Will pay for XP network help...

[aa_koch]

I have two PCs (both running Windows XP Professional) sharing an ADSL connection via a LinkSys 4-port DSL/Cable router (BEFSR41). I had no problems setting it up, but unfortunately getting the machines to share files and stuff is a whole 'nother story. I'm not a newbie when it comes to computers, but this is the first time I've had two PCs at my disposal and unfortunately it's not as easy as I had hoped.

I realize people keep asking these kind of questions over and over. Believe me when I tell you that I've tried to get it working myself for weeks now, and I'm only asking for your help because I am beginning to feel like throwing this garbage out of the window. I've read numerous FAQ lists, tried XP's Network Configuration Wizard, and gave it my best trying to set it up manually... it just won't work.

Anyway... I'd like to know if anybody who has done this before is willing to explain to me (step-by-step?) how to get this up and running? I will of course pay for your services, so resolving this matter via PM or e-mail seems most appropriate. If you're interested, please send me a PM or contact me at aa_koch@mail.com so we can work out the details. Obviously I would prefer to talk to someone who's using the same configuration (Windows XP, router) as me, which should make things a lot easier.

Thanks!

 

[JackMDS]

If you don?t need the extras of Win XP Pro, switch to Win XP Home Edition. Networking the Home Edition is much easier, since the internal user accounts protection is much more relaxed.

It is almost impossible to go through the whole routine of setting XP pro through mail exchange process with no graphics.

As a first step, make absolutely sure that the basic Network hardware is installed correctly, and there are no Hardware conflicts.

Setting the network system manually is much more promising then using the Wizards, the following Links can provide you with all the info necessary to configure.

Windows XP Professional .

Windows XP Professional Ed. Sharing Disks /Folders

Windows XP Simple File Sharing

XP File Sharing Trouble

And a lot of Good Luck.

 

[DuBobD]

I assume you have the two XP PC's in the same workgroup? Also they are on the same Subnet? (192.168.0.x) I have an XP Pro PC and an XP Pro Laptop and I have no problems sharing my printers and files. I, however, use a Netgear MR314.

 

[Jwyatt]

Pay for services? I have never heard of anyone offering to pay for something like that on a forum. Thats what the forums are fer aint it? hehe

Have you looked at your network connections to see if file and print sharing is installed?

If it is you should be able to right click on a drive or folder then click on sharing and security. that will open a box. click the blue text saying you know the risks. Then click the little box beside of the enable other computers to use this folder.

That will let you see it on the other computer when you go to my network places. Then click computers near me. Then you should see each compuer and whats shared on them.

 

[Jwyatt]

BTW i accept paypal

 

[neovan]

Disable the firewall option in the networking settings!

paypal to neovan@hotmail.com

 

[aa_koch]

Hold your horses, everybody!

First I'm gonna check out the pages JackMDs linked to. I've been to the site before and it didn't work, but maybe I forgot something. Then I'll work down this list of suggestions one-by-one to see if that helps. The person who gets it right will get their money, don't worry about it.

I'll be back... I hope.

 

[Goosemaster]

Seriously, here is THE ANSWER:

with such a config, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you use the NetBios protocol...unfortunately it is not standard, do you will need t on install it...

how?

Go to your comp#1...go to the network connections, selection, your LAN connection, and go to properties where it should say stuff like TCP/IP Ccient for Microsoft Networks etc.

Click install, then protocol, then IF prompted, look under MICROSOFT.Then you should see options...install the one that says NETBIOS ....install it.

Do the same on comp Number #2...



After You are done,Right Clickon my computer, properties, Computer Name TAB, Change.


There you chould see the name of your PC and the work group...amke sure both pcs have the same workgroup name....same case and everything...no weird caps....this just makes it easier.



REboot.


Go to Network Neighboorhood, click Workgoup.

Voila!


If that doesn't work, a little icon on the right should appear named "WINDOWS NETOWRK"

Click it...

 

[aa_koch]

Voila? You betcha!

I am happy to confirm that I now have access to my parents' PC's harddrive, and they can access mine. Goosemaster: THANK YOU!

Still, that doesn't mean I am completely satisfied. I'd still like to know if I'm able to set up a network using the TCP/IP protocol. The reason is that it appears to conflict with my Internet connection settings (more on that below, when I respond to JackMDs post), and I'm curious to figure it out. I don't think I'll need it for the purpose of sharing files and my printer, but I want to figure out what the heck I have been doing wrong.

Anyway... let's see. I hope some of y'all will read this sooner or later...

JackMDs: I've been to the pages you link to before, but I was unable to get it to work. More precisely, I noticed that I was unable to access the internet when I changed the settings from DHCP-assigned to static IP as mentioned here:



<< By default, TCP/IP is configured to "Obtain an IP address automatically." XP will first try to locate a DHCP server on the network, and if no DHCP server is found, it will use Auto-IP generation to generate an IP address.

If you select to use such automatically assigned IP addresses, you can open the Command Prompt and type IPCONFIG /ALL to find out which IP address was assigned to your system. Since the automatic IP address generation will cause a delay before the network becomes available, I prefer to define the IP address myself. Also, with more and more people getting broadband internet via DSL or cable modems, I prefer to configure the LAN myself to avoid conflicts with the network settings for the connection to the DSL or cable modem. >>



Unfortunately, when I change this in the LAN properties, I am denied access to the internet. (Internet Explorer will come up with a "page not found" error.) Because online access is more important to me than sharing files (if need be, I can still burn files to CD-RW and that way transfer them to my parents' computer), I never managed to set it up this way. Do you have any idea why this isn't working for me?

DuBobD: Both PCs are on the same workgroup (MSHOMENET) and subnet mask (255.255.255.0).

Jwyatt: File and printer sharing is turned on, so I know that's not the problem. The thing is that when I view the network connections (MY NETWORK PLACES on desktop, ENTIRE NETWORK, MICROSOFT WINDOWS NETWORK, MSHOMENET), I get the following error message:

"MSHOMENET 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."

Any idea why, though? I know that I applied the same settings to each computer (which drive to share, etc.), so what am I doing wrong?

neovan: Sorry, but my firewall was never turned on. (I do have Norton Internet Security, however -- does that matter?)

Goosemaster: I'll shoot you a PM regarding payment... it's not exactly how I'd hoped to solve this, but that really doesn't matter.

Anyway... I also sent someone some info regarding my situation via e-mail. For those willing to help me out even further, here's the stuff I sent him that you might find useful to figure out the TCP/IP problem:

-----

My situation is as follows:

- PC in my room
- PC in the living room
- both connected to a LinkSys 4-port DSL router

I've no problem getting online with both, but I was told that I should assign a static IP instead of using DHCP. However, the minute I change this in the LinkSys setup page, I lose access to the Internet. So I would prefer to stick to DHCP, because getting online is more important to me than sharing files.

Anyway... here's some info about my PC:

Full Computer Name: PC-01
Workgroup: MSHOMENET

Network Connections - LAN Properties:
- Client for MS Networks -- selected)
- File and Printer Sharing -- selected)
- QoS Packet Scheduler -- selected
- Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -- selected

TCP/IP Properties:
GENERAL
- Obtain an IP address automatically
- Obtain DNS server address automatically
ALTERNATE CONFIGURATION
- Automatic private IP address

Local Area Connection Status
INTERNET PROTOCOL TCP/IP
- Address type: Assigned by DHCP
- IP address: 192.168.1.102
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Running "ipconfig /all" on this machine:

Windows IP Configuration
Host name .................... : PC-01
Primary DNS Suffix ........... :
Node type .................... : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled ........... : No
WINS Proxy Enabled ........... : No

Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection
Connection-specific DNS Suffix :
Description .................. : Linksys LNE100TX (v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address ............. : 00-04-5A-44-02-54
DHCP Enabled ................. : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled .... : Yes
IP Address ................... : 192.168.1.102
Subnet Mask .................. : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway .............. : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server .................. : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers .................. : 194.109.104.104 / 194.109.6.66
Lease obtained ............... : <date>
Lease expires ................ : <date>

For my parents' PC:

Full Computer Name: PC-02
Workgroup: MSHOMENET

Network Connections - LAN Properties:
- Client for MS Networks -- selected)
- File and Printer Sharing -- selected)
- QoS Packet Scheduler -- selected
- Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -- selected

TCP/IP Properties:
GENERAL
- Obtain an IP address automatically
- Obtain DNS server address automatically
ALTERNATE CONFIGURATION
- Automatic private IP address

Local Area Connection Status
INTERNET PROTOCOL TCP/IP
- Address type: Assigned by DHCP
- IP address: 192.168.1.101
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Running "ipconfig /all" on their machine:

Windows IP Configuration
Host name .................... : PC-02
Primary DNS Suffix ........... :
Node type .................... : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled ........... : No
WINS Proxy Enabled ........... : No

Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection
Connection-specific DNS Suffix :
Description .................. : Linksys LNE100TX (v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address ............. : 00-04-5A-44-17-FD
DHCP Enabled ................. : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled .... : Yes
IP Address ................... : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask .................. : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway .............. : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server .................. : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers .................. : 194.109.104.104 / 194.109.6.66
Lease obtained ............... : <date>
Lease expires ................ : <date>

Additionally, here's the info from my router setup page:

Host name: (none)
Domain name: (none)
LAN IP ADDRESS
Device IP address: 192.168.1.1
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
MAC Address: 00-04-5A-20-A6-97
WAN IP ADDRESS
* Specify an IP address
IP Address: 10.0.0.150
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway Address: 10.0.0.138
DNS (Required):
1 - 0.0.0.0
2 - 0.0.0.0
3 - 0.0.0.0
LOGIN: PPTP
DHCP: Enable
Starting IP Address: 192.168.1.101
Number of DHCP Users: 2

-----

Sorry 'bout posting all this stuff, but I'm not happy knowing that something's not right. I wanna get to the bottom of this...

 

[Goosemaster]

Here is the "jist" of it...


when messing with internal and external networks, it is always best to keep things seperate.......keep TCP/IP for external communications(internet) and keep NetBIOS for internal communications. There really isn't a Dramatic benefit with TCP/Ip, well ther is, but the security risk is not worth it.


I have setup my own router similar to yours so forgive me if I may seem redundant, but that is how Tech Support works...

According to your data, your network whould work. Try this

Set the router to dish out dynamic Ip address' via DHCP server. Go to one of your termials and DO NOT TYPE "ipconfig/all"
What that does is the equivalent of telling you the configuration...it doesn't actually "do" anything

What you need to type is this:

ipconfig/release

wait....then it will say all zeros....

then type:

ipconfig/renew

this should look up any transmitting DHCP servers in the area(i.e. your router)

 

[Goosemaster]

by the way, assuming this works, can you at least access the router? if so, your dsl might be the culprit. Basically unplug the modem until it resets. Most broadband services log the MAC address as to prevent sharing, but as you presented the info, I assume you know that your router can emulate a MAC address and HOSt Name(assign the name of one of your PCS) so that only one pc is visible.