Can't See Other Computers On Network

I recently switched from a wired network setup to a wireless one and I am having problems that I didn't have before with my wired network.

I am using LinkSys Wireless G with a wireless notebook adapter on my laptop.

Both computers have the MSHOME workgroup name and have the same SSID name and same key. I have no problem connecting to the internet but can't seem to see the other computer on either.

Both computers run Windows XP SP2.

Thanks in advance for any help. The Linksys website hasn't offered any solutions.

 

XP Firewall?

 

Nope

No, the XP Firewall is turned off on both systems. Also should have mentioned that I connect to the internet via a cable modem...if it matters.

 

SSID name must be 32 characters or less, must be only alphanumeric characters, is case sensitive, and hates spaces. Just as a double check, is the SSID you are using set that way?

Also, would you please post the IP and subnet mask for each PC.

 

Ssid

Yes, the SSID that I have for both computers is a 6 digit word in lowercase.

In order to find the IP and subnet mask for each PC I went into the router administration on each (is this where I should be looking?)

Both computers seem to have the same information:
IP=192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask=255.255.255.0

Thanks for your help as this wireless stuff is all new to me!

 

I think the IP address is the one in use by the router. To find and easily post the information from the PCs, do the following and then open the text file you will create on each PC and copy/paste the file contents here.

Click on start, on run, key in cmd and click OK. That will open a cmd window. From there key in the following and press ENTER then open the text file you just made.

Code:

ipconfig /all > c:\ipconfig.txt

We need to see all the information so please don't remove any or 'mask' it with ***** or similar. None of it will be dangerous to post on the forum.

 

ipconfig.txt

Here they are:
MAIN COMPUTER:
Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : kitchen

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-E9-51-EE-FE

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, November 17, 2004 12:11:11 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 19, 2004 12:11:11 PM

LAPTOP WITH WIRELESS ADAPTER:

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LAPTOP

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : grjo1.on.cogeco.ca



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : grjo1.on.cogeco.ca

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless-G Notebook Adapter ver.4.0

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-17-2A-72-49

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.226.10.193

24.226.1.93

24.226.10.194

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 18, 2004 5:18:01 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 19, 2004 5:18:01 AM

 

Hmmm. It could well be a problem with no mechinism for allowing the PCs to find each other.

Try this as a test. If it works you can either set both network cards with static IP addresses so they stay the same or else we can do more digging for the cause. My preference would be static addresses.

On both PCs, add the following to the hosts file in \system32\drivers\etc (and note that is hosts with no extension - if you don't have one, edit hosts.sam, add the entries, and save it as hosts)

192.168.1.100 kitchen
192.168.1.101 LAPTOP

I'm assuming here that you still have Client for Microsoft Networks and File & Printer Sharing active on both PCs and that both of them have something (file/folder/printer) shared.

 

Dazed and Confused

Okay, I decided I had better double check that both computers had the Microsoft Client enabled, etc.

When I went to the laptop under Network Connections, I found the following 3 things:
1. Wireless Network Connection (Connected, Firewalled),
2. Local Area Connection Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller (Disabled,Firewalled )
3. 1394 Connection (Connected/Firewalled).

So I am guessing the Wireless connection here is a good thing but maybe the Local Area Connection should be enabled??

When I check on my main (kitchen) computer, I only had 1 connection
1. Local Area Connection (Connected/Intel ProIntel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection) which I think is the same thing I had connected when my system was wired.

So is this normal or what? Again...the internet is no problem here, just the sharing. I feel like a computer newbie again with all of this wireless stuff and I appreciate your patience.

Oh and yes, the Microsoft Client for Networks in enabled and I have both computers sharing some files. Just thought I should relay this info before I tried what you suggested.

Thanks again.

 

Hosts File

I decided to edit the Hosts file on both computers, and did a reboot on each to see if that worked. It didn't.

 

How about going back to basics. Can you ping by IP address?

Assuming Newt's address assignment is right

From Kitchen, ping 192.168.1.101
From Laptop, ping 192.168.1.100

If you cannot ping by IP this is likely to be a basic connection or TCP/IP problem.

If you can ping IP, netxt try to ping by name:

From Kitchen, ping Laptop
From Laptop, ping Kitchen

If this fails you have a name resolution problem.

If you can ping by name, but are still having problem connecting to the other PC, I expect you have a problem with Network Neighbourhood. Try typing the target computer name in the address box in Network Neighbourhood:

From Kitchen, \\Laptop or even \\192.168.1.101
From Laptop, \\Kitchen or \\192.168.1.100

 

Problem Solved

Well, my problem has finally been solved. FYI, Here's what went on: I tried to ping my laptop from my kitchen using the name and the IP and both failed. Same happened when I tried from my laptop to kitchen.

I then typed in the IP in the address bar of "My Network Places ". It was then that I had Norton Anti-Virus pop up and ask permission for Windows Subsystem to access the internet. I granted permission and BOOM...I could immediately see my laptop and vise versa.

Weird thing is, I had disabled my Norton Internet Security when all of this nonsense started thinking that it was maybe causing a firewall problem. I had no idea that my Norton Anti-Virus program was somehow over-riding my disable and acting as firewall.

What I don't understand is why the permission box did not pop up any other time when I was trying to access the laptop... only when I tried from the My Network Places" address box. Any ideas??

I do appreciate everyone's help with this matter and hopefully my saga will help someone else. I am thrilled that it's working now and if I hadn't tried the pinging I never would have figured it out. THANKS