Networking Desktop and Laptop

Trying to get my laptop set up so I can access my desktop files from it. I'm running Windows XP MCE. I've set both computers on the same workgroup. They both access broadband via a wireless gateway modem hooked up to the desktop.

I can get the laptop to see the workgroup via My Network Places, but when I try to access the workgroup further to see the individual PCs it comes up with error message "<Workgroup> is not available. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator (which is me) of this server to see if you have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available".

Device manager shows network adapters on the laptop as:
- 1394 network adapter.
- Broadcom 802.11g network adapter
- Marvell Yukon 88E8036PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller.

In the bottom right taskbar is shows "Local Area Connection Network Cable Unplugged"

I was of the thinking that as I was wireless internet, I didn't need a cable to be able to do this? This is really not familiar territory to me , however, and I would be gratefuyl for any guidance as to what I am doing wrong here. Thank you.

 

Hello, Lev

I'm not sure if this will help you or not - but I thought it wouldn't hurt to post it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx

Also, A friend of mine had a problem with his wireless laptop - his set up sounds similer to yours - but I don't think his error messages were the same. Anyway, it turned out his software firewall was interfering with the connection - he had to add/allow some IP information, and a sub-net, I think.

Hope this is of help to you

 

Ummm - I just noticed (too late to edit my first post) that the document in the link is pretty dated . . . Apr 2002 . . . so it may not be of any use to you.

 

It may be old, but I will work through it tonight, together with a couple of other ideas that have come to mind, and see where I get to.

Thank you for the helpful advice

 

Post the results of an "ipconfig /all" from each machine.

 

Excuse my ignorance....is that what I enter into the "Run" section on both machines?

 

ipconfig /all
is done from a command prompt. in the command prompt window.
Start > All programs > accessories > command prompt.

or in Run type cmd


Do you have identical user accounts on both machines with identical logons,
so as to avoid the permission issue?

 

I will have to do the above when I get home tonight, but identical user accounts on both machines? No...but I have set the workgroups to be identical.

 

The account thing is probably why you don't have permission.

 

So I need to make them both identical accounts on both machines, or I need to give myself permission on the mother computer? If the latter, how?

 

As far as permissions go.....you will require an account on the "visited" machine that can access the files within that machine.

Lets say machine A has two administrator accounts called 1 and 2.
Lets say machine B has two administator accounts called 2 and 3.

If machine A wants to "visit" machine B's file system then machine A must supply the credentials for a user on machine B (either 2 or 3 in my example). Same thing will occur if machine B wats to "visit" machine A's file system.

If you make identical userid's on both machines you can circumvent the the login you will receive when accessing the other machine.

 

OK....got identical user IDs on both PCs and now I can see both PCs on the network connection menu in the same Workgroup. However, when I try to access the other PC I now get this message....
---------
\\Atkin is not accesible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The network path was not found.

---------

Any further advice/suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

No I didn't..which makes me ask.......do I need exact passwords on BOTH machines? One machine has the same user ID but it's not a password login ...yet!

And now I can;t see the other computer because I've screwed something up I had right

 

Right..I have that, but now I don;t see either computer on the workgroup from my laptop. I'm back to the first error message in my first post

As the Scarecrow said, " I wish I had a brain".

 

I have no idea. I'm trying to remember and reset things, but I'm not getting anywhere except frustrated because I WAS so close..but not now

 

Just a thought on another potential problem.
On the firewalls on each machine have you added the other to the trusted zone?
in order to allow unfettered 2 way access.

 

New error message...the list of servers for this group is not available.

 

OK..state of play (as i realize I am confusing you as much as me!)

The desktop (mother ship) can see both computers on the workgroup network. the laptop (satellite) cannot see either on the workgroup network.

Any suggestions? I'm not sure I'm up to the firewall part yet, as I could at least see both machines on both computers before.

 

Sometimes I wonder if home networking isn't more painful than setting up
an active directory infrastructure.

 

Well, if you get back to the point of seeing the workgroup and all machines....try this.

Go to START | RUN and type \\Atkin click OK

What do you get?

Then try START | RUN and type \\ followed by the IP address of the Atkin machine then click OK

What do you get?

 

I guess it will have to wait until November when my husband goes away hunting for the week. Apparently he can't tear himself away from Myspace long enough to allow me to sort this problem!

Thank you for all your patient help, guys....I will print this out and keep your advice until such times as I can use it.

 

You'd think, huh?

 

Hey lev, each machine do an ipconfig /all and post the info, then we can start from there.

 

OK...bumping this up as I've been working on it all morning and still not successful.

This is the ipconfig /all of the desktop - which has the modem/router.

Purpose: Still trying to share files and printer with laptop. Laptop ipconfig /all to follow:

-----



Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Desktop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : domain.actdsltmp

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain.actdsltmp
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-D4-78-B0-52
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
205.171.3.65
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 10, 2006 1:46:27 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, November 11, 2006 1:46:27
PM

C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>

 

This is the ipconfig /all from the latop which access the net wirelessly with no probs.



Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.YOUR-D19C9303AC>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Lisa
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : domain.actdsltmp

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Eth
ernet Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-B8-8D-28-C7

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain.actdsltmp
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-42-55-D9
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
205.171.3.65
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 10, 2006 1:17:54 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, November 11, 2006 1:17:54
PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.YOUR-D19C9303AC>
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.YOUR-D19C9303AC>

 

I have been dealing with this same issue. I am not sure which hint helped me the most, but I now have my laptop and computer networked with no problems. I messed with my firewalls to allow stuff I had previously blocked and I created the same user account on each computer.

Thanks for general reading.

 

Glad to hear you have had a darn site more success than I have, Mr Pooohh

@Tim...FWIW & FYI...no...my husband was sat right next to me at time of typing....

 

I recently did this as well, what I found out was the problem was that I have Windows Firewall and had the "Dont allow Exceptions" box checked in the firewall Setup Menu. If that isn't checked, I would try turning the firewalls off temporarily and see if that solves your problem then work out turning the firewalls on.

 

I don;t run Windows Firewall, but your point is valid generally for firewalls, so I may try that at some point. Thanks for the tip

I got to the point where I could see all PCs in the workgroup on both computers, but never both at the same time. Weird