networking the XP system from hell! help!

Well, you don't really provide enough information. You
say that the router provides the IP addresses, or that
they are static IP addresses, but what about name
resolution? Are you trying to ping by name or by IP
address? If the latter works, but the former doesn't,
try adding entries in the \windows\system32
\drivers\etc\hosts file. If the former doesn't work, I
don't really know. You could verify that the sub-net
masks are correct, and that the gateway settings are
correct.

You could also make sure that the built-in XP firewall
software is not enabled, or if it is enabled, that you
are not filtering the IP addresses or ports of the other
machines on the network. Do you have any other firewall
product installed, like Symantec Internet Security or
Personal Firewall? If not, there is no reason that I can
see that you can't ping by using the IP address, at
least. Have you tried TRACERT?

Anyway, please provide a more detailed description of how
things are set up, and what is going wrong.

Thanks, Jack

-----Original Message-----
I have a similar problem.

I have 2 XP machines connected to each other through a
hub ( Have tried using a cross-over cable, but the
problem remains.) Both have static IPs with no
conflicts.
I have tested the hardware and all is perfect.

Have enabled ICS. I can access the internet on the
client
machine, but cannot access the workgroup - MSHOME (the
default) from either the host or client!!! I get the
same
error. I can't ping either. Netstat shows the connection
(TCP on port 5000 from the client) established when
checked from both machines. Have made sure that NetBIOS
is enabled on both lan connections and Computer Browser
is running as well. No firewalls are running on the LAN
connection. Any help would be much appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
Tried more stuff, still can't get it working. Added to
the list of what i've tried.

got 4 machines, 3 running XP one running 2k on a
wireless G network, no domain, just workgroup. All the
machines can access the internet through the router, and
all get an IP from the router. one of the XP machines
gives this error when i try to see the workgroup
computers.

"Workgroup 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 permissions. The list of servers for this
workgroup is not currently available."

the odd thing is it gives me that error even though im
loged in as THE administrator. no other computers on
the
network can see this XP machines, but the other
computers
on the network can see each other. file and print
sharing are enabled on the problem machine, i tried at
first using the wizard, didn't work, then tried doing
the
advanced sharing and doing manual configuration, still
no
dice.

from the problem machine explorer window using
a "\\computername" will not find other comps on the
network, but using "\\localIP" will find other machines
on the network.

I've looked through the administrative tools, of
running
services and disabled all the firewalls, went though
user
accounts to check access and went through the security
policies for clues and came up with nothing. Disabled
VPN policy, disabled DNS client service, checked
ipconfig
node type, made sure NetBIOS helper service is running,
enabled anonamous logins and guest accounts. Im stumped,
any help would be great.

.

.

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 12:51:05 -0700, Day
wrote:

Tried more stuff, still can't get it working. Added to the list of what i've tried.

got 4 machines, 3 running XP one running 2k on a wireless G network, no domain, just workgroup. All the machines can access the internet through the router, and all get an IP from the router. one of the XP machines gives this error when i try to see the
workgroup computers.

"Workgroup 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 permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

the odd thing is it gives me that error even though im loged in as THE administrator. no other computers on the network can see this XP machines, but the other computers on the network can see each other. file and print sharing are enabled on the proble
m machine, i tried at first using the wizard, didn't work, then tried doing the advanced sharing and doing manual configuration, still no dice.

from the problem machine explorer window using a "\\computername" will not find other comps on the network, but using "\\localIP" will find other machines on the network.

I've looked through the administrative tools, of running services and disabled all the firewalls, went though user accounts to check access and went through the security policies for clues and came up with nothing. Disabled VPN policy, disabled DNS clien
t service, checked ipconfig node type, made sure NetBIOS helper service is running, enabled anonamous logins and guest accounts. Im stumped, any help would be great.

What firewalls (brand, version on which computers) did you disable? Many times
disabling a firewall does not help - you may have to enable, then un install.
Or enable, then allow file and printer sharing by opening the following ports:
TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138, 445.

On an XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have the SFS settings the same on each computer.

If SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel -
Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

If you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure that the Guest
account is enabled, and has an identical, non-blank, password on all computers.
If "Classic", setup and use a common account with identical, non-blank, password
on all computers.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

ah, I forgot to say. Ofcourse I've disabled any protection software, firewalls, ran antivirus programs, spyware removers etc.

got an idea for ya Dutch, in my looking i found something, i don't remember if it was security policy or services but it was a setting about Limiting login to local console only. didn't help me but might help you.

all the subnets are the same, basic 255.255.255.0 the gateway is the same for all. the firewalls i disabled were the basic windows one, Symantic, and Norton. all three were running, and so i turned them off via their own software. i checked the host
file and all the computers are there, not using static IP's, the computers get their IP's from the router. the problem computer can ping all computers on the network by IP, but not name, but no computers on the network can ping the problem one by eith
er. no IP filtering is set up. not sure how much more info i can give.

got an idea for ya Dutch, in my looking i found something, i don't remember if it was security policy or services but it was a setting about Limiting login to local console only. didn't help me but might help you.

all the subnets are the same, basic 255.255.255.0 the gateway is the same for all. the firewalls i disabled were the basic windows one, Symantic, and Norton. all three were running, and so i turned them off via their own software. i checked the host
file and all the computers are there, not using static IP's, the computers get their IP's from the router. the problem computer can ping all computers on the network by IP, but not name, but no computers on the network can ping the problem one by eith
er. no IP filtering is set up. not sure how much more info i can give.