-5 on the
router hub. Shared a printer on the PC. All worked great.

Installed XP SP2 and can't see the printer in the Browse or by entering its
name. Tried installing IIS on the XP which enables a shared printer via
http. I can connect on http and "connect" to the printer which sets up a
http printer on my laptop. However, try to use the http printer and it also
fails.

This is not just a printer setup issue. It is something to do with NetBIOS
on XP SP2. Command line net view fails to list the machine. Cannot map a
drive to the XP.

System and Network config - have same account on both machines and logged in
with the account on the laptop, have NetBIOS enabled over TCP/IP on both
machines, have lmhost file setup, can ping the XP machine by name so NBT
resolution is working, have tried turning off the XP firewall an it is not
solved.

Now, proof that something is really screwed up with MS XP SP2 ---- The XP
SP2 machine can browse my network and map a drive to the Win2K Pro laptop.

I do this stuff everyday for a living; MCSE, Trainer, UNIX and Windows
servers, web stuff, etc. Impressed? Only showing that it is unlikely that I
missed something.

Wonder if MS is doing something about this problem? Anyone out there know
what is going on here?

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I used to network fine with a wireless laptop (Win2K Pro), 802.11b wireless
router, and PC with XP Pro connected to the network via a cat-5 on the
router hub. Shared a printer on the PC. All worked great.

Installed XP SP2 and can't see the printer in the Browse or by entering its
name. Tried installing IIS on the XP which enables a shared printer via
http. I can connect on http and "connect" to the printer which sets up a
http printer on my laptop. However, try to use the http printer and it also
fails.

This is not just a printer setup issue. It is something to do with NetBIOS
on XP SP2. Command line net view fails to list the machine. Cannot map a
drive to the XP.

System and Network config - have same account on both machines and logged in
with the account on the laptop, have NetBIOS enabled over TCP/IP on both
machines, have lmhost file setup, can ping the XP machine by name so NBT
resolution is working, have tried turning off the XP firewall an it is not
solved.

Now, proof that something is really screwed up with MS XP SP2 ---- The XP
SP2 machine can browse my network and map a drive to the Win2K Pro laptop.

Allan,

please have a look at http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm.

Hans-Georg

 

[AllanK]

Thanks for the document. Looks well thought out. Hope it has some fix that I
missed. Will check it in a few hours and post her the results. Check back,
please.

 

[AllanK]

You won't believe this one.... tell your geek friends. Read my problem and
note that I did NOTHING to fix this except change settings for features
already disabled.

Hans-Georg Michna post was a good one. I had done everything, however.
Checking the Windows Firewall that I had ALREADY DISABLED the LAN box was
checked so I cleared it thinking of Hans-Georg's things to consider.

Also, I disabled the Security Center notification because it drives me nuts.

My laptop can now print to the PC! Look above, I did nothing! Firewall was
already disabled but it does not fully clear the blocks!

I am considering going to Linux.... This is the future of Windows.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

You won't believe this one.... tell your geek friends. Read my problem and
note that I did NOTHING to fix this except change settings for features
already disabled.

Hans-Georg Michna post was a good one. I had done everything, however.
Checking the Windows Firewall that I had ALREADY DISABLED the LAN box was
checked so I cleared it thinking of Hans-Georg's things to consider.

Also, I disabled the Security Center notification because it drives me nuts.

My laptop can now print to the PC! Look above, I did nothing! Firewall was
already disabled but it does not fully clear the blocks!

I am considering going to Linux.... This is the future of Windows.

Allan,

I'm glad I could help and I'm also glad to learn something new,
because I was not fully aware of this.

To be sure I understand you correctly, was the problem that in
the firewall settings, Advanced (third) tab the LAN connection
was checked? I just tested this here and couldn't repeat it. As
soon as I had disabled the firewall, I could access the computer
fully.

In the firewall I removed the File and Printer Sharing
exception, but left the Advanced, LAN connection check mark in
place. The computer could no longer be reached. Then I disabled
the firewall under the General tab, and I could immediately
reach shares on that computer from another computer.

Actually, if you liked, you could enable the firewall and check
the exception for File and Printer Sharing. This works well
enough and protects you from stuff coming in with guest
computers on the LAN.

Hans-Georg