Thanks for the suggestions. In order: - the networking card is working fine, I can ping the computer from any of the other ones in the lab, I can even transfer files from that particular computer to any other computer in the lab -I have not changed any of the policy settings in the pc so far, I will try that next - File print and sharing is installed and working, I can use the network printer no problem - I tried connecting to the ip address but it gives me the same error answer, it is not my setup I am just the grad student who fixes things when the guys at IT services at the U. of Windsor can't. One thing that I forgot to add was that the computer was working fine 2 weeks ago, then the IT service people banned the IP address because of a virus in the machine the IP address was restored but the error persisted.