XP, 98, Linsys Router, IPX NetBeui File and Print Sharing

I've searched the boards here on this and can't find a solution.

4 Boxs all networked togther with LinkSys Router with built in 4 Port Switch.

2 are XP Pro other 2 are 98 SE.

Unboud TCP/IP from Client for MS Network and File and Print Sharing on all four machines.

Loaded the IPX/SPX and NetBEUI protocols on all 4 machines.

All computer have folders to shared out.

1st problem was 98 boxes could see everyone but XP boxes were only seeing themselves.

On the 98 boxes I changed primary logon to Client for MS Networks and now they show up on the XP boxes.

Here's the catch. When I use either XP box and go to a shared folder on either of the 98 boxes it takes forever - 2 mins - for the shared folder to display and then XP shows there being nothing in it.

What am I doing wrong here?

I admit I like the idea that not binding file and print sharing nor client for MS Networks to TCP/IP gives me a little extra security but this seems like a heck of a hassle. I have an ISP firewall, the NAT (firewall) fo the router and Norton Internet Security 2003 on all machines. In all the remote security scans I've done, including GRC, no port has ever shown up as open.

Will I really benefit that much from switching all of this over to IPX/SPX and NetBEUI?

Cheers,

Gary

 

Glad you made some progress at least.

You can use IPX/SPX or NetBeui but no need at all to use both on your LAN. And you only need to do the binding tweaks once so not a huge amount of hassle.

That being said, I use TCP/IP for everything on a LAN similar to yours and haven't had problems. But if I ever do get bit, I'll be sorry I didn't do as many on here have suggested and run the additional protocol and unbind TCP/IP from my LAN stuff.

For the rest, try enabling the guest account on your XP boxes (disabled by default on XP-Pro) and enable "simple file sharing" (windows explorer~tools~folder options~view and it should be the bottom item). Then make sure the 9X PCs are having the user log on with a username/password. With Guest enabled, XP won't care who is logged on but will want someone.

 

Fixed It Fixed It Fixed It !!!!!

Got it working flawlessly!!

Here's how:

Removed all traces of IPX/SPX from all four machines.

Installed NetBeui on the XP boxes - correctly this time - with the help of MS KB article #301041.
What I originally thought I was loading as NetBEUI turned out to be the XP NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBios compatible transport protocol - whatever that is!!

Set NetBEUI as default protocol on both 98 boxes - restarted all machines - everyone sees everyone else.

I posted a question a while back about lag in shared drives between the time the drive was accessed and the time the the folder information showed up - lag is now gone!!!!

When I click on my sharedmedia folder on my little 'file server' its contents now show up instantly even though it's over 20GB in size!!

A big FAT thank you to all those who whose suggestions and ideas prompted me to dig a little more on my own and helped finally figure this out. Once I realized what was wrong it was a five minute fix!!

Nothing compares to the WindowsBBS members for speedy, knowledgeable and cordial answers to the most simple or complicated windows questions - hats off to this BBS once again. These are the reasons the windows BBS has earned its place as a shortcut on my desktop - as my wife would tell you - very few things get to reside there!!

Thanks Again!

Gary

 

Excellent. Most excellent.

The XP NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBios compatible transport protocol is basically a way to allow XP to talk to a Novell server running in it's native mode.