Confused and Befuddled

[linskyjack]

I just changed Internet provided and Router--Previously I was on a Netgear RT 314 where I assigned IP addresses to all the computers on the network. They could all share a DSL connection through Verizon and they could all share folders and my Network printer. I just moved to cable modem service and bought a new Router--a Netgear WRT54G. With this new router I set up the Network connections to assign and IP and enabled it on the router. All computers have no problem accessing the Internet but I have had no luck getting the computer to communicate and share files among each other. Everything is pretty much set up the way it was before I switched routers---


Thanks

 

[JohnWill]

All machines are must be in the same subnet, i.e. 192.168.0.x where x is any number. The subnet mask should be 255.255.255.0 for most small networks.

Turn off any firewalls for debugging. If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses after you get things running.

PING each computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name. You can obtain the IP address of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing IPCONFIG. This should work for any Windows version.

All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly. File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from. You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Neighborhood, make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login.

While the default NetBIOS setting is correct for normal network configurations, it's possible for it to be altered, and it costs nothing to make sure it's correct. NETBIOS over TCP/IP must be enabled for normal network browsing.

 

[5mi11er]

If all the computers are able to surf simultaneously, then
A) make sure you can ping all the machines from one another
B) make sure they're all connecting to the same workgroup name (spelling is important here)
C) make sure sharing is enabled, and either guest is allowed, or you use the same username and password to login to all the machines

Edit: oops, I typed to slow, johnwill beat me to every one of the points...

hth,

-Scott

 

[linskyjack]

Cannot Ping----request timed out so obviously the computers aren't see each other although they are all on the Internet as we speak. All are on the same workgroup (the one from my previous setup).

 

[5mi11er]

what are the IP addresses, masks and gateways for all the machines? (from dos prompt -> ipconfig /all)

 

[linskyjack]

IP: 192.168.1.100, 192.168.1.101, 192. 168.1.102
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 192.168.1.1

Under Windows Ip Configuration it says:

Host Name Office
Primary DNS SUffix nothing
NOde Type nothing
Ip Routing Enabled NO
Wined Proxy Enabled NO

 

[JohnWill]

Sounds like you have firewall configuration issues. Not being able to ping through a router can only be a limited number of things.

 

[linskyjack]

Could I confirm that by turning off the routers firewall?

 

[JohnWill]

It's the the router firewall that's the issue, and you can't really turn off the NAT, which is the major component of a router's firewall protection.

I'm talking about firewalls on the machines, and that includes things like the XP firewall, NIS, ZoneAlarm, etc. Many AV/spyware detection/Internet protection applications now include firewall components. If they're not configured correctly, or disabled, file sharing is not possible. Being unable to PING is pretty basic.

On two of the machines, do this:

Open a DOS window and type:

IPCONFIG /ALL >C:RESULT.TXT

Open C:\RESULT.TXT with Notepad and copy/paste the entire results here.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Sounds like you already know the IP address for each computer which is good.

Just because it is so easy to think you have disabled a 3rd party firewall but have not, I would uninstall it completely. This is assuming you have the software to put it back on again.

To disable the built in firewall in XP:

Go to Start / Settings / Network Connections
Right click on the network connection you want to change
Select Properties
Click on the Advanced tab
Uncheck the box in Internet Connection Firewall

Then once you can ping each computer by both IP and Name and get all the network functioning the way you want, you can start adding these back in again.

Overall the idea is to keep the configuration as simple as possible so there are less things to cause problems. That each computer can already connect to the Internet is a very good sign.

For information on how to network XP, see:
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_network.htm

 

[linskyjack]

Finally solved it--thanks to you guys. Removed all copies of Zone Alarm. Thanks so much--

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Glad you got it working.

Once again it was not so much a question of disabling the firewall but completely uninstalling it. Typically why I recommend just uninstalling any 3rd party firewalls. Then you can completely eliminate that as a possible source of the problem. Otherwise you are just guessing whether it is or not.

 

[linskyjack]

Bob--when you first mentioned that, I have to admit that I said--emmm--but I have disabled it so it should be playing no effect--Finally, I listened to you and it worked--Next time I listen to you from the getgo! Thanks again for your help.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

This has happened a lot of times. Folks thought they disabled a 3rd party firewall only to find out it was still having some effect. Done the same myself. How do you think I learn most of this stuff. Only by completely uninstalling it can you be sure.