Networking Vista and XP

anybody??

Networking is completely independent of the operating system or version of Windows running on the computers.  That's why Windows XP, ME, 95, Vista, 2000, NT, etc. can communicate with computers running MAC OS, LINUX, DOS, UNIX, etc. and is why the internet works.  It is completely transparent.  You don't provide enought information about your problem for me to provide specific details, but my best guess is that you have firewall software running on one or both of the computers that is not properly configured to allow local network traffic.

 

Steve

How is your network set up?  Can both computers access the internet?  Do you have security suites (like Norton Internet Security, McAfee Security Suite, Zone Alarm, etc.) installed on either computer?  If so, which one(s)?

 

Steve

Well, then what else do you need to know?

I played with it last night and made some progress, but first my setup.  Both computers are wired to a Linksys WRT55AG router, which is connected to a Motorola Cable modem.  The XP PC uses AVG free edition anti-virus and uses Windows Firewall.  The Vista PC has Norton Internet Security 2007, and I have disabled the firewall in that progam and opted to used Windows Firewall.

 

Last night while tinkering I found that both computers were not members of the same workgroup, so I changed this.  Now both computers can at least see each other and everything they have shared (a few folders and a printer on the XP PC.)  My Vista PC can access all the shared files and it can see the printer, but when I setup the printer and test it, nothing prints.  The XP PC can see the Vista one, but when I try to access it, it asks for a password (which I never set-up)

Since I have never seen Vista, I can't be of much help.  The combination of a new version of Windows and Norton always has a potential to cause problems.  All I can suggest is that you look at the following Microsoft Document on File and Printer Sharing and see if there is something in there that helps.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx

 

Steve

This looks like great stuff, I'll definitly try some of this when I get home from work.

The Fuzz53,

 

Windows Vista file sharing is significantly more complicated than it was in Windows XP, but Vista file sharing can be configured to approximately perform the same as Windows XP Simple File Sharing (vs. XP Classic File Sharing.)  To do this, password protected sharing needs to be off and both sharing permissions and NTFS security permissions need to be set.

 

Next, open the Network and Sharing Center and make sure Password Protected Sharing is off.  Then, use Windows Explorer and navigate to each folder or drive you want to share.  Open the Properties of the share and click the Sharing tab.  Enable sharing and click the Advanced button and then the Permissions button in the Advanced Sharing dialog.  Add "Everyone" (without the quotes) to Group or user names and then select the appropriate permission level you want and OK out.  Back in the Share dialog, click the Security tab and click the Edit button.  Again add "Everyone" to Group or user names and set the appropriate permission.  OK out.

 

You should now be able to access Vista shares from Windows XP.  However, Vista prohibits sharing to most system folders including \Windows, \Program Files, \ProgramData, etc.  You can share the root directory (ie., C:\) and that will enable the sharing of subfolders you create.  Individual user name folders that are subfolders of \Users are also shareable.

 

Occasionally Vista will still request a password when attempting to access a share even though password protected sharing is off.  (This seems to occur when the account names on the Vista and XP systems are the same.) My experience is that leaving the password field empty and simply pressing OK will give you access to the share.

 

Most likely the Vista PC came with a Security Suite, McAfee or Norton or another.  You will have to configure the firewall in the suite to permit file sharing.  Check into the "Trusted Zone" or similar nomenclature.  Enter the range of IP addresses being assigned by your router, not just the current IP address of each PC.

 

Regarding the printer, are you sure the printer has a Vista driver?  If yes, two things to try: First, after you have done all the above, try removing the printer in Vista, rebooting and then a fresh install of the printer.  If that does not solve it, remove the printer from Vista again.  Then install the printer as a locally attached printer and make sure it works.  Then re-connect the printer to the XP system and on the Vista system open the printer's properties and on the Ports tab, change the path to \\XPComputerName\ThePrinterName.  OK out.  See if you can print over the LAN.

When I added the networked printer to the Vista PC, it said that it was installing the drivers itself.  I'll have to look in the HP website to see if there are any drivers to download for Vista.

FYI,  I had slow internet connectivity for the past 2 weeks.  It took me forever to finally figure it out.  Basically, once I set up a local file sharing to my XP I started experiencing slow interenet.  I started doing some extensive trouble shooting.  I first started changing moving my modem to different parts of the house.  With no luck it would not change.  I started doing speed test on my XP computers, and I had the same results slow connectivity on all computers.  I then shutdown Vista, and I started getting normal download speeds.  So I knew it had to be something on Vista.  I finally disconnected my local file sharing with my XP, and I started seeing improvements on my interenet connection.  So if you are file sharing locally, then you may need to disconnect the file sharing drive.   

Paladin has provided some very useful advice and procedures. However, you'll also need to look at your firewall settings, and verify same other basic settings and parameters.

Please check out my computer blog (you need to use Internet Explorer  for it's in Microsoft *.mht archive format) on how I successfully resolved the XP <> Vista networking issue a

http://www.svabhinava.org/Dia-Gnosis/SuntharVisuvalingam/ComputerBlogs/VistaXP-frame.php

It provides links to other relevant threads involving users with a variety of different hardware, software, network, and wireless configurations.

If anyone else succeeds, please let the rest of us know what other or different steps you needed to take, by responding also to my original TechNet post here at

http://forums.microsoft.com/technet/ShowPost.aspx?postid=1683125&siteid=17

Sunthar

Have you checked the subnet of the PCs? I have a Win Vista machine and a XP machine on a Lan Modem that can "talk" both ways.

Make sure:

Both computers are on the same workgroup (check you already did that)

Both computers are on the same IP range (192.168.0.xxx or 192.168.1.xxx or something similar)

Share out the drive on the XP machine as normal (that's what I did)

On the vista machine, map the drive with \\computername\drive  set it to reconnect

You'll have to turn on the XP machine before the Vista machine in order for it to remap the drive.

If the printers connected to the Vista machine, share it out THEORETICALLY you shouldn't need drivers as the print job is being controlled from the other machine.

Go to the XP machine and do a start -> run   \\computername   where computer name is the name of the Vista machine. Right click the printer and connect.

Done

I have had the same problems trying to share between my XP and Vista. At this point I am thinking that the best way is to upgrade the memory in my laptop and upgrade it to Vista. I think I only have a couple of programs now that will not work with Vista so it might be easier than tearing out my hair for another 8 months. Or, I could format my desktop and load XP. That doesn't sound too good though.

I thought I had it once but the darn thing kept asking for a password even though it was shut off. Just hitting ok didn't work. We might be kicking a dead horse here. :smileymad:

I appreciated your article on XP and Vista. I've followed your plan up to the point of putting in the IP addresses of my XP desktop, and my Vista laptop, but I can't seem to locate the IP address of my XP desktop. The Vista map was helpful in locating the laptop's address. Can you help? Also, since I have Norton Internet Security on the laptop, but AT&T security suite on the desktop, I may have other firewall problems. Norton seems to be straightforward in this regard. Thanks for helping us all out.

John