Network Problem: what am I overlooking?

After several month of trying to resolve my home network problem, the problem remains.

I have had a 3 computer home network that has been sharing files equally for quite some time. That is, I could share folders comonly with all four computers, using a common Work Group Name and login.

Recently I replaced one of the computers with a new one and set conections and parameters to inlcude the new computer on ther network.

Here is the present setup:

Computer #1 WinXP Home
Computer #2 (new) Win2K (replacing old Win2K computer)
Computer #3 Win98
Computer #4 WinXP Home


Now computer #1 can read and modify files in folders on #2, #3 and #4.
Computers #2, #3 and #4 can share and modify files on each other.
But...
The other computers can share the network printer attached to Computer #1, but neither #2 nor #3 nor #4 can read or modify files on Computer #1. When I try to access #1 from the others I receive a message that I do not have access to do so. The login I am using for all four is the same administrative user. The workgroup is the same for all computers. I have set the sharing properties on Computer #1 to allow network users to share and change files.

What am I missing that needs to be done to give #2 and #3 access to #1? I have a workaround, of course. I do all of the file transfering from #1 to the others, but this is not convenient if I am working on one of the other three computers.

Should I assign separate IP addresses to all computers or select automatic assignment? Could there be a BIOS setting on #1 that is not set correctly?

I have tried many suggestions kindly offered by members of this forum and other sources, but the mystery remains.

 

If you have that much network capability going well for you then likely the TCP/IP and NetBIOS setting are correctly. You wouldn't be able to share the printer for example if this wasn't right.

You might try creating a new directory on the XP Home computer and sharing it. Not all directories are accessible over a network with that version.

 

Have tried setting up a new folder in Computer #1 and setting network sharing, but it does not help. Computer #1 denies all file access to the others. I am looking for some security setting on #1 that I may have missed, but so far have not found any.

 

To get a clearer error message, which may help in fixing the problem, from one of the other computers can you open a cmd or dos window and try to make a network connection from there. The syntax would be something like:

Net use x: \\server_name\share_name

substitute server_name & share_name with the actual values.

 

Yes, I tried that. Net use reports computer#1 with a disconnected share name "IPC$".

I can also ping computer #1 from another computer on the network and get a successful send and receive report.

Just had anothe thought:

Computer #1 is using NTFS. The other computers are using FAT32. Could this be the cause of the problem?

 

Has computer1 been upgraded to SP2 recently? If so make sure the firewall is turned off, as it is turned on by default.

 

On the computer that you can't connect to, can you create something like a C:\test directory and share it out. Then try to net use to that computer to that share.

 

Thanks for your interest an suggestions.

Jack:
I have not upgraded to SP2 and firewall is off.

Bob:
Yes I have tried creating a test directory and I get an "OK" from "net use", but I cannot access the files from "Network Places" since it is part of a server to which I am denied access, although I have specified network sharing for Drive C: on Computer #1.

 

From the first post, it seemed like the problem was connecting to computer #1 from the others.

If you created a test share and that works, them I am a little unclear what the rest of the problem(s) are.

Also, I believe there are limitations that XP Home has with NTFS that might not apply to FAT32. So that may be the part of the problem as well.

 

Yes, the other computers see the share with "net user" command, but if I can't access the files in the share folder from these computers the problem remains.

Anyone have any further thoughts regarding NTFS vs. FAT32 compatability on a home network?

 

I should name Computer #1 Greta Garbo because she wants to be alone

Recently I did a complete reinstall of the OS on computer #1, but the problem remains.

After much checking, the network settings on Computer #1 (WinXP Home) and Computer #2 (WinXP Home) are the same... as far as I can determine. Same workgroup, same sharing settings, etc. But...
Computer #1 can access, change files, move and copy files from Computer #2
Computer #2 can share the printer connected to Computer #1, but cannot access the files. I get the message that Computer #1 is not accessable. "You may not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. Access denied."

Hey, I AM the administrator! How can I run a check to see why computer #2 has print share permissions but no file share permissions? The box for sharing of Drive C on computer #1 is checked and "Allow network users to change files" is checked as well.

Incidently, Computer #2 can share files with two other computers on the network, but those computers can't connect to Computer #1 either.

Very puzzling. What am I missing?

 

What directory have you shared on the XP Home computer. There are some limitation with that OS.

 

are all the folders you are trying to share also checked to allow sharing? YOu may have shared the drive but you need to share the folders as well.
(discovered this on a recent SBS 2003 install. Shared a partition but no one could access the folders. Had to share the folders as well).
One sure fire way to get round this problem is to use XP Pro. Home was never intended as a networking os.

 

Any easy test is to create a directory like c:\docs and share that directory. Then see if you can connect from the other computers.

While it may not be the best, I have many customers using XP Home on their network. This is both in a peer to peer environment like you have as well as when there is a dedicated server.

 

Yes, it will work BUT, as I said, it was never intended to be a networked OS.
If you use Pro off bat then you don't get as many problems like this one.