How can I get file sharing to work without IPX/netbios

[Monophonic]

Hi everyone, my problem is as follows:

Bought a laptop, and after a small firewall related problem was able to set up wireless file sharing with my desktop using the xp wizard. Ok, things worked great for about a week, and then, suddenly I keep getting 'network path not found' kind of messages and can't see the computers on the workgroup. I got it working again by installing IPX/Netbios protocol, as someone instructed on a tech forum. Ok, now everything seems fine, but the file sharing is incredibly slow, and the ipx seems to be slowing down my web browsing as well. I uninstalled it and tried again to make it work using the tcpip/wins/enable netbios over tcpip, no luck. Reinstalled the IPX, same result as before, working, but veeery slow.

Can someone please tell me how to get the file sharing working without the IPX-protocol? Thanks!!

[Monophonic]

Some more details on the problem.. I got the file sharing working normally on tcpip by plugging the network cable onto the laptop. But as soon as I disconnect the cable, it stops working (although Internet works just as well on the wireless connection). Wirelessly, it's just enabling the Nwlink IPX/SPX/Netbios, and it's instantly working (although slowly), disabling it unables me to connect the network drives or browse the workgroup. I have tried this with all firewalls disabled (both computers and router), same result. What could be causing this? Any solutions, please??

I have a Zyxel prestige 660 router connecting the computers.

[matrixblue]

What operating system is your desktop using?

Also your ip address settings are likely to be incorrect.

Run ipconfig and make sure that both computers are in the same subnet (in your case this should mean that the first three numbers are the same).

If not then you need to either configure the ip addresses manually or make sure that you have both set to obtain ip address automatically in the TCP/IP properties.

[Monophonic]

Both computers are running XP pro with SP2, and are set to obtain ip-addresses automatically.

ipconfig states the following:

desktop:
Ip: 84.250.36.109
Subnet: 255.255.192.0
Gateway: 84.250.0.1

laptop:
Ip: 88.195.55.253
Subnet: 255.255.224.0
Gateway: 88.195.32.1

I can ping the desktop from the laptop, but not vice versa.

[matrixblue]

Originally Posted by Monophonic

ipconfig states the following:

desktop:
Ip: 84.250.36.109
Subnet: 255.255.192.0
Gateway: 84.250.0.1

laptop:
Ip: 88.195.55.253
Subnet: 255.255.224.0
Gateway: 88.195.32.1

Both of your computers are on different TCP/IP networks. Which is why they can't communicate they way you want them to.

From the IP information you've provided it looks like both of them are on different routers.

Exactly how is your network setup?

[Monophonic]

I have just the Zyxel prestige 660 DSL modem which is also a router. The desktop is connected to it with a cable, and the laptop through WLAN. Are the router settings somehow wrong?

[matrixblue]

Unless I'm very much mistaken your router is configured incorrectly.

In order for computers to be in the same network they have to have ip addresses in the same range and the same default gateway address. This is not the case with you.

You say that the ip addresses are configured automatically but your router's built in DHCP server would not have given you those ip addresses. Those ip addresses you posted are public ip address and home routers generally assign private ip address (generally in the 192.168.1.0 range). My best guess is that DHCP is turned off in the router and your computers got those ip addresses from your ISP.

Access the ZyXel ADSL router's web configuration by opening your browser and typing 192.168.1.1, the default password is 1234.

Under device information look for DHCP and make sure it's set to server.

[Monophonic]

Indeed, the DHCP setting was "none", now it's set to server, but ipconfig still shows the same addresses as before. What should I enter to the DNS Server field of the router? Should the WAN mode be routing instead of bridge?

[Monophonic]

Ok, first of all, thanks Matrixblue for helping out. I've activated the DHCP server on the zyxel and been trying to configure it for "routing" instead of the "bridge" option, and gotten as far as both computers being issued IP's like 192.168.1.x, file sharing seems to be working (!), but with these settings internet is not. Ipconfig shows a blank row on connection-specific DNS suffix. How do I fix this? Am I gettning any closer to a solution?

[matrixblue]

You are getting closer. I have a question. To connect to the internet on each of the computers did you have to dial a PPPoE connection and enter a username and password or was it always on?

[Monophonic]

No passwords or anything like that, the DSL line is always on.

[matrixblue]

If you set your WAN to obtain your IP setting automatically (it will get it's IP address and default gateway from where you computers were getting it from) then everything should work perfectly. Make sure you uninstall IPX and netbios when you're done

[Monophonic]

I did set the WAN to obtain IP automatically. I'm thinking the problem could be rather the lack of name server in the computers' IP configuration, thus in the connection between the computers and the router.. Are there some kind of settings on the router that I should configure to share DNS to the computers? Or is it ok not to have a DNS suffix on the ipconfig data?

[matrixblue]

If the pcs can automitically detect the settings and get online then so should the router.

Check the router status and see what ip address it's getting.

[Monophonic]

The router is getting a valid looking ip (88.195.44.186). I don't think that's the problem.

[matrixblue]

Make sure the router is in gateway mode and not router mode

[Monophonic]

Hmm.. the WAN options for the router are Bridge or Routing. On LAN options I have DHCP mode: none, relay or server. The only way the Internet is working so far is with the router in bridge mode and DHCP set to none. On the other hand with WAN set to routing and DHCP to server I can get the computers to communicate in the same subnet, but no Internet. With these settings the first line of 'ipconfig' (DNS suffix) is blank, is this normal/ok? What do you mean by gateway mode, I don't see a 'gateway' option anywhere.

[Monophonic]

Setting the DHCP to server, it has fields for primary and secondary DNS servers and remote DHCP server. I have tried entering the DNS servers I get with ipconfig /all (when the internet is working) as the primary and secondary servers. Is this wrong? What should I put there? How about remote DHCP server?

[matrixblue]

The DHCP servers are not the issue since the router is getting an ip address. The problem is either the router sharing the connection or the computer receiving the connection.

Follow both proceedures:
A
When the computers get the 192.168.x.x address do an ipconfig and verify that the default gateway is 192.168.1.1

B

I guess your router doesn't have that setting. I'm used to working with linksys routers.

Let's try another tactic.

1. Go into your router's web control
2. Click Network > NAT
3. Make sure Active Network Address Translation is ticked with SUA Only selected.

This should solve your problem.

[Monophonic]

So, I take it that the routing option is what I want here instead of bridge. I have tried everything with NAT set to SUA only, no help.