Help -- Networking problem

Question

I have a Dell, Demension 4600i(windows XP)  I have a Linksys Router with an HP desk top (windows XP) and a Toshiba Laptop (windows XP) connected (Toshiba is wireless connection).  Recently something happened and I don't know how to correct it.  I can send e-mail, I can open my Internet Explorer and browse but I cannot get to the network and some e-mails that have video will not open because it says I am not connected to the network.  My network is called 'Mshome'.  When I am on my laptop and go to the network I can see the Dell but I cannot access it.   When I am on my Dell, I click on Start>My Network Places>View Workgroup computers..... at this point on all other pc's I get the option to click on Entire network.  On the Dell I get the message 'Mshome is not accessbile. You might not have permission to use it. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permission. The list of servers are not currently available.'   I am the only person on these pc's so I suppose I am the administrator.  I've ran PC Bug Doctor,  AdAware, Norton Systems,  Microsoft Antispyware, Registry Mechanic, Defraged, did clean up.  Nothing has changed.  I just don't know what to do to correct this.   Can anyone help me?

brownslock · Answer

Sounds like typical XP Home edition problems to me.  Easiest thing to permanently fix the problem if you can afford it is to upgrade to XP Pro.  But if that's not an option I would just run the network wizard again.  Try renaming the computers first.  If all the machines have floppy drives then you can make a network settings file disk and run around using the same file of network settings on them all.  That should cure it temporarily, but in my situation it happened every month or so until I upgraded to XP Pro.

jmwills · Answer

Forget the Wizard, it CAUSES more problems than it fixes. For a simple home network do the following:

Make sure all computers have the same workgroup name
Ensure that Simple File Sharing is enabled on each adapter (and then actually share a folder)
In this case (XP Home) only the My Documents folder can be shared
Firewalls: if you are running SP1 then make sure you have duplicate accounts setup on each machine, if SP2, the internal blocking will be fixed.
Make sure you are only running one Firewall, two is not better

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/learnmore/russel_02april08.mspx
http://www.homenethelp.com/connection-sharing.asp
http://www.theeldergeek.com/quick_guide_to_simple_file_sharing.htm

I disagree that merely switching to XP Pro will solve your problems. Pro has some advanced networking features not found in Home and my guess is the installation of Pro fixed some misconfiguration of the above poster.

Dimension 8300 with Windows XP Pro (SP2) -Intel P4 3.0 Ghz-1024mb PC2100 RAM - Disk 0: 80Gb Maxtor HDD (7200 RPM) - Disk 1: 80Gb HDD (7200 RPM) Samsung DVD 16x IDE -Sony DRU-510A DVD-/DVD+ DVDRW - Dell 18" Ultra Sharp Flat Panel - nVidia GeForce 5200 AGP 8x(128mb RAM) -Hauppauge Win350 TV Tuner/PVR - Intel Pro/100 Internal NIC- HP LaserJet 1012 -Netgear DG 632 Modem- Linksys BEFW11S4 Router

Power Edge 600SC with Enterprise Server 2003 - P4 2.4Ghz - 640mb Ram - Disk 0: 60Gb Maxtor HDD (7200 RPM) -Disk1: 80Gb Maxtor HDD - Disk 2: 80Gb Maxtor Gb HDD - Disk 3: 80Gb Maxtor Gb HDD - 48xCDROM - Intel Pro 1000 Gigabit NIC

Inspiron 600m w/XP MCE 2005
Dimension 2400 w/ XP Pro SP2
Dimension 4100 w/Longhorn Build #4740
Garmin iQue M5 w/Windows 2003 Mobile

Microsoft Certified Professional / Microsoft Partner / Microsoft MVP Windows Server & Networking (04-06)

brownslock · Answer

If you have remote access enabled to the computer, other folders besides the 'My Documents' folder can indeed be shared on XP Home edition.  Just right click on the folder, click on 'Properties', then select the 'Sharing' tab.   If you have remote access enabled, there will be options under the section 'Network Sharing and Security' that will allow you to give the folder a 'Shared' name and share it over the network.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Help -- Networking problem

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