Home network woes

Factual Questions
1

Long story short, I have 3 computers hooked up to a wireless router:

Computer A: desktop PC running XP
Computer B: desktop PC running XP
Computer C: MacBook Pro running OS X 10.latest

Netgear Wireless Router model WGR614 v6
Comcast Cable

Network is connected cable -> router -> computers

I have internet connectivity on all three computers

Checking the router’s attached devices from the utility homepage (192.168.1.1), I can see three computers are connected to the network. However one of the computers, Computer A, has no Device Name assigned to it, even though I had run Network Setup Utility on it, and it has a corresponding IP and MAC Address (IP verified on the computer through ipconfig).

So, here’s what happens:

Computer B can browse Computer C. Computer C is apparently aware of Computer B, but I futzed something up, so I can’t browse my Mac (although at one time I did do this).

But that’s not the main problem. The main problem is computer A can’t communicate with Computer B or Computer C in either direction.

What makes it weirder is that using ping, I’ve found that Computer A can ping Computer B and Computer C, but not itself!!? Computer B can see itself and Computer C. Computer C can see itself and Computer B.

In otherwords, Computer A cannot be pinged by anyone, including itself, but Computers B & C can be pinged by everyone, including Computer A.

Is this making any sense? Because I can’t even begin to figure out where the problem lay.

2

That should be “Computer C can browse Computer B. Computer B is apparently aware of Computer C, but …”

3

Well the problem is clearly in A. Assuming it has a unique name and IP address, has the same subnet mask, and is in the same Workgroup as the others, I can’t immediately see what the problem might be either.

Can you do Ipconfig on A and B and post the results here?

You could try removing TCPIP from the networking configuration, rebooting, then adding it back in again.

4

I also always suspect the Windows Firewall in these situations (in your case, on Computer A). Even if you’re SURE you’ve turned it off, go check: at least one recentish Windows update turned it back on on one of my systems.

If it’s on, and you WANT it on, make sure it’s set to pass pings and any other traffic you want to allow.

5

Also the presence of any 3rd party AV/firewall/internet security apps would be helpful.

One of these days Norton…POW.

Oh wait I did that to a copy of norton internet security today :smiley:

6

Have you double checked that both the windows PCs have their drives set to be sharable and writable on the network? Right click on the drive(s) you wish to share and a sharing applet will pop up.

7

I’ve got it. It wasn’t Windows Firewall, it was Norton. I coulda sworn I tried turning it off, but apparently I didn’t. I configured the firewall to allow the other computers on and everything is hunky dory now. Thanks a bunch!

8

Damn I’m good, pegged it in 1 from 2000 miles away. :cool:

I should fix computers for a living :smiley: