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Old March 2nd 05, 06:27 PM
Chuck
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Default Cannot see 1 of 3 computers

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 09:05:06 -0800, Ron Smith
wrote:

Computer A (new main) computer ethernet connected to D-Link Router
Computer B (old) computer ethernet connected to D-Link Router
Computer C (laptop) wirelessly connected to D-Link Router

"All" computers can see Computer B & C in Network Places and can share files
and B & C can see and use printers on Computer A.

All computers running XP with SP2, except Computer B doesn't have SP2 (won't
update properly -- but B works fine).

However, "nobody" can see Computer A in Network Places.

Any thoughts -- this is driving me crazy -- trying to move files around.


Ron,

For any system running Windows XP SP2, check Windows Firewall, and make sure the
File and Printer Sharing exception is enabled. Any third party firewalls? Make
sure they're properly configured too.

Next check for a browser conflict between the computers. I"m not talking about
Internet Explorer here. The browser is the program that allows any computer to
see any other computer on the LAN. For a 3 computer LAN, you need the browser
running on just 2 of them.

Identify the 2 computers that stay online the most, and make sure the browser
service is running on them. Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services.
Verify that the Computer Browser, and the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both
show with Status = Started. Stop, then Disable the browser service on the other
computer.

After checking / disabling / enabling as above, power all computers off to reset
the browser settings on each. Then power all back on again.

The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers (I'm not talking about
Internet Explorer here) you have in your domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305

You can download Browstat from either:
http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip

Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window, by "browstat status". Make sure all computers list the same master
browser.
For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=231312
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win95/w95brows.mspx

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.
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