I’m unable to create a network between my two Windows XP machines. They’re both connected to a router that also connects the cable modem, so both computers are capable of accessing the net without a LAN (if that matters).
Anyways, I’ve used Window’s Network Setup Wizard to try and create a network. After completing the wizard on one computer, I created a network disk as instructed and placed it in the other computer. It seems, depending on which computer I created the network disk on, when inserted into the other machine, it will either throw an error or run the wizard as it should. Regardless of whether the wizard functioned or not, my network simply won’t work. Neither computer can see each other.
I’ve tried every possibility when working with the Wizard and I just can’t figure this problem out. If anyone has any ideas, I’m all ears.
IMO that “wizard” disk is super lame, but that’s just me.
It isn’t perfectly clear how your network is designed. Does the router connect your CM on the WAN side to your two PCs on the LAN side? If so, that’s great.
Check the ‘Status’ of each PCs network card. It should show you the IP address of that machine. Make sure the PCs can ping each other back and forth. At that point… I recall that my brother is upgrading the only XP PC in the house. :dubious:
Turn on simple filesharing, make sure the firewall (if you have SP2) is set to allow file sharing, check in network neighbourhood/Network Places, then try opening Windows Explorer and typing in \x.x.x.x (where x.x.x.x is the IP address of the other PC)
If that doesn’t work, come back with what happened and someone’ll try again?
If all you want to do is share files and printers between computers, then just have the computers join the same workgroup.
Right click my computer -> properties -> computer name, then click on the button to change computer name, and there should be a text box for the workgroup. Enter the same name in each of the computers, and OK out. Restart, and you should be able to share files by putting them in your "shared files on <computer name> folder.
If you want to join a domain and be able to log into other computers, then I don’t know what to do.
I like to think that I have a fairly good understanding of computers, but you lost me there. CM, WAN?
Here’s what I can tell you: The network I’m trying to create is only between these two computers. They’re both connected to the same router. The router is also connected to the cable modem (again, if that matters)., how do I check the status of both PC’s network cards? Thanks for the help.
Well, they both use the same workgroup name, but it seems their “Shared” folders act independently of each other. In other words, the two are not interacting.
Sorry - CM = cable modem. The router will have one port for the external access, and 4+ ports internally.
Some people shove all the cables into the 4+ port section, which works sometimes for 2 computers if your ISP hands out more than 1 IP address per subscriber. There’s no guarentee that both IPs will fall in to the same subnet though, which is a prerequisite for the two to be able to send data to each other. (it’s why I suggest checking the IPs each PC has).
I had another post that seems to have gotten lost: I think that wizard disk set is only for setting up Internet Connection sharing, which if the router is set up right, isn’t something you want.
Well, the cable modem is plugged into a slot designated for it, then the two computers are plugged into two of the remaining four slots. I also checked the IP addresses; they differed by one number. What now?
Ok, I tried setting up a network again using the same Wizard, though I changed the work group name to see if it made a difference.
After the Wizard completed, I clicked “Show Workgroup Computers” on both computers. The first computer returned a screen listing itself as the only one, while the other returned an error that stated:
"[Workgroup name] is not accessibile. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the adminstrator of this server to find out if you have permissions.
The list of severs for this workgroup is not currently available."
Why would one computer throw an error while the other didn’t?
Also, could my router be affecting this? I mean, routers are supposed to work with networks, right? Could it be the type of cables I’m using (even though both computers can access the net through the router)? Thanks.
For the hell of it, I just tried connecting the two computers directly via a cross over cable just to see if it worked, as it has worked before. Both computers returned an error saying they couldn’t optain an IP address from the network or something like that.
Anyways, I’m way over my head and have no idea what to do.
THis is weird. After reconnecting everything back to the router, one computer is still giving the “[Workgroup Name] is not accessibile…” error, while the other is now showing both computers, but it won’t let me access the other computer when I click on the icon. Very, very odd, though it’s a step in the right direction.
Can you make a simple FTP connection? I’m a Mac person and therefore don’t know explicitly how one sets up an XP box to be an FTP server, but I’d imagine you could pick up a dozen and a half shareware utils on tucows if it doesn’t do it natively. You said you obtained the IP addresses. After setting up one of the boxes as an FTP server, can you make an FTP connection from the other one, entering the serverbox’s IP address in the format ftp://192.168.xxx.yyy or alternatively as ftp://username:password@192.168.xxx.yyy ?
Check your firewall on both computers (Windows, Zonealarm, ect.). I had this problem last week, exactly the same as what you are going through (same error even), and it turned out that Zonealarm on my laptop didn’t want to let anything through. I disabled the fire wall on both computers, and everything worked. I was only transfering some files over, so it wasn’t a permanent network, or else I would be able to tell you the steps for configuring your firewall.
I’m not sure how to configure the firewall to allow access, as I have never had to do it, but you can try momentarily disabling it to see if that is the problem. Make sure to turn it back on when you are done though.
You don’t say what kind of router you are using, but most newer routers act as DHCP servers, meaning that they receive the IP address assigned by the ISP (cable service in this case), then assign different IP addresses to each of the computers connected to the router. If the two computers have IP addresses that differ by only one digit (probably 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.3, or something like that), then the router is doing its job, and it’s not an IP problem. (When you connected the computers directly to each other, neither computer received an IP address because neither of them was connected to a DHCP server that could assign the IP address.)
I would also recommend that you skip the wizard. Make sure that both computers are set up to use the same workgroup by following these steps:
Click Start, right-click My Computer.
Click Properties.
Click the Computer Name tab. Make sure that each computer has a DIFFERENT name, and that they are set to use the SAME workgroup. If you need to change either of them, click the Change… button, make the changes, then click OK.
Both computers must have at least one shared resource for the other computer to see it, so make sure that you have at least one shared folder or drive, or a shared printer.
You should also have at least one user account that is set up the same way on each computer. If you have multiple users of the computers, set up accounts with the same name on each of the computers, so that both computers will recognize the user accounts.
The router I’m using is a LinkSys Ethernet Cable/DSL Router BEFSR41. I don’t know much about routers, but could this one be specifically for routing only cable?
Anyways, I checked everything else you mentioned and everything seems to be correct. But when I click on “View workgroup computers” both computers return the “[Work Group Name] is not accessibile error…” (despite one computer, which prior to a restart, could at least see the other. Not anymore).
Thanks so much for the help, I really appreciate it.
Well, it seems one of my computers can once again see the other, yet it still can’t access it. The other computer is still throwing the [Work group name] is not accessibile error…"
BREAKTHROUGH: The one computer that could at least see the other can now access it as well! Turns out my computer came with a second installed firewall which I had completely forgotten about :smack:
Anyways, the computer that’s able to be accessed still can’t see the other one. Anyone know why this might be?
I’ve always had similar problems but when I followed the instructions above, everything worked perfectly.
Are you sure that all of your firewalls are turned off? Remember that XP has it’s own firewall in addition to ZoneAlarm or whatever else you may be running.
You probably already know how to do the rest of this but in case you don’t, here goes:
Go to a command prompt on both machines and type IPCONFIG. This will give you the IP address of both computers.
Type PING and the address of the other computer and see if you get any replies or if they timeout. If they timeout like mine did, it could be a firewall. If you get replies, you know that you can see the other computer.
If you get replies, go into Windows Explorer and type the IP address of the computer that replied. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see something. It makes things a little easier if you have fileshares setup other than just the default $ shares.
BTW, it wouldn’t hurt to disconnect your modem from the cable since you’ll be disabling your firewall protection.
I’ve been frustrated by this before. When I want to make sure two machines see each other and use their shares, I’ve taken to just enabling IPX/SPX, not just TCP/IP. Make sure the workgroup is the same, however. This has these benefits, AFAIK:
your computers will be broadcasting their presence on your network continually with ipx/spx, which doesn’t happen with tcp/ip. so they will find each other
ipx/spx won’t be routed by your cable modem, in or out - but will (almost certainly) be routed by your own hub, switch, or router.
you can turn your tcp/ip firewalls back on full strength.
