Trouble setting up a home network

Question

I've been struggling with this one for awhile. Any help will be appreciated.   I have two computers at my house that I'm trying to set up on a network so that they can share files and a printer. I have a cable modem connected to a Netgear router -- computer1 is cable connected from the router, computer2 is connected via wireless. Both computers can access the internet without a problem.   I've run through the Windows home network wizard, and made sure that they both reference the same workgroup ('HOME'). However, I can't 'see' either computer from the other when I run 'View workgroup computers' from 'My Network Places'. I've made sure that the Windows firewall is off on both computers.   I can't ping either computer from the other. The IP address for computer1 is '192.168.1.2' and for computer2 its '192.168.105.100'. (Should the third number be different???). Another piece of info: I was't able to ping the gateway address from computer2.

esquire · Answer

Does your computer2 have access to the Internet?  It may look like computer2 is connected to a different network.  Assuming the router is located at 192.168.1.1, and if computer1 is at 192.168.1.2, then computer2 should be at 192.168.1.3, etc.   Can you post the results of running IPCONFIG /ALL on each computer for us to look at?   Start > Run > Cmd Type and excute:  IPCONFIG /ALL

msumarty · Answer

...and here's the ipconfig for computer2. And I immediately see that the IP address I had in my first note is not what shows here. I'm not sure where I got the other address from, but this one looks more of what I would have expected.

Windows IP Configuration

       Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Gagnier2
       Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
       Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
       IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
       WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

       Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
       Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG311v2 802.11g Wireless PCI
Adapter
       Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-05-F5-A8
       Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
       Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
       IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
       Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
       Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, April 30, 2006 5:28:09 AM
       Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, April 30, 2006 7:22:09 PM

msumarty · Answer

Both computers can access the Internet. I suspect that the IP address for computer2 is wrong, but I'm not sure what to do to fix it (this is my first exposure to networking).

Anyway, here is the ipconfig info for Computer1. I'll send it for computer2 in a separate reply....

Windows IP Configuration

       Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : GAGNIER1
       Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
       Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
       IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
       WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

       Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
       Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
       Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-E9-54-E4-9D
       Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
       Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
       IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
       Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
       Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
       Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, April 30, 2006 8:13:27 AM
       Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, May 01, 2006 8:13:27 AM

msumarty · Answer

I am not able to ping either computer from the other.   I had Norton Internet Security running on computer1, but removed it when trying to resolve another problem. Computer2 is a brand new Dell which has had no security software running on it (as far as I can tell).   Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but when I select 'View Workgroup Computers' from My Network Places on computer1, I get the message that 'Home is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. The network path was not found'.

esquire · Answer

At least we now know both computers appear to be on the same network :smileyvery-happy:

Apart from Windows Firewall, are you running any security application on either computer, e.g., Norton Internet Security?

Have you also tried pinging one computer from the other?

Message Edited by esquire on 04-30-200610:01 PM

volcano11 · Answer

All new Dell computers come with some kind of firewall preinstalled. All indications are that a firewall is blocking local network access. If you have any doubt, uninstall all firewall programs until you can get it to work, then go back and reinstall the firewall after carefully reading the documentation on the firewall so you know how to properly configure it to allow local network access.

Steve

msumarty · Answer

Steve, you nailed it! I was so focused on the Windows firewall, that I completely overlooked the fact that there could be another firewall. Sure enough, I found the McAfee firewall running, and blocking all traffic with my other computer. After I configured it, I was able to make progress, and eventually got the two computers talking to each other.

Thanks to both Steve and Phil for all of your help!

Marty

esquire · Answer

Your McAfee (and other similar security applications such as Norton Internet Security or ZoneAlarm) should have disabled or turned off Windows Firewall anyway - only need one or the other.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Trouble setting up a home network

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