Cannot File Share on Home Network

Hi all - network newbie here.
I had setup a network with a linksys router (now gone) with two Win XP SP3 computers and I had success in setting up simple file sharing (music, pics, etc.). Then I had to change the router to an ISP provided SMC 8014W-G and I can no longer share files. Not sure if that was a direct result as I just noticed I can't share over the holidays (a month or two after the router change).
The desktop (192.168.0.110) is wire connected to the wireless router/gateway (192.168.0.1)and the desktop contains the files that I am attempting to share. The laptop (192.168.0.167) is wirelessly connected to the router. Both computers are on the domain "workgroup" and both can access the internet and do "everything" except share files. The gateway is 192.168.0.1 - both computers show subnet 255.255.255.0 and DNS suffix phub.net.cable.rogers.com - I tried calling the ISP for support and they are only care if the the computers can hook up to the internet and cannot / will not provide tech support for file sharing.
I have tried a number of troubleshooting steps from this site and microsoft troubleshooting with no joy:
1. I have tried to "ping" the router with success from each computer, each computer to itself also with success but no joy on pinging the other computer or connecting to the other via a url e.g. typed in the other computer's url into firefox (e.g. \\192.168.0.110 from the laptop and vice versa).
2. I have run and rerun the network setup wizard (with reboots) with no joy
3. I have changed the workgroup domains to match (one was Home and the other Workgroup) - now both are Workgroup
4. I have tried (per the thread "I finally got simple file sharing to work" on this site - to go to network connections - local area connection properties and to uninstall - client for Microsoft networks, Qos Packet schedules and File and Printer sharing for Microsoft windows. I then rebooted as per the thread and re-installed them but no joy on sharing files or on "pinging".
5. I have tried disabling Windows firewall and have not disabled McAffee (but it ran fine before with it running).
6. I tried to open port 445 (file sharing) but it reported that it was already open
7. I have reviewed various "services" and - while not an expert - the ones I think should be on are on ... some are disabled (like remote takeover etc.
8. All the modem cards etc all show they are running normally and are "online" with drivers updated

Sorry for the long post - it may seem like I know what I'm taking about but I don't ... have spent hours wading around mostly fearful of really screwing things up ... In summary, on another router - I had it all working but now with a new router the two computers can access the net but cannot share files (haven't tried printing remotely). I have tried all I can think of ... the two computers do not appear to be talking to each other (via ping or url).
Can you help? Please and thanks upfront.
My home email is [EDIT]- I have never posted for help so am not sure how to know if someone is helping? I will check back under "networks" to see ...
Kelly

 

Hi Kelly,

I read your post and after a little googling found this.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

 

Thanks for the reply laptopguru but ... sigh ... I already had found the Microsoft doc on file sharing and have it all set up at level 5 ... no joy. I have reinstalled the network and run the troubleshooting and both computers are on the network but will not share files ..
As a general update - following the troubleshooting help files on Win XP:
1. I tested the TCP/IP connections by using net view \\ computername and it returned a System 53 error that means something about computername (possible) confusion on the network ... so ... I reran the network setup and rebooted both computers and both report they are on the network but do NOT share files.
2. I ran net view \\ familylaptop and it shows or lists a number of folders I want to share e.g. my pictures on Desktop upstairs, music on Desktop upstairs, etc. and these folders "show" on "My network places" as Unspecified on both the Desktop and FamilyLaptop ... but I cannot see the files on the laptop ... when I click on the folders e.g. SharedDocs I get a blank folder with (in the address line) C:\Documents and Settings\Tess\Nethood\SharedDocs on Desktop Upstairs (Deadeye1) ...
3. I tried the Help and Support Center - To Connect to the shared folder from another computer - that instructed to perform a Start-Run \\computer\share\ and it returned the following: No network provider accepted the given network path
4. The two computers do not ping each other but do ping themselves and the gateway ... so ... no change.
Again - thanks for the comments/help.
Kelly

 

Hi and thanks ... tried all that = no joy. Tried mapping to the network drive and it reports "the drive could not be mapped because no network was found" !!! This after just re-installing the network on both computers and they report "good" ... I can ping the gateway and each computer can ping itself but not the other computer.
Network Places on both computers shows all the shared folders and right clicking them shows that they are configure to fully share and windows firewall is configured to share them also ... but no joy on the actual sharing ...

 

Ok are your adapters static or dynamic.

Is dhcp at the router on or off, is NAT being handled by the router or is it disabled?

 

OK ... I think I fixed it.
The problems were a combination of gateway/modems, Windows Firewall and McAfee Antivirus Plus firewall.
Realizing (please) that I am NOT an expert and may miss a couple steps AND that I may have "opened" up too much re ports/firewalls, this is what I did:

1. I went to the modem/gateway (SMC 8014WG) and proceeded to the NAT page and allowed the ports associated with (Windows XP) file sharing and server message block (SMB) communications. To do this, you must allow (on all the firewalls too):

1a - Microsoft file sharing SMB User Datagon Protocol (UDP) ports from 135 to 139 and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ports from 135 through 139 (this from a microsoft bulletin (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127)

1b - Direct hosted SMB traffic without a network basic input/output system (NetBIOS) port 445 (TCP & UPD) (from the same Microsoft support bulletins).

2. I now found that if I turned off both the McAfee Firewall entirely and the WindowsXP Firewall that I could both see the network that I had built using WinXP My Network Places (wizard) entitled "Set up a wireless home or small office network". The problem was that with my previous router (Linksys) product - it had a CD that had set up a network - not a Microsoft Windows Network (per the wizard) on its own ... I finally realized that I needed to go to "explore" (right click Start) and then go down to My Network Places, then immediately under it was Entire Network, then (aha!) Microsoft Windows Network (as opposed to the previous remnants of the Linksys router network).

3. Next I realized that there were settings in the McAfee Firewall that prevented a ICMP ping reply(s) from a DOS command prompt (e.g. Ping 192.168.0.110) AND that it was "automatically" deciding what to do (e.g. prevent ping requests). So I turned off "decide automatically" to "Ask me to decide" and I enabled "Allow ICMP ping requests" and "Enable UDP tracking". (This is accessed from Home, Firewall, Settings, Smart Advice and Advanced Settings)

3a - I also had to go into McAfee Firewall - (from the Home screen, click Firewall, then settings, then Ports and Systems Services - where one finds a list of Ports / Services and I made sure that Port 445 MS Directory Server, 143, Ports 137-139 NetBios (see para 2 above), Common Operation Ports TCP/IP 5357, Mail Server Port 110, Secure Web Server Port 443, Mail Server (SMTP) Port 25, Universal Plug and Play Port 5000, 1900, 2869 and Web Server Port 80 were all checked - as in allowed to communicate. Note that not all these are required for file sharing - I guess the point is that McAfee can stop all these Ports via its firewall despite all the Windows setup wizards etc. I left all the other settings as "high" or limiting as I could re general access (outgoing only) etc.

4. I then found a Microsoft support document on How to Open Ports manually in Windows Firewall (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127) and set it up so that it would allow file sharing and the ports / services described above.

I could now see the network and use DOS Command Prompts or screen to ping the other computer, use the net view command to test the TCP/IP connections etc.

Please note that I tried to not open all these ports on the gateway and Windows and McAffee trying to ensure that I was still secure but ... I foudn that all had to be "open". In other words via trial and error - e.g open one and see if I could see the other computer and files and was not successful. I would very much appreciate someone with true knowledge on networks, ports, file sharing to review what I did and please advise me via email (kskovach@rogers.com) and/or via this thread if I have left "my whole system open" for attack.

In quick summary, the Windows network wizard had done its job but the modem/Gateway (SMC 8014WG)(see the SMC.com website) and the Windows and McAfee Firewalls had all combined to not allow certain ports, services, ping requests, net view commands, etc. to go through. Once they were configured - I can share files on my home network and hopefully not with the whole internet ... sigh.

A two day education in networks, firewalls, ports, networks, etc. Flying fighters was easier ... Does it really have to be this hard?

I have attempted to capture the essence of the problem and the solution to preclude someone else suffering the same fate.

I hope it helps.
Kelly