Annoying Network problem

[Varadero125]

Hi one and all…

I hope you can point me in the right direction with my problem as I’m in danger of losing all my hair through sheer stress

Knowing my luck with pc’s its probably something simple but it has me at a lose at the mo….so if anyone can suggest any ideas were to look and etc ….I will be extremely grateful.

I am trying to set up a basic home network with two pc’s..…with the hope off adding a third…once everything is up and running.

At the moment I simply wish to set up a network between my main pc (which is running XP SP1) and an old base unit in which I wish to use as a glorified MP3 player. This unit is running 98 SE and is far too steam driven to upgrade to XP

The problem I have is that the old base unit doesn’t detect any shared folders/drives etc when both pc’s are up and running. I look in Network Neighbourhood and it doesn’t show anything….not even Entire Network. Yet my main pc can see the shared files on both computers. Just to confuse the situation further…when I switch off the main pc and just have the old unit running ….only then can it detect the shared files on its own drives and even the name of my home network.

I simply cannot figure out what is preventing the base unit from seeing the network and files when both pc’s are running?? And I have no idea which pc has the problem??

I’m using a Belkin wireless router that acts as the hub for the two pc’s and also provides wireless internet access for the third pc I mentioned earlier. Each pc has only one NIC installed and this system work perfectly in terms of accessing the internet (Including the old base unit),

I think I have included as much info as I can…..please let me know if you require any more.

Many thanks….

Varadero125 B)

[Brodieman]

Ok, been a while since I've used 98 but...

I am assuming that the wireless router is assigning the IP address to both machines so.

1) try pinging the XP machine from the 98 machine, and then the 98 Machine from the XP machine (both by IP address, then by machine name)

2) if pinging works with ip address try on your 98 machine going to run and entering \\<IP Address> and see if anything pops up...

Also something the way the XP machine is configured can be a problem, in the sense that it only allows guest account to login... to change this:

On your XP Machine goto Run

Enter GPEDIT.MSC

Go in to "Computer Configuration"

Go in to "Windows Settings"

Go in to "Security Settings"

Go in to "Security Options"

Open the "Network Access: Sharing and Security model for local accounts" and change from "Guest Only" to "Classic"

There is probably a more simple issue at hand but the above is worth a try just to help diagnose the issue.

[Varadero125]

Hi Brodieman...

Thanks for that.

I have tried everything you said and got mixed results...... they are as follows...

Yes...The router is automaticly assigning the IP address to the machines .

The Ping test works....both IP address and machine name......but only on the XP machine. The 98 machine is having none of it and is "Timing Out"

Again....only the XP machine will allow me view the shared files/drives by typing the IP address into the run command. The 98 machine doesn't do anything.....it justs sits there....thinking about it

I've tried the GPEDIT.MSC on the XP machine but it doesn't find it?? Its says it cannot find the file.....

Varadero125

Edited November 27, 2005 by Varadero125

[eyeball]

never tried this myself so not 100% on this, but what would happen if you installed netbios over tcp/ip on both machines and used that as the protocol over which to communicate? would this help matters?

my reason for saying this is can see win xp being backwards compatible with 98 but cant see win 98 being very "forwards compatible" with XP . if that makes any sense lol

[Varadero125]

Thanks for that eyeball....

most appreciated.....but it hasn't solved the problem .....what it has done however is show the entire network icon in Network Neighborhood on my 98 pc...... but it still cannot see my home network

Another step closer though ......

Are any other suggestions??

Varadero125

[Ghostrider]

Make sure file and printer sharing is installed on the Win98 computer, also make sure you login using a network login not windows login. finally make sure that the tcp/ip for your network card is set as the default protocol

[Varadero125]

Hi Ghostrider...

Thanks for the reply.

Everything you mention is present and correct on the 98 pc..... but it still will not recognise the home network or any shared files on both pc's. XP pc is fine and sees both pc's and their shared files.

I have tried the ping test again and the 98 pc only pings itself and not the router or the XP pc. The XP is fine on all 3 tests.

I am still at a lose as to why this is happening.....could it possibly be a hardware fault?? or is it more likely to be another configuration problem??

I have tried swapping cables around but this makes no difference either way.

Many thanks

Varadero125

[PhillyGeek]

Well if the WIN98 machine cannot ping the router I would say there is an issue. Odd ping issues in my experience have been mainly really wacky IPSEC settings or trying to ping a machine with XP SP2 firewall turned on. Neither of these seams to be the issue. I am however forced to ask why you would put any XP machine without SP2 on the internet, as I assume you are? Even professionals with multiple levels of protection would prefer not to put SP1 on the internet.

Until the 98 machine can ping the router don't worry about it pinging the XP machine, and once you ping the router try the XP machine. Once you can do that then focus on seeing and sharing the files.

We have ONE 98 machine here in our office and many of the shares have had to be created twice so that that machine can access it. 98 will not see any share/folder with "unacceptable characters" in it, namely a space. So once you can ping the 98 machine, ensure that the fold is shared without any spaces in the name or weird characters, that it is short, and that you make sure the proper permission for the share are in place, as well as the file/folder permissions if the files are on the XP machine. If you can ping the XP machine but still cannot see the files try going to the "run" box and typing in this \\machinename\sharename, obviously use the machine name for the machine in question and the share name for the proper share. We have always had issues with 98 browsing the network and have honestly found that for the one machine it was significantly easier to simply create permanent links to the few required shares. Other around might have had more imperative to make it work and might have better solutions.

[Varadero125]

Hi one and all......

Just wonna thank everyone for there suggestions & advice on my networking problem. I am extremely grateful to you all.

I have finally cracked it and turns out it was my firewall that was causing the problem.... no hardware fault.... no config prob.... just plain and simple firewall blocking.

I just knew it would turn out to be something simple.

Once again.....Many thanks.

Varadero125