XP Network with 98SE Problems

[Scott W]

This is getting ridiculous. My dad and I have been
working on trying to network my computer (XP Home), my
sister's computer (XP Home), and his old computer (Win
98SE) using a Netgear router. We have used the XP setup
wizard numerous times on each computer in varying
fashions. We borrowed a friend's book on XP to try to
figure out what we're doing but that didn't work either.
We are thoroughly lost and would like any help we can get.
Our computers are now configured to have:
Client for Microsoft Networks;
File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks;
NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol; and
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
My sister and I had QoS Packet Scheduler Service also,
but my dad didn't, so for the sake of being uniform in
hopes on something working, we uninstalled them.
My sister and I also have NetBIOS installed because it
came with IPX/SPX but we disabled it for being uniform
with my dad as well, because we can't uninstall it alone.
It sounds like a fine setup to me, but when we look at
the computers on the network, we each only see our own
computers and no one else.

We are totally lost. If you can help, reply here please.
Thank you very much in advance!

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

In article >, "Scott W"
> wrote:
>This is getting ridiculous. My dad and I have been
>working on trying to network my computer (XP Home), my
>sister's computer (XP Home), and his old computer (Win
>98SE) using a Netgear router. We have used the XP setup
>wizard numerous times on each computer in varying
>fashions. We borrowed a friend's book on XP to try to
>figure out what we're doing but that didn't work either.
>We are thoroughly lost and would like any help we can get.
>Our computers are now configured to have:
>Client for Microsoft Networks;
>File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks;
>NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol; and
>Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
>My sister and I had QoS Packet Scheduler Service also,
>but my dad didn't, so for the sake of being uniform in
>hopes on something working, we uninstalled them.
>My sister and I also have NetBIOS installed because it
>came with IPX/SPX but we disabled it for being uniform
>with my dad as well, because we can't uninstall it alone.
>It sounds like a fine setup to me, but when we look at
>the computers on the network, we each only see our own
>computers and no one else.
>
>We are totally lost. If you can help, reply here please.
>Thank you very much in advance!

I've written a web site that should help you solve the problem:

Windows XP Network Troubleshooting
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot

Please pay particular attention to these sections:

1. Firewalls: Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection
Firewall on local area network connections -- it's for use only on a
direct modem connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all
other firewalls while troubleshooting.

2. Protocols: Use only one for File and Printer Sharing. If the
network needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing
from all but one of them. Unless you have a specific need for it,
remove [NWLink] IPX/SPX from all computers and use only TCP/IP.

3. NetBIOS over TCP/IP: Make sure that it's enabled on all computers.
--
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

[Adrian McCarthy]

Thanks for the link. I'm working through your
suggestions now, after spending an entire afternoon
trying to solve a problem that sounds very similar to the
original poster's.

The weirdest thing is that my XP machine cannot ping my
Win98SE boxes (but the Win98SE boxes *can* ping the XP
machine). I've never seen an asymetrical problem like
this with plain old ping. Furthermore, the XP machine
can ping the router and machines outside on the Internet,
so it's not like ping is completely broken.

Oh, and DON'T run the network wizard on your other (non-
XP) boxes. Not only does it tweak settings, but it
replaces some system files, like RUNDLL32.EXE, which
really ****es off my virus checker.

Aid.

>-----Original Message-----
>In article <00e901c34975$b08da520
>, "Scott W"
> wrote:
>>This is getting ridiculous. My dad and I have been
>>working on trying to network my computer (XP Home), my
>>sister's computer (XP Home), and his old computer (Win
>>98SE) using a Netgear router. We have used the XP setup
>>wizard numerous times on each computer in varying
>>fashions. We borrowed a friend's book on XP to try to
>>figure out what we're doing but that didn't work
either.
>>We are thoroughly lost and would like any help we can
get.
>>Our computers are now configured to have:
>>Client for Microsoft Networks;
>>File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks;
>>NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol;
and
>>Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
>>My sister and I had QoS Packet Scheduler Service also,
>>but my dad didn't, so for the sake of being uniform in
>>hopes on something working, we uninstalled them.
>>My sister and I also have NetBIOS installed because it
>>came with IPX/SPX but we disabled it for being uniform
>>with my dad as well, because we can't uninstall it
alone.
>>It sounds like a fine setup to me, but when we look at
>>the computers on the network, we each only see our own
>>computers and no one else.
>>
>>We are totally lost. If you can help, reply here
please.
>>Thank you very much in advance!
>
>I've written a web site that should help you solve the
problem:
>
>Windows XP Network Troubleshooting
>http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot
>
>Please pay particular attention to these sections:
>
>1. Firewalls: Permanently disable XP's built-in
Internet Connection
>Firewall on local area network connections -- it's for
use only on a
>direct modem connection to the Internet. Disable and un-
install all
>other firewalls while troubleshooting.
>
>2. Protocols: Use only one for File and Printer
Sharing. If the
>network needs more than one protocol, unbind File and
Printer Sharing
>from all but one of them. Unless you have a specific
need for it,
>remove [NWLink] IPX/SPX from all computers and use only
TCP/IP.
>
>3. NetBIOS over TCP/IP: Make sure that it's enabled on
all computers.
>--
>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
>.
>

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

In article >, "Adrian McCarthy"
> wrote:
>Thanks for the link. I'm working through your
>suggestions now, after spending an entire afternoon
>trying to solve a problem that sounds very similar to the
>original poster's.
>
>The weirdest thing is that my XP machine cannot ping my
>Win98SE boxes (but the Win98SE boxes *can* ping the XP
>machine). I've never seen an asymetrical problem like
>this with plain old ping. Furthermore, the XP machine
>can ping the router and machines outside on the Internet,
>so it's not like ping is completely broken.
>
>Oh, and DON'T run the network wizard on your other (non-
>XP) boxes. Not only does it tweak settings, but it
>replaces some system files, like RUNDLL32.EXE, which
>really ****es off my virus checker.
>
>Aid.

Asymmetrical pinging is almost always the result of an improperly
configured firewall on the computer that can't be pinged.
--
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