Network

[sunnybrook]

I had a 98se box that accessed internet via a cable modem and hung other (98/xp) systems off a small lan with a 3com Home Connect hub in order to provide internet access to them. Everything worked fine and then I lost the 98se box (I also removed the other 98se system) so I put a network card in a xp home box on the lan and, no problem, I was able to access internet fine on that.

My setup currently is:

cable modem->xp box->switch->wap->xp laptop

or

cable modem->xp box->switch->xp laptop

depending on whether I hardwire or wireless the laptop.

Firewalls are off on both systems, they are both xp home.

I now can't get internet access on the laptop and I can't access the xp box either.

When I view workgroup computers on the laptop it shows the laptop (sometimes shows the xp box but I can't access it).

When I try to view them on the xp box I get an error message:

Workgroup is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available.

Any ideas?

[Zxian]

So... you had a network with ICS through a Windows 98 machine that worked, and now with XP it doesn't?

Why not just get yourself a cheap router and be done with it? You'll save yourself a LOT of headaches by laying down $20, and you'll be able to expand the network with as little work as plugging in the next computer.

[sunnybrook]

What? Did you read my post?

[Zxian]

Yes... I tried to, and I tried to offer a better suggestion. You didn't answer my question either. Are you trying to use ICS to distribute the internet to the XP Laptop?

If you are, I wouldn't recommend it. I've had too many headaches trying to setup ICS, and found it much easier to buy a router.

[sunnybrook]

A) I had a perfectly good operating network with two desktop machines operating 98SE, one desktop machine operating XP Home and a wired laptop running XP Home, they were all running under the same workgroup, one of the 98SE m/cs had connect to a cable modem and all m/cs were able to access all others on the network and all were able to access the internet.

B) I removed the one 98SE m/c that was not attached to the cable modem and introduced wireless access through a WAP for the laptop. Everything still worked ok (the laptop worked whether wired or wireless).

C) I removed the 2nd 98SE m/c leaving one m/c with XP Home and the laptop running XP Home. I added a network card to the desktop XP Home system and that is able to access the internet through that card no problem. However, that system is unable to see the laptop any more:

"Workgroup is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

(It still shows devices on the non-existent systems)

and the laptop cannot see the desktop system (err... sometimes it does but is not able to access it) and is (consequently) unable to access the internet.

You say "found it much easier to buy a router" and "Why not just get yourself a cheap router and be done with it? You'll save yourself a LOT of headaches by laying down $20, and you'll be able to expand the network with as little work as plugging in the next computer."

First of all I am in the UK and there is no such thing as a cheap router. You might get a switch/hub for that sort of money, if you are lucky, but not anything that will support, what I assume you are suggesting, the independent cable modem. Anyway, I was able "to expand the network with as little work as plugging in the next computer" (I didn't have to do anything with the xp box and laptop when I first installed them, except configure the laptop for the WAP). It wasn't until I removed the 2nd 98SE m/c and had to make theXP box the internet gateway that this trouble has occurred.

Thank you so much for the time and effort that you spent in responding to my question. I am sure that with my trusty memory stick and my neighbour's wireless router providing me with access to the internet, I can do everything that I need to do and not fork out any money. I could use a x-over cable (I have one, I don't need to buy that and, anyway its a lot cheaper than a router) and that may resolve the problem, particularly if the hub is the problem). As a last resort I can go to the nearest internet cafe, if I have to, and email files to myself. With all due respect, I don't need someone to tell me to spend money to solve a problem that isn't a problem to millions (well, perhaps hundreds of thousands) of people worldwide.

Essentially, I have two systems running XP Home and they are attached to a hub (the laptop either wired or wireless through a WAP) and they should be communicating with each other and one of them should be providing internet access for both machines.

[sunnybrook]

Any ideas?

[Zxian]

Wow... I try to offer a suggestion and I get flak... (I can hear the sarcasm quite clearly thank you)

If you've changed the network setup, then you need to run the Network Setup Wizard on the two XP machines. It sounds like you've simply changed the network locations of the computers, but not configured them for the new network setup.

I'm just wondering what in your existing network was distributing DHCP, or if you had all the computers set up on static IPs.

Secondly, if you're going to set the computers to be on a workgroup, make it anything other than "workgroup" or MSHOME. It's one of the first simple steps in network security.