Windows Filesharing sucks!

[Goosemaster]

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/G...Netowork_schematic.jpg

WAN to LAN:
-Cable Modem to Webramp 700s (flashed to Sonicwall)
-Webramp to Linksys WRT54GS to LAN

Webramp:
-gatway router
-DHCP is off
-Special rules and other conenctions to stuff I won;t go into

Linksys:
-Set to static client on the 172.16.4.0 Network
-set as a static router on the 172.16.5.0
-using swesoft firmware. Tried setting up routes so that 172.16.4.1 would always be the default gateway, but it never worked. I have set the clients to use 172.16.5.1 as the Default gatewayand it works.


LAN:

Wired:
-Cables are fine. Cat5e that is in good condition.
-There is a switch between the Webramp and the Linksys

Wireless:
-Set to "G Only"
-WPA PSk with 16+ characters KEY





Protocols/Configuration:

-All Clients are Static
-DNS Tables have 172.16.5.1
-Clients only have MS networking, File and print sharing, and TCP/IP as protocols ( I'm tryign to pull it off without Netbios)
-Software Firewalls were all uninstalled and Windows firewalls are off.
-Simple File Sharing is on


EDIT: Problem

-Internal DNS for the Linksys Router has always been a problem. It was a problem when it was my only router, with the cable modem conncted to the WAN port. I need it for its built-in wireless AP so I put another router infront of it so that I could turn off all the security and see if I could get it to work. No dice.

EDIT: corrections

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Rogue

Originally posted by: nsafreak

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Basically, the wired part of my network is performing flawlessly while the network part isn't cooperating.

This makes no sense. And frankly I also think this is a PEBCAC problem. I haven't had any problems running my network. Have 3 clients (soon to be 4) along with a linux fileserver/PDC.

Agreed. You do understand how IP addressing, DHCP, gateway IP addresses, etc. work, right? I mean it's not that difficult. Besides, it sounds to me more like you have a file sharing issue, not a networking issue, those are two wholly different things. Generally, if you can ping another host on the network, the networking part is done (with some notable exceptions of course and without host based firewalls in place).

I guess I was quite general in my title ...I'll change it

"windows File Sharing sucks"

 

[Goosemaster]

Perhaps the Swesoft firmware is at fault?

Any thoughts?

 

[Rogue]

Is it safe to assume then that you're not running a homgenous network (all Windows clients)? If not, could be master browser election issues. Could also be that you can't really get away from NETBIOS as easily as you think. NETBIOS shouldn't be that big a threat as long as you stay patched and keep your firewall locked down and keep your permissions tight on file shares. I also recommend using the host based firewalls still and simply allowing each of your host IPs to connect and denying all others. You may just want to setup your main computer as a domain controller of sorts to make it the master browser.

As I said before, your network looks sound, but there are tons of potential problems that creep into the mix when you start sharing files over the network, especially in mixed OS environments.

 

[Rogue]

Oh, also, deny all of your IP addresses at your firewall as well as all the other non-routable IP addresses (10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, etc.) to prevent from spoofing if you haven't done so already.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Rogue
Is it safe to assume then that you're not running a homgenous network (all Windows clients)? If not, could be master browser election issues. Could also be that you can't really get away from NETBIOS as easily as you think. NETBIOS shouldn't be that big a threat as long as you stay patched and keep your firewall locked down and keep your permissions tight on file shares. I also recommend using the host based firewalls still and simply allowing each of your host IPs to connect and denying all others. You may just want to setup your main computer as a domain controller of sorts to make it the master browser.

As I said before, your network looks sound, but there are tons of potential problems that creep into the mix when you start sharing files over the network, especially in mixed OS environments.

Yep. In the past there were tons of master browser issues. Ordinarily I have it patched up, but was under the impression that Norton Internet Security was at fault, so I removed it.

As for Netbios, it's not so much that I don't want to use it. I have set up dozens of networks for many peopel andbusinesses using JSUT TCP/IP and am determiend to get it to work.

To your question and being homohgeneous, yes, currently my network only has windows hosts. I have had Linux gateways and clients in the past, but for now it is windows only.

As for usign a domain controller, I have done that in the past with fantastic results. That said, I would rather have a workgroup for other reasons.

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
-Simple File Sharing is on

Bleech. Why?

 

[Goosemaster]

I am thinking of flashing the firmware to the default Linksys firmware. From all I've gone through, the built-in AP isn't communicating with the built in switch and router correctly.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
-Simple File Sharing is on

Bleech. Why?

Because it wasn't working anyway without it

 

[ActuaryTm]

Are 172.16.5.4 and 172.16.5.8 able to communicate with each other in any manner? Ping?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm
Are 172.16.5.4 and 172.16.5.8 able to communicate with each other in any manner? Ping?

perfectly. all computers can communicate. Just not using local DNS resloution...basically using ip only.

Entries in the hosts file fixes it, but I want to get it to work without having to do it.

 

[Rogue]

So are you trying to go to \\computername or \\172.16.5.4 when trying to view file shares?

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
perfectly. all computers can communicate. Just not using local DNS resloution...basically using ip only.

Entries in the hosts file fixes it, but I want to get it to work without having to do it.

Would have to conclude that the network architecture (or rather, the implementation of said architecture) is at fault then, rather than Windows file sharing.

 

[EyeMWing]

Heh, the only problem with Windows filesharing is that it's SLOW AS DONKEYBALLS. An FTP connection will get things done HUNDREDS OF TIMES FASTER. I was done transferring 160 gigs of misc files via FTP in less time than it took to highlight them in explorer.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Rogue
So are you trying to go to \\computername or \\172.16.5.4 when trying to view file shares?

\\172.16.5.4 works.
\\NAME works intermittantly

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
perfectly. all computers can communicate. Just not using local DNS resloution...basically using ip only.

Entries in the hosts file fixes it, but I want to get it to work without having to do it.

Would have to conclude that the network architecture (or rather, the implementation of said architecture) is at fault then, rather than Windows file sharing.

Aye

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Rogue
So are you trying to go to \\computername or \\172.16.5.4 when trying to view file shares?

\\172.16.5.4 works.
\\NAME works intermittantly

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
perfectly. all computers can communicate. Just not using local DNS resloution...basically using ip only.

Entries in the hosts file fixes it, but I want to get it to work without having to do it.

Would have to conclude that the network architecture (or rather, the implementation of said architecture) is at fault then, rather than Windows file sharing.

Aye

Well, \\name will be retarded intermittantly when there isn't a domain in operation. Transition to a domain and that problem will go away along with a significant chunk of the speed problem.

 

[Goosemaster]

Well, I just ifinished installing Aclhemy and network browsing is working quite well

Go figure

 

[Goosemaster]

Damn. A program that I use flawlessly on the wired network still isn't workign o nthe Wireless.

Beyond TV Link is a Beyond TV Client and it isn't finding the server

 

[Rogue]

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
perfectly. all computers can communicate. Just not using local DNS resloution...basically using ip only.

Entries in the hosts file fixes it, but I want to get it to work without having to do it.

Would have to conclude that the network architecture (or rather, the implementation of said architecture) is at fault then, rather than Windows file sharing.

How do you come to that frickin' conclusion? If he can browse to the computers by IP address, but not by name, then the network is working fine, he's having name resolution issues. I rarely, if ever use names when I absolutely want to get to a file share, I always rely on IP addresses because name resolution is simply another layer of potential problems.

Goosemaster, there's nothing wrong with your network implementation, it looks sound and seems like it's working well. I assume you've check all your event logs on all the machines as a troubleshooting step? If not, do so now and post some of the errors. Again, I'm still going with the master browser election issue as the main culprit with regards to intermittent connectivity to file shares by computer name.

 

[Goosemaster]

Thanks. No errors as of yet. I guess it was the Firmware. It was a Satori Release version 2.0.xxxxx

 

[Philippine Mango]

Windows networking is easy, all you gotta do is just access it through the administrative share. Instead of creating shares you just access it like this for example: \\Abit\c$ or \\Mom\c$
So simple.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
Windows networking is easy, all you gotta do is just access it through the administrative share. Instead of creating shares you just access it like this for example: \\Abit\c$ or \\Mom\c$
So simple.

The problem is more with programs that only access general shares.....like I said, there were a variety of workarounds, but I was tryign to it withotu all that.

Seems that I got it. My POS router's firmware was at fault.


Still, the program I am trying to use isn't working solely on the wireless portion of my lan

 

[Cerb]

If you're in XP, just turn simple file sharing off, and it's easy.
If you're on Win2k, you're already good to go.
If you're on a 9x box, format and install some NT or Linux.

Edit: if it was the router's firmware...what about a PoS firewall box to do the job? If the router has wireless, let it just go between the wired and wireless parts.

 

[0roo0roo]

always works here..netbeui/netbios is ur friend.

 

[Klandestine]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
always works here..netbeui/netbios is ur friend.

speak for yourself