Windows network file sharing issue

[nsafreak]

Sharing issue is driving me insane. You know I always thought that Windows filesharing was fairly simple. Unfortunatley I seem to be doing something wrong, what that is I'm not sure. So hopefully somebody can point me out to what I'm doing wrong. Here's the setup

Upstairs PC: Windows XP Home
Downstairs PC: Windows XP Pro
Router: Linksys by Cisco WRT54G (not sure of the version, fairly recent though)
Upstairs Printer: HP PSC-1000
Downstairs Printer: HP LaserJet 4010TN (hooked up via network cable)

Both have been upgraded to Service Pack 3. Both are also running Norton Internet Security 2010 (its been a while since I've bothered with any Norton products but this one has faired a lot better in reviews & my testing).

Here are the symptoms:

Upstairs PC can see & access files on downstairs PC along with both printers on the network. Downstairs PC can see file folders on the upstairs PC along with printing to both printers on the network. However if I try and access the file folders (the shared folder) on the upstairs PC from the downstairs PC I get an access denied error message. I've checked the firewall settings in Norton and everything looks fine there. I've even tried temporarily disabling the firewall but that had no effect as well. So what obvious thing am I missing?

 

[JackMDS]

Make sure that Norton allow the PCs to fully communicate (Trusted Zone).

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm

 

[Emulex]

norton stinks but anyhoo. make sure both SHARE and FILE permissions are granted. and make sure unless you are running a domain or something each pc has different login usernames OR if you do use the same username on more than 1 pc they have the SAME password.

you will really hate win7/vista - it gets far more complex

 

[Havoc Ebonlore]

On the downstairs computer, type \\UpstairsComputerName in the Run box and see if you can browse the share in the window that comes up. If still denied, you might need to reestablish the shares.

I had this problem on Win Home to a Win Home network. I unshared all folders, ran the Network Setup Wizard on both machines, then reshared. It somehow fixed the Access Denied error. Be sure to ctrl-R to refresh the shares in the Network Places window, I had to do that otherwise the windows would just stay un-updated.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Make sure file level permission shares are there... they override fileshare permissions.

 

[RebateMonger]

Any of the "Internet Protection Suites" usually kill file sharing among computers on a home network. My practice is to PERMANENTLY disable the firewall portion of the "Protection Suite" and enable the Windows firewall instead.

HOWEVER, what often happens is the the "Protection Suite" will later warn the user that "Warning! You are not fully protected!", and the user will tell the "Protection Suite" to "protect me". And the troublesome firewall will now be re-enabled.

As noted, the alternative is to put all the local computers into the "trusted zone" for that particular firewall software.

 

[JackMDS]

In some cases even disabling the 3rd party "Trashwalls" does not help since they keep loading processes and running them in background even when the Firewall is disabled.

In some cases there is a need to totally get rid of them totally and check with Process Explorer that they do not leave any thing behind.

 

[sarabee]

You could just create a shared folder and do the whole digital drop box thing instead of trying to get everything else compatible. That's what I do with our 3 home computers and my computer for work. I just have a digital drop box.
--
Dental Insurance

 

[Emulex]

yeah its easier to multipurpose a nas imo. a powerful q6600 with 3-4 jbod 1tb drives can
handle home security, transcoding on the fly, utorrent, maybe even htpc.


fileserver
webcam7 with 10 ip cameras
airvideo (transcoder for ipod/ipad video - on the fly - like orb/sling/hava)
vista media center <-> hdhomerun dual qam ethernet tuner
utorrent
few other daemons

can do htpc duties with the ati 26xx series if needed but headless at the moment - cheaper than using several devices - enough horsepower to handle the job. i use tmpgenc to transcode sometimes too. have 4 cores really helps out.

MSE is the protection -its free and works damn good. windows firewall works damn good.

 

[Soccer4Don]

First thing I would do is to shut down the norton (a problem in itself) then unshare the files and folders. Reboot both pc's and then start the share process then (with norton off). Also do you have windows defender or the internal firewall on? Turn them off.
Good luck!
Don

 

[Soccer4Don]

Be happy you do not have a vista or a win 7 in the network, then it gets even more fun!
Don

 

[rasczak]

Be happy you do not have a vista or a win 7 in the network, then it gets even more fun!
Don

cheers!

I agree with this statement

 

[Nothinman]

cheers!

I agree with this statement

I wouldn't, I've never had an issue with Vista or Win7 on our work network.

 

[yinan]

I agree with Nothinman. If you know what you are doing then this is a non issue.