Joe,
I may have made some progress on this networking issue.
For some reason, I decided to disable zonealarm. The
good news is that the two computers are finding each
other and I am able to share files. The bad news is
zonealarm is disabled, and I don't want to take any
chances on allowing access to outside computers. Any
ideas?
thanks,
Bob

-----Original Message-----
One last thing Bob why dont you get someone in there to
help you.In other words pay a professional to come in
and
network your home. It really wont be that much.
This is all that I can see that will help you.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
Bruce,
thanks for the suggestion, but with my luck, I'll
uninstall the network card and my system will probably
crash! I don't have that much confidence in
Microsoft!
I'm not going to go that far with this problem.
Thanks anyway,
Bob

-----Original Message-----
I would second the recommendation to start from
scratch,
with this
additional recommendation along the same line: go to
Device Manager and
uninstall the network card. (You should probably make
sure you have
drivers handy for your network card, before you do
this.) Reinstall the
network card, and then run the network setup wizard,
choosing the
"connect thru a residential gateway option" on both
computers.

That really should be enough. It is meant to just
work
in its default
configuration. Really.


wrote in message
. ..
Nick,
thanks for the response. I agree with you about
starting
from scratch. I consider myself to have intermediate
knowledge of computers, but this network thing has me
stumped. It's not killing me to not have a network,
but
I think it would be nice to have it set up. I'll
keep
hammering away at it (not literally!) and I'm sure it
will work one of these days.
thanks again,
Bob

-----Original Message-----
I totally agree with you about how Microsoft's naming
conventions are usually total crap. Take the example
of
the screen resolution when it comes to the dpi
setting.
To me, when I hear the term dpi, I think the higher
the
setting, the smaller the image, while in the display
settings, it's the exact opposite (it has to do with
screen inches... like the average joe would know
that).

I just took the time to post all that to help you get
your network set up. That was the main reason why you
posted, right? =P

I've found often enough that when something really
frustrating comes up, just start from scratch. I've
set
up enough networks in XP and done enough clean
installs
to be able to make all the necessary key strokes and
mouse clicks blindfolded (almost... it depends on the
mouse sensitivity, lol). With enough repetition,
it'll
be
easy enough to troubleshoot just about anything.

Hope this helps,

Nick
nkjg/at\interchange/dot\ubc/dot\ca


-----Original Message-----
Nick,
I appreciate the time you put into your response,
but
I
must say that the length of your answer only
substantiates my opinion that the Windows
XP "wizard"
is
just the opposite. If I have to go through all of
that
to get a network set up, how the heck can they call
it
a
wizard?? After having spent hours attempting to set
this
thing up only to get one error after another, I am
absolutely certain that there has to be an easier
way
to
do this, and Microsoft does not use that way!
thanks again,
Bob

-----Original Message-----
What are the IPs of each of the computers?

Are you able to manually enter a shortcut to the
other
computer in the form:

\\Desktop\Shared
or
\\Laptop\Shared

Where Shared is the name of a folder on that
computer
that is set to be shared on the network.

If you want to get the two computers to be
networked
safely, you need to have them both with the same
first
3
sections of the IP address, i.e. 192.168.1.xx and
the
router should have a connection to the cable modem.

I have set up several networks with XP on networks
with
anywhere from 2 to 15 computers using either a
single
router or a switch or 3 routers daisy chained
together.
Once I got the routers set up to properly, I just
ran
the
network setup wizard for each computer and I was up
and
running.

Try starting from scratch. Unplug everything.
EVERYTHING.
Connect the power to the router and then press and
hold
the reset button for 30 seconds (there should be
one
on
the back or the bottom).

Find the instructions that came with the router (or
find
them of the router manufacturer's website) and
follow
them step by step. While you're setting everything
up,
only have ONE computer connected, once the router
is
configured properly, connect the other computer.
Make
sure that you have the router set to act as a DHCP
server.

Check the IP addresses of each computer. Check this
both
from "ipconfig /all" in the command prompt and in
the
router's DHCP configuration menu. The computers
should
have the exact same subnet mask and the first 3
parts
of
the IP addresses the same, i.e 192.168.1.xx. If
this
doesn't fit, then you're never going to get the
Windows
Network Setup Wizard to work.

Once you've got the IPs and subnet masks described
above,
NOW run the setup wizard. Make sure that you input
the
exact same settings into each computer. Share a
folder
and see if you can make a shortcut to that folder
in
the
form

\\computer\folder

If this still doesn't work (and you've actually
followed
everything that I've said here), let us know.


Hope this helps,

Nick
nkjg/at\interchange/dot\ubc/dot\ca

"The definition of insanity: doing the same thing
over
and over expecting different results."

-----Original Message-----
Joe,
Maybe I should give you more information about my
situation. I have been connected to the internet
for
years. Each computer can connect on their own. I
have
a
cable modem. The router is connected to the modem
and
then each computer is connected to the router. I
have
a
desktop and a laptop. Each computer connects
separately,
but I cannot share files between the two
computers.
I
have tried the "wizard" as Microsoft calls it,
and I
have
tried it using every single configuration they
offer.
No
matter what I try, it doesn't work. The computers
can't
find each other, and then I keep getting error
messages
telling me to run the wizard again. Hopefully I
have
provided enough information to give you more
insight.
Please refer to my original post to see the error
message
I keep getting.
Thanks,
Bob
-----Original Message-----
Glad to see your back. So you have never been
able
to
connect to the internet? Ok is there a main PC or
does
your internet connection come from the wall per
se"
into
the router?

I suggest that you have your internet connection
from
your
ISP (from the wall) go directly into your PC and
then
add
another NIC card going out to your router or just
install
a wireless nic and one inside your laptop.
Another
configuration is this. If all you have are two
PC's
1
desktop and 1 laptop It should work with the
router
Like
this:

Into the router from your cable modem/ISP/Wall
make
sure
you are using the correct port on the router
(there
is
only one for incoming) and then the following
cables
or
wireles out of the router (outgoing) Think about
trying
to
connect without using the wizard an see what you
get.

Just another test here Bob:
plug the internet connection from the wall into
the
router
and then plug a cable out of the router into the
laptop
or
PC just one of them and see if you can get to the
net.

I do not know exactly how you want to network so
I
am
assuming you want all your PC's to access the net
via
the
router.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
Joe,
what do you mean by your question? I'm not sure
what
you
mean, but I'll try to answer it. I am using a
router
and
I have a desktop and laptop. The network
wizard
in
XP
is
doing absolutely nothing to help me. I keep
getting
error messages when I try to run the wizard, the
computers can't find each other, it cannot find
MSHOME.
I have tried to run the wizard at least a couple
dozen
times over the past year and a half, and it
NEVER
works.
You think I'm frustrated? I passed frustrated
about
6
months ago. Thanks,
Bob

-----Original Message-----
How are you connecting the PC's Bob?
with what type of hardware? and please calm
down
I
know
you are frustrated but hang in there you will
get
it.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
Eric,
thanks for your reply, but I tried your
suggestions
and
of course they didn't work. As far as I'm
concerned,
Microsoft can take their network wizard and
shove
it
up
Bill Gates' ass.
Bob

-----Original Message-----
Greetings Bob,

Make sure the XP's firewall is disabled. It
will
block
file and printer
sharing by default. If you installed a third
party
firewall such as
ZoneAlarm, Sygate, or Norton make sure it is
properly
configured for the
network. Ensure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is
enabled.
Details
here.

Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/t
ro
ub
l
e
s
h
oo
t/
netbt.htm

__________________
Eric


"Bob"
wrote
in
message
news:1aa6001c41e86$f90f0aa0
...
I have tried dozens of times to get my two
computers
to
network, but I have had no luck. I have
run
the
Windows
XP netork wizard (if you want to call it
that),
but
EVERYTIME I run it, it fails to set up the
wizard. I
keep getting the following message when I
try
to
View
the
workgroup computers--

Mshome is not accessible. You might not
have
permission
to use this network resource. Contact the
administrator
of this server to find out if you have
access
permission. The list of servers for this
workgroup
is
not currently available.

Any clues as to what I can do to get this
network
to
work? Obviously Windows XP does not work
well
for
networking!


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