TCP/IP prob!!! Having probs seeing comps on network

[joeblo123]

I have just networked my two system together and I am having some problems trying to get them to communicate with each other....

Here is what I've done and what my problems are...

What I've done
1. Two systems connected using Crosslinked cable
2. Main system has two NIC since one is used for Cable modem
3. Main system using two diff brand NIC cards. Both using same IRQ(11)
4. Both systems are Win98 and have TCP/IP installed...no other protocal
5. Print & File sharing enabled and HDD are set to be shared fully

My probs
1. Main computer can ping Secondary comp as well as itself but only sees itself in Network Neighborhood...when looking at entire network, sees the "Workgroup"
2. Since Main comp can ping Secondary, tried connecting by doing "run" \\Secondary....does not find comp
3. Secondary comp can ping Main comp as well as itself but only sees itself in Network Neighborhood...when looking at entire network, does not see "Workgroup"
4. Since Secondary comp can ping main, tried connecting by doing "run" \\Main....connects ok and can share files with Main comp

What I can't figure out is why I'm able to see Main comp from Secondary by doing \\main but it won't detect in Network Neighborhood and also why the Main comp cannot even detect secondary comp.

Also, I can't figure out why Main sees workgroup but Secondary does not.

I'm sure I can use NetBEUI to just have the two comps communicate with each other but I would like to resolve this issue by getting to the bottom of the cause rather then just using a different solution.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[peroni]

are both pc's on the same workgroup?
both having file and printer sharing installed and bound to tcp/ip?
Have you installed "client for microsoft networks" on both and set it as a primary network logon?

 

[joeblo123]

Peroni,

Yes, yes, and yes

 

[peroni]

from main computer, can you ping secondary via IP or via netbios name?
try a "ping -a ipaddress" to see if the name gets resolved.
If not you could add a static entry in LMHOSTS file.

see file lmhosts.sam in c:\windows folder for examples.

 

[obenton]

Try it with Netbeui, which is self-configuring. If it doesn't work you've likely got a hardware problem. NICs generally have problems if they share an IRQ with anything else - test this by removing the conlict (remove internet NIC in device mgr and see if it helps).

 

[joeblo123]

peroni,

I'm able to ping using the ip addresses and coming up fine

obenton,

I will try the netbeui and see if that works...if that doesn't, I would have to agree with you on the IRQ issue...

 

[joeblo123]

OK...just installed NetBEUI and it's working fine...I can see both computers from either machine and they are showing up in Network Neighborhood.

Can anyone tell me why I was having the prob with just the TCP/IP installed???

 

[joeblo123]

bump

 

[speed01]

No explanation as to why the TCP/IP didn't work, but I have run into the same type of thing myself. After a re-boot or two, everything was fine. Are you using any kind of firewall software? Some of them don't play well with others.

 

[Spawndude]

I think this has to be one of the most asked questions I've seen in this forum.

 

[joeblo123]

So what's the answer Spawndude?

I don't have firewall software

 

[spidey07]

The answer normally lies in Microsoft browsing and the election of a master browser. I can't understand why this is causing so much trouble. Add IP, add client for ms networks, set client for MS networks as your preffered login, share your stuff, reboot, login.

works everytime. Just make sure your workgroup names are the same and that every computer name is less than 14 characters alphanumeric only. Oh, you also need to enable netbios over TCP

 

[joeblo123]

Spidey, if it were that simple, I wouldn't be asking the questions....

I've already done all of the things that you have mentioned and still having the same issues.

All drives on both comps are set to shared
Print and File sharing enabled
TCP/IP Protocal installed on both systems
Client for MS Network installed and used for primary logon
Workgroup names are same
Computer names are less then 10 chars each...only letters, no symbols

Once again, the prob is that the comps can ping each other but I can't connect to my Secondary comp from my Main, while I can connect to Main from Secondary...

 

[spidey07]

ah hah!

I neglected to see you have two network cards in one computer. This causes absolute havoc with browsing (documented by microsoft). Is there anyway to unbind windows internet naming service from the NIC connected to cable modem? Or try to disable "netbios over IP" for this cable modem NIC?

What is happening is the main computer thinks the master browser is itself (but on the cable mode NIC address) and the secondary comp believes IT is the masterbrowser. Obviously this can't work because there can be only one masterbroswer for a domain/workgroup. There can be different subnet master browser for each subnet but not the master browser (also called domain master broswer)

Looking at your orignal problem description this really what sounds like your problem.

 

[joeblo123]

Spidey,

Thanks for the info. I'll try your suggestions when I get home.

 

[joeblo123]

Spidey,

Tried your suggestions and it didn't work....I've given up hope for now....don't want to waste time troubleshooting prob when I don't really need to nor know how to fix.

Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[TheCandyman]

try Peroni's suggestion of creating a LMHOSTS file. It worked for me.

 

[Phatty]

And let us know. I have the same problem and have yet to fix it.

 

[spidey07]

great idea on the LMHOSTS file. That should fix the browsing problems.

 

[joeblo123]

Candyman,

After I create the file, where do I put it??? Also, do I just need to create the file with the basic commands such as below:

192.168.0.1 Comp1 #pre
192.168.0.2 Comp2 #pre

Does the file need to be more specific or is this good enough?

 

[joeblo123]

Bump^

 

[CapNjacK]

You have the text right as for the file itself:
Copy lmhosts.sam to same dir
rename copy to whatever.txt
drop to command prompt and go to dir of the file run command:
rename whatever.txt lmhosts
just make sure the file has no extention.
Good luck.

 

[joeblo123]

CapNjack,

Maybe I'm just slow but what same dir? Do you mean Windows dir?

Also, not sure what you mean by
drop to command prompt and go to dir of the file run command:

Can you elaborate a bit more?

Thanks

 

[joeblo123]

bump

 

[Strych9]

I suggest this setup.