Question about Windows networking between wired and wireless computers.

January 28, 2005 12:17 PM

Windows Networking. Computer A can see B and C; computers B and C can both see A. How do I make B see C? [+]

Computer A: W2K connected via ethernet to router.
Computer B: XP connected wirelessly to router.
Computer C: W2K connected via ethernet to router.

Router: D-Link DI 624

All computers can ping each other and surf the Net.

I've tried resharing, renaming, rebooting, etc. ad nauseaum. All firewalls are disabled. What am I missing?

posted by Asef Jil to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

Do you have a common "domain / workgroup" for each machine?
posted by AllesKlar at 12:29 PM on January 28, 2005

Response by poster: I've also tried mapping a network drive with the \\Server\sharename, withough success.
posted by Asef Jil at 12:31 PM on January 28, 2005

Response by poster: Yes, they're all part of the same workgroup.
posted by Asef Jil at 12:32 PM on January 28, 2005

Guessing you're using XP file sharing and this is what you're trying to see in B< ->C and that file sharing is enabled on both of these machines. Is the wireless getting it's IP addressed assigned via DHCP in the same subnet as C? It might be the router is doing it's job routing ICMP from the subnet that B is on to the subnet that C is on. Hence successful pings. But I'm not sure XP file sharing is routable across subnets easily. Might be worth a shot to check that all machines in this network are in the same subnet.

I've seen this before and we fixed it by forcing all clients on the same subnet. Not sure if it happens, but your DLink could put the wireless address space on one subnet and the wired networks in a different address space.
posted by mnology at 12:38 PM on January 28, 2005

I had this problem. I think. Go to Start > Set Program Access and Defaults > Add/Remove Windows Components. In the ensuring pop-up window, make sure the Network support boxes are checked (Networking Services, and Other Network File and Print Services). If those boxes aren't checked, it will let you set up a network but it won't work. It took me a very frustrating month to figure it out when I set up my network.
posted by Doohickie at 12:42 PM on January 28, 2005

ensuing. Crap.
posted by Doohickie at 12:42 PM on January 28, 2005

When you ping the machines, are you pinging by the ip address or by the computer names? Sounds like some kind of name resolution issue; Do you have NetBEUI installed on the net connection?
posted by AllesKlar at 12:45 PM on January 28, 2005

Response by poster: I just implemented Doohickie's suggestion ('cause it seemed the easiest) but it has made no difference. Thanks anyway though as I would probably have needed to have those boxes checked at some point or another. Trust Microsoft--you can sort of network if you don't check the boxes, but if you *really want to network, you better check the boxes.

AllesKlar, I can ping all computers both by IP and name.

I think I'll explore the separate subnet theory.
posted by Asef Jil at 1:11 PM on January 28, 2005

If a computer can't be seen, share a directory on it.

I just had this problem a couple of days ago.
posted by Chuckles at 1:16 PM on January 28, 2005

you can try \\IP_address\share name. It might just be an issue of name resolution. If this is the case, you can manually add C into B's hosts file. That's kind of a last resort kind of thing I guess. But seriously, try connecting by IP address and see if it works.
posted by bDiddy at 1:24 PM on January 28, 2005

Response by poster: Wow. Thanks bDiddy--that solved it. Actually, thanks everyone for your help.
posted by Asef Jil at 1:37 PM on January 28, 2005

windows networking has always been a pain in the ass at game LANs for me.

Alot of the problems get solved just by restarting one or more of the computer several times.
without changing any settings.
posted by Iax at 7:01 PM on January 28, 2005