Connecting to each other

You have done most things as a check.  Disable the XP firewall.  If you need more, search here as it has been covered to death.

As Johnallg has said, it is likely a firewall blocking the local area network. If you are running any third party firewalls (Norton Internet Security, McAfee, Zone Alarm, etc.) you need to configure the firewall to allow local network traffic. How this is done, depends on the which firewall is installed - read the manual. If you are running Windows XP SP1, the Windows firewall has to be completely disabled on the local area connection. If your are running Windows XP SP2, then File and Printer Sharing must be checked off on the Exceptions tab of the Windows Firewall dialog box.

Needless to say, if File and Printer Sharing have not been enabled, and/or drives or folders have not been designated as shared resources, then File and Printer Sharing will not work.

This information has been repeated day after day after day on these forums.

Steve

Which version(s) of Windows do you have? Which third party firewalls do you have? Are you sure you have considered all possible programs that may contain a firewall?

Steve

Thanks Steve!  I have a new I9100 with XP Home SP2.  The only firewall I have on it is the Windows firewall.  I have tried allowing file sharing and I have tried disabling the firewall entirely.  My desktop is a Dimension 8100 running XP Home SP2 connected to a Truemobile 2300.  I can connect to the internet through the I9100, but I can't get it to network with the D8100.  The D8100 recognizes the I9100 as part of the network, but won't connect.  The I9100 does not show any computer (even itself) as part of the workgroup.  The D8100 does have Zone Alarm which I have even disabled without result.  Ahhhhh!

Completely uninstall Zone Alarm until you solve the problem. You still haven't explicitly stated that you have enabled File and Printer Sharing and that you have designated drives or folders as shared resources. Have you? sorry to pester you about this, but trying to solve these problems from the other end of the internet is difficult, and when people say "I did all that", it doesn't help, because I can't see what "all that" is.

Steve

Steve,

I have indeeded enabled file and printer sharing and designated folders to be shared (on both computers).  I will indeed uninstall Zone Alarm, however the problem seems to be on the I9100 and it does not have ZA.  The Dimension 8100 with ZA does recognize both itself and the I9100 as part of the workgroup.  The I9100 does not show any computers in the workgroup????  thanks!!!!!

Jim

ok thanks, I turned off norton firewalls, and it connected.  Then using the wizard in the firewall section it automatically found the local computer and allowed it to access while blocking the rest of the world.

 

Jeff