[Tech] help with my LAN

[Taffy]

More specifically, file-sharing between computers. My Vista machine can dtect my XP machine, and vice-versa. However, neither will let me connect to the other. when I click on 'Family-computer' to connect to the XP machine, it comes up with 'Windows cannot access \\Family-computer'. I think this means that the XP machine is blocking me from file-sharing. How do I stop it doing that?

 

[Iron_fist]

it sounds like you need to change settings on your firewall, what Firewalls\Anti-virus are you running on each machine?

 

[Taffy]

On XP, i'm running bullGuard. On vista, just the windows firewall. however, I disableed both of them with no joy. I still couldn't connect to either.

 

[VibroAxe]

it may be that filesharing is not actually enabled on ether machine. On the xp machine have u run network setup and told it to allow file sharing, and in vista network mananger thingy has an option to turn it on

 

[Taffy]

Yep, it's allowed on both machines.

 

[Nanor]

What router are you running, out of curiosity?

 

[Taffy]

It's a NetGear Wireless WGR614. But I'm using an ethernet cable as the wireless signal isn't too good.

No-one else have any ideas as to what it might be?

 

[Traxata]

Taffy, I've just figured out a solution to this problem, I've not looked at a way around it yet, but.

You need to have the same username on both machines, and possibly even the same passwords to connect, My laptop uses the same username as my desktop, but none of the other machines in the house do, only my laptop is allowed access to my shared folders, (any shared folder that isn't PUBLIC).

I made a new user on kirby's PC, named it Edward, and then connected to my PC, it asked for the password, and then It let me in, so I'm not sure how or why its being a pain in the arse, but it is.

I think that will be a quick-fix solution for you temporarily.

 

[Ronin Storm]

I think that Taffy's problem here is that the computers can't even see each other's shared folders. That correct, Taffy?

 

[Taffy]

correct Ronin. They detect each other, but deny me access to the computer. Thus, I cannot see any folders, files etc.

 

[Traxata]

Hmm, so on the vista machine, you open network and sharing center, click view computers and devices, and it shows you the other machines on the network, yes?

if so, you click on the other machines, and then it tells you, you can't connect. On your local network, are the machines on the same domain, and sub mask ?

Domain shouldn't be a problem, its usually "workgroup" unless you've changed it, the sub mask, if its the standard basic one that most routers give you, will be;

192.168.x.x

Mine is currently 192.168.2.10->30 with my PC being 192.168.2.21
I can view all the machines from my Vista desktop, they're all variations of 192.168.2.X , but as I said before, unless they're logged in as user Edward, they cannot access my PC.

So er, back to you, Taffy, what can you do currently, and are the machines on the same sub mask.

 

[Taffy]

Correct trax. How do I check what sub-mask the computers are under?

It was originally set up as a wireless network, but I got a cable instead. I just plugged it into the router and got on with it though, I didn't set up a network in the proper way. could that be causing the problem?

 

[VibroAxe]

ok taffy, back to elementary stuff...

what versions of xp/vista are you using. i'm giong to place a bet at least one of them is a pro box.

second, can both machines ping each other?

 

[Taffy]

XP is Pro, yep. Vista is Home Premium.

What do you mean by ping each other? And how would I find that out?

 

[Traxata]

press the WINDOWS key and hold it, then press R

type in CMD

When CMD Prompt opens

type in ipconfig

at the top it will tell you IPv4 Address, or IP Address on the XP machine,

write that down and go to the other machine, Open the CMD prompt again, now type PING X.X.X.X ( X represents the IP address you've written down ).

Watch what happens, then report back to us!

 

[Taffy]

I don't know how, but all of a sudden I'm able to file-share. How strange.

Thanks for all your help guys, much appreciated