[tatrader]

Hello,

I am having trouble getting my computers to talk to each other using my home local area network. I'm using a wireless router, a D-link DI-614 + running the latest version of firmware v 3.43. Although this is a wireless router, I am currently having troubles with direct ethernet wireline connections to the router from a first desktop computer (family), a second desktop computer (business) and a laptop computer. All three computers are running: Windows XP home, SP2, with all critical updates installed; Zonealarm as a firewall in which all of the possible assignable IP addresses to the computers have been entered as a trusted IP range in Zonealarm.

The two desktop computers only have a single user (administrator) set up; the laptop has two users set up, both with administrator privileges. All three computers are shown by my router as having been assigned appropriate IP addresses and all three computers connected by wireline to the router have no trouble accessing the Internet through the WAN port of the router.

All three computers have been configured to be on the same HOME workgroup and have been rebooted several times in this configuration. So here is the status.

Viewing my network places on the family computer, I can see all of the shared file's on the family computer and on the business computer, but no shared files on the laptop. Viewing my network places on the business computer, I see no listed files on it or the other computers. Viewing my network places on the laptop, I see shared listed files on the laptop but no shared files on any of the other computers. Running the view network computers usually causes a not permitted response.

All three computers have NetBIOS enabled and all three computers show under "local area connection properties" the appropriate items enabled: client for my for Microsoft networks; file and printer sharing for my for Microsoft networks;/qoS packet scheduler; Internet protocol (TCP/IP).

It is my desire to be able to share files among the three computers. I tried totally disabling Zonealarm on the business computer but did not see any different results after it was disabled.

I would very much appreciate help in resolving this net working issue so that I can share files among the computers. All I want to do is share files and printers.

Regards,

Charles

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can you ping all machines from all machines?

[dsenette]

can you ping all machines from all machines?

[tatrader]

Hi dsenette,

Thanks for your help.

I went to each of the 3 computers and was able to ping the other two successfully (test showed 0ms average reply times). I did have to authroize Zonealarm on each computer that it was ok to run the ping test.

Now?

Charles

[tatrader]

A short follow up.

Status is the same as stated in first posting as to ability/lack thereof to see shared folders from the various computers.

Hard for me to understand why the family computer can see the shared folders in the business computer, but not vise versa.

Charles

[kd1966]

Ok, this sometimes happens - networks are not perfect, but we can get around that. Try this:

If you know the path to your shares (\\computername\sharename) then just Map a Network Drive to the share path. Remember, this will only work if all systems are on the same network subnet {and workgroup} and you can ping all the workstations from each location. This has been a lifesaver for many, including myself

[tatrader]

Hi kd1966,

Thanks for the recommendation. I have partial success.

The mapping technique worked for the business desktop computer, i.e. now I can share files over my wired LAN with the other desktop, family computer. And the family computer can shared files with the business computer. Great.

Now for the Fujitsu laptop.

When I try to map a network drive on my business computer to the laptop computer, and select browse for folders in the map drive setup, I see my workgroup and it expands into 3 units: busniess, family, laptop; all with + signs indicating further expansion is possible. However, when I click on laptop in the network map browse window, there is a pause and then the + sign next to the laptop in the browse window disappears and I cannot setup a network mapped drive to the laptop. I tried the same procedure from the family computer attempting to set up a network map drive to the laptop and get exactly the same ressults.

I tried to force a network map drive to the laptop on the business computer by typing in the path \\laptopname\c\sharedfolder to a shared folder on the laptop but got a path not found error.

Similarily, I am not able to setup a network mapped drive on the laptop to the business computer. On the laptop when in browse for a folder window in setup a mapped drive, I see my LAN workgroup name with a + sign, but when I try to expand there is a hesitation time and then the + sign disappears next to the workgroup name indicating that none can be seen/found.

The laptop has no trouble communicating over my router with the internet. The laptop shows it is set as part of the same named workgroup as the other two computers. I have tried reinstalling the workgroup name on the laptop, but no change.

I have tried turning off all firewall protection on the laptop (even though I have Zonealarm set for trusted sites for all local LAN ip addresses that are permitted); still no change.

Any more recommendations?

Charles

[tatrader]

Anyone have further ideas?

[Kurt_Aust]

Have you tried turning off the firewalls (both Zonealarm and the XP one) on all computers?

[kd1966]

instead of using the search/expand........... just type in the path

[tatrader]

Thanks for the above 2 comments and responding:

Yes, I have tried turning off ALL firewalls (Zonealarm and MS firewall, the latter is always off anyway), and get the same results.

As for the network drive mapping, I did try directly typing in the computer/path to a known shared folder, both from the business comuter to a folder on the laptop and from the laptop to a folder on the business computer. In both I get a "can not do" window; I forget the exact language of the window message informing me that this path is not available or not permitted. I assume the correct address is \\computername\pathtofolder.

[tatrader]

Any other suggestions or actions to try, short of formatting and starting over with my laptop?

[kd1966]

You are correct, the syntax is \\computername\sharename

NOT path to the folder, ie, c:\documents and settings\username\my documents

An example is for a computer named "computer" and a shared folder named sharedfolder; the path would look like this:

\\computer\sharedfolder

It doesn't matter the actual path on the computer that is sharing the folder; also ensure the folder is actually being shared, as noted by the depiction of a hand underneath the folder when viewing in Explorer

[Baggyboy]

It is possible that some form of automated tweaking software (TweakXP for example) has disabled one of the services required for file-printer sharing. These tweaks are easily forgotten and can cause real headaches (personal experience). At present I am unable to share files and printers on my home network either, but I chose to make it that way! Plus i'm too lazy to go digging about in the management console for obscure services

Perhaps someone who knows what they are talking about can shed more light on this, ie. possible services that have been stopped, etc. As I only really have half a clue what i'm talking about... Which is probably self-evident!