Yet another XP networking question

I did a search and this seems to be a common topic here. However, I wasn’t able to find the solution to the problem I am currently experiencing. Last night I took a brand-spanking new computer home from work. The idea was for me to download all the updated for Norton AV and XP SP2 at home and then bring the computer back to work today and install the printers and a couple of network drives and be done with it. At home last night I plugged the computer into a Linksys router and told the computer that it was part of a workgroup. Since I don’t really have a workgroup right now, the machine assigned the generic workgroup name of MShome or something like that. I downloaded all the updates I needed and installed some other software and brought the computer back to work.

I hooked up to our office network, which is really just a workgroup. The computer automatically got an IP address and was able to get out to the internet. I couldn’t see any other machines on the network. Then I slapped myself when I realized that the workgroup name had to change to match the one at the office. I made that change and I still can’t see anything else on the network. I tried to map a network drive by using a UNC like \server\group and it couldn’t find it. Like I said, the machine got an IP address from our DHCP server and the workgroup name is the same. After reading some of the previous threads on similar issues I installed the netbios protocol and still have no luck. I just tried to map a network drive, this time using \192.168.1.2\group and it connected.

I still can’t add anetwork printer however. The computer still doesn’t see the network and the add printer wizard doesn’t see any printers. I tried adding a printer the same way I mapped the network drive (\192.168.1.10\printer) and it won’t find it. What the heck is going on? Why won’t the computer see the network and why does using the IP address work in one case but not the second one?

If you installed SP2 then the firewall may be causing a problem. Go to the Windows Firewall applet in Control Panel, click the Exceptions tab and make sure that File and Printer Sharing is checked. If it is then trying turning off the firewall altogether.

NetBIOS or NetBEUI? If the latter, go into the Properties of Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), hit the Advanced button, go to the WINS tab, and make sure Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP is selected.

It can also help to clear out the NetBIOS cache by going to a command prompt and typing nbtstat -R (the R must be capitalized).

I had a similar problem a while back when I couldn’t get my laptop so see the the wireless network we had set up in the house (it was just one other desktop, but still). After pulling my hair out messing with connection settings and workgroup names, I finally made my way into ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS and found that some of the networking settings were restricted, even though I was the administrator. You may want to look around in there and make sure that network access isn’t restricted by means of

WTF! I hit spacebar and it submits?!? Anyway…

You may want to make sure that your admin settings in Administrative tools allow you to network to other computers. Poke around a bit if necessary. It’s always fun anyway.

I looked at the firewall and had the MS firewall turned off, but it turns out that the Norton Internet Security program was running and it was causing me the grief. I disabled it and was able to install the printer with no worries. Can’t wait to see what happens when I turn it back on. Thanks for the help.

:smack: It’s always something simple. Hope everything works out. There’s always more help on the boards.

Ahh, firewalls. Both the cure for, and reason for, so many technical problems.