Enabling File Sharing on Win XP

[Ph33zy]

I have one computer on my home network that is having trouble sharing files. My other computers can ping the computer but, cannot see any of the share folders or the computer itself. Usually I can see the computer if I type in \\computer_name in My Computer but I can't in this case.

I recall following some online guide to disable some services that were supposed to be useless for a small home network, but have since reverted back to the default settings (I think). However, I still cannot view any shared folders or the computer itself.


Can anyone help out? I really do not want to format this guy.... THanks.

UPDATE: Okay, I was able to access the computer drive by disabling simple sharing. I can only access the computer if I type in \\192.168.0.x (which I couldn't do before). This is just my Media Center machine and I know I don't have to go through all this trouble on my MCE laptop to enable sharing. If anyone can give me help, that would be great. Thanks.

 

[Lemon law]

Not sure about your setup or network architecture, but I just run a two computer lan using windows ICS---and if you don't share something soon---you can't see anything in the network neighborhood.---from either the host or client PC. Nor could I set up any shares after a certain amount of time lapsed. So I simply re set up the network---shared a printer---and now all is well. Why it works this way baffles me---but it does.

But with windows ICS---and two computers running win XP---I can set up or reset up networking in five minutes or less assuming a nic on each computer and a crossover cable.
And set up a static dns address on the client in another two minutes.---making it safe for the client PC to independently access the internet if its so enabled.

 

[Snapster]

Make sure you have file and printer sharing enabled.

 

[Ph33zy]

I have the exception checked in Windows Firewall already. Any other suggestions?

 

[Lemon law]

to Ph33zy,

Many software firewalls can kill networking dead--even if you are expert in their set up---I use the sygate 5.5 firewall for that reason--very network friendly.
But I doubt the window sp2 firewall is killing your network---but disabling it might make a difference.---and would be the proper test to be sure.

What other security software do you have running?