Network Problems
February 28, 2005 12:43 PM   Subscribe

I can't get one of my computers to communicate on the network...and I feel as if I've tried everything

I have a wireless router (A microsoft basestation) and three computers. One computer (computer A) is hooked up through a cable, the next computer (computer B) is hooked up wirelessly. They can share files, print over the network and get to the internet just fine. Computer C will get to the internet, but will not communicate with the other two.

I've tried:

Searching google for answers
making sure the workgroup is the same
changing the work group
updating all computers on xp sp2
disabled all firewalls
enabled all firewalls
I've used Microsoft Base station software
and I've used something called Network Magic

all have failed. How do I get computer C to talk to the othe two computers?
posted by Hands of Manos to Computers & Internet (21 answers total)
 
can you ping the others from C and C from the others?
posted by airguitar at 12:46 PM on February 28, 2005


Check TCP/IP > Advanced. See if NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled.
posted by airguitar at 12:49 PM on February 28, 2005


On computer C, check:

My Network Places > Entire Network > Microsoft Windows Network

See if the name of your workgroup is listed there, if so, what's in it?
posted by airguitar at 12:51 PM on February 28, 2005


Is computer C wired or wireless?
posted by airguitar at 12:55 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: yes, all of them ping each other just fine

tcp/ip - I did that, I think...I enabled all.

airguitar: C is wireless. I did what you said (network>entire>ms net) yes it's there.
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:04 PM on February 28, 2005


HoM - what do you mean by talk? What do you want C to do? Share files, what? There was a previous axme similar to this, have you tried typing the ip address of a/b vs using the computer name? net us q: \\192.168.1.5\my_share vs computerC\my_share ?

It it would be good to know what application you are trying specifically.
posted by AllesKlar at 1:13 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: Alles,

My apologies.

I want the computers to all share files (be able to print) etc, etc.

I need to apologize (on preview) as I do not understand how to do what you are saying (the net us q: \\ ) <--do I need to put that in the run command?
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:15 PM on February 28, 2005


Two things that have bit me recently (don't know if they apply):

1) Make sure computer C had a password for the login. Non-password machines have limited access

2) Make sure you don't have ANOTHER firewall running! I had BOTH Norton and Microsoft firewalls enabled on a Dell laptop I recently bought.....

Finally I try debugging using this webpage:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/

Good luck!
posted by Instrumental at 1:17 PM on February 28, 2005


Start > Run > \\192.168.1.103 (or whatever the IP address of computer C is)

also, key point about the password...
posted by airguitar at 1:19 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: Instrumental,

How do I set up a password (it's without one as far as I know)
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:19 PM on February 28, 2005


On Windows XP, it's Control Panel, User Accounts, Change an Account, etc.

You would know if you had to enter a password when logging on.....if not, try adding one and see (I'm no network expert!)
posted by Instrumental at 1:24 PM on February 28, 2005


This is tricky, as you're network is wireless, make sure you are using WEP, etc. Setup the folder / security options so that said folder is accessible by "everyone" with the appropriate read / write attributes. Additionally, you may have to setup "users" to provide access, using the computer name as the login name. Go into control panel "users and passwords" When running the netuse command, if there is a password issue, you'll be prompted. "enter password"
posted by AllesKlar at 1:24 PM on February 28, 2005


Damn... "you're" = your; I'm an idiot.
posted by AllesKlar at 1:37 PM on February 28, 2005


If your wireless router is smart, it's blocking file/print sharing. It is very, very, very, very difficult to do what you want to do without opening up all your files to anyone with a wireless card.

I wouldn't recommend it, to be honest -- but if you want to do it, I'd contact the wireless router's manufacturer for tech support. If all the machines are configured the same, and it's only the wireless one that doesn't work, that seems to indicate a problem with the wireless networking.

If possible, attach computer C to the network using cables, and see if it works then. If it does, then you know it's a wireless issue.
posted by Jairus at 1:47 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: No AllesKlar, I'm the idiot!

Okay so I've tried all of these things, I think with no luck.

Since I'm grabbing for straws, maybe I can say these things and one of you might go "A ha! that's the problem"

On my network connections I have these things on it:

Internet Gateway
(and then under it, it says "Broadband Connection on MS Wireless Basestation -- Connected"

Then the next heading is:
Lan or High Speed Internet
Wireless Neetwork Conncetion - Connected

When I click on it I get the thing associated with the wireless card (which is a Ralink RT2500 Wireless)

Client for MS Networks
Service Advertising Protocol
File and Printer Sharing for MS Networks
QoS PAcket Scheduler
NWLink NetBIOAS
Internet Protocal (TCP/IP)

All three computers are to the same workgroup (workgroup "HANDS")

A and B can see C. C can see A and B. A can access B's files (and visa versa). C cannot access files nor can files be accessed from it.

They all have pinged on each system.

Does this help at all?
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:54 PM on February 28, 2005


Hands of Manos - Without dropping in with VNC or something I'm a little crippled as to what else to do:
If you are able to ping, it sounds like a weird name resolution issue.

I would suggest you try mapping the drives again:

net use q: \\192.168.1.5\shared_folder

or net use q: \\computerC\shared_folder

This should be ran from the dos prompt; If this doesn't work you should get an error code; google for an explanation and try to work from there.

Like I suggested earlier, it could be a permissions issue. Note that when you set a folder for shared access, there are share properties to set, as well as security options, these must be aligned with the machines attempting to share resource X.

I don't have net access at home, so I wish you the best of luck ~ Cheers
posted by AllesKlar at 2:27 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: Hi AllesKlar,

Thanks for all your help. When I run the command (net use q:) I get an error 53 no network patch found

Does that sound familiar?
posted by Hands of Manos at 2:59 PM on February 28, 2005


Response by poster: One other thing, I tried mapping the drive using the tools in XP and it returned this message

(Attempting to connect to...) < --that took a minute so that at least it let me know it was searchingbr>
The Mapped Network drive could not be created because the following has occurred: The Specified server cannot perform the requested operation
posted by Hands of Manos at 3:03 PM on February 28, 2005


Try entering the computer names and their respective IP addresses in the hosts file in all of the computers
The location should be as follows:

Windows XP Home c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

use a text editor and put the ip and "name" of each machine in each respective host file.

example:
192.168.1.5 computerc
192.168.1.4 computerb
posted by AllesKlar at 3:56 PM on February 28, 2005


I liked the idea of plugging C into the router directly, to isolate if it's a wireless issue.

Also, unless you're on a Novell network, you don't need NWLink, you can delete it.

When you say that A B and B can all 'see' eachother, does that mean you see a listing for each in the 'My Network Places>Entire Network>Microsoft Windows Network>HANDS' window?

preview: editing the hosts file would be kosher if he were able browse files on C using an IP address... but if even that fails, it would seem not to be a name resolution issue, only, if at all...
posted by airguitar at 4:04 PM on February 28, 2005


also, with the error:"error 53 no network patch found", I get nothing from google, could you clarify that if you get it again?
posted by airguitar at 4:41 PM on February 28, 2005


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