Windows networking Issues

Hey guys/gals,
I'm new to the forum but not entirely new to setting up a home network.
Although I feel like it's something I've never done before because I'm having a really hard time all of the sudden.
I'm trying to get file and print sharing setup between all machines on my network but things don't seem to be working correctly. I have a guy helping me and he is generally "THE MAN" with these things but it's kickin his behind as well.
We can ping other machines successfully but when opening "My network Places" we either don't see the other machines or if we do see them we don't see the shared files on each machine.
I'm thinking going back and starting from scratch.
Is there a step by step somewhere on the forum or can anyone provide me with said info?
Here's another strange one. If I click on "My Network Places" "Entire Network" will not appear. If I Expand (click on + sign) "My Network Places" I can then see "Entire Network ". This seems to hold true on down the line as well. On all of my machines.

 

Network file sharing suddenly not working as expected: sounds like it could be the "QoS packet scheduler" issue raising its head again. Have a look at this post:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=71521

 

I tried removing "QoS packet scheduler" but it still doesn't work.
I'm running AVG Free and the Free addition of ZoneAlarm. I'm not sure if these two could be an issue but with them shut down it still doesn't work.
as before I can see the other machines and can ping them but when I click on them in Explorer it fails.

 

It's common for "Entire Network" not to appear initially. That doesn't make it any less annoying, but I don't think that a peculiar symptom.

What error message do you get?

Also can you confirm your OS. I assume XP, but is this home or pro, or even Vista?

 

Unfortunately I'm out of town right now but I believe that the message was something to the effect of not having permissions/ contact the admin or something to that effect.
Now something new did occur, my daughter came in from college for the week and I setup her laptop on the network. My machine can see hers and access the folders and hers can access mine. Neither can access any other machine nor can the others access them. I noticed this new occurrence late last night. I had to leave for business early today so I didn't get to research much more.

All of the machines are XP Pro SP2.
Also I'm using the D-Link DIR655 router.

 

Ok the error message I get reads;
\\pc1 is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

Network path not found.

 

I'm still unable to get my pcs to access each other or the laptops.
As stated in an earlier post 2 of the laptops can access each other wirelessly but no other machine can access them nor can the laptops access the PCs.
Any ideas?
Is there a way I can copy the settings from one machine and move them to another via flash drive?

 

Try connecting by \\ipaddress\sharename

 

Ok I tried that in Windows explorer, I'm not sure if that is where I was supposed to try it from.
My tech guy that was helping me with this through his hands in the air and gave up.
Oh and along with the D-Link DIR655 router I am also using a D-Link DES-1108 switch.
I have 2 network printers and can connect to them from any machine.
Also I have AT&T Global Network Client (Version 7.2.1.3002) on the 3 other machines. Two of those also have hyper access. I wasn't running either of these while trying to connect but I thought I should add this info just in case it makes a difference.

 

How have you shutdown Zonealarm ? Theses firewalls load up as service on booting & you cannot normally shut them down without disabling the service.

 

Yea I've tried shutting it down.
The funny thing is that running or not my laptop and my daughters can access each others files. We just can't access any other machines nor can they access ours.

 

Are they on wireless or wired LAN ? What about machines ?

Can all the machines access internet ?

 

All machines can access the internet.
All machines can print to both network printers. (One printer is wireless)
The 2 that can access each other are wireless.
We have 2 other PCs "wired" and one other laptop "Wireless "
All are connecting through the D-link DIR655 piggybacked with a D-link DES-1108 desktop switch. Well kind of.
At my home I only have the router at my office I have the router switch combo.
Same brand and model router in both places. The networks are setup with identical settings. The two laptops that can access each other can do so at either place. My home network has a pc as well as the wifes laptop that cannot communicate with each other or mine and the daughters laptop.

 

Have you checked File and printer shearing is allowed through in built windows firewall if its enabled?

Is your network on a workgroup or a domain based network?also check the settings on your wireless router to see if its blocking any LAN traffic.

can you access the unreachable hosts using UNC.

eg:If one of the unreachable hosts IP is 192.168.0.5 try accessing like this by typing the following in the RUN dialog box

\\192.188.0.5\[sharename]

 

I'm not using the windows firewall but I do have file and print sharing checked on all machines.

It's on a workgroup.
I'll check the router again.

Nope. it tells me "Network Path not found "

 

Try the suggestions on the following MS KB articles

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913628

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318030/

 

Ok I finally found it.
I went into the network connection properties and turned off everything but "Client For Microsoft Networks ", "File and Print Sharing" and "TCP/IP ".
It started working. I knew that some of this was needed for the VPN "AT&T Global Dialer" which I have to have on the PCs and one laptop. Now I use the VPN for 2 connections. One is a dialup connection to a Fed Govt. server the other is a broadband Connection for a state Govt. server.
I tested the dialup first and it works fine. Next I tested the broadband connection...no dice!
I go back into properties and turn on "AGN Filter Interface" now the broadband connection works but I can no longer access the shared folders.
I can easily turn this off and on as I need it but it's going to be very cumbersome to get the rest of the office to do this.
Is there a work around for this??

 

Seems like your net provider does not wants the net connection to be shared on a LAN. Talk to your net provider & see if he can help you.

 

Why is that?
All of the machines are connecting to the net without a problem.
The issue is with them not being able to connect to each other and accessing the shared drives and or folders.

 

Its either LAN or Internet. Not both at the same time !