Can connect to Web but not network

Friends: My home network is centered on a Netgear WNR834B router. There are 4 wired computers and 2-3 wireless laptops / pentabs. One of the wired computers and one of the wired computers are able to connect to the internet but not to the shared computers on the network. These two computers can be "seen" by the router as attached devices and I can ping their respective IP addresses with correct trasmittal of 4 packets. I can't access any of the network printers or the other computers. I have tried solutions such as disabling firewalls and searching for Google solutions but I am not getting anywhere. I humbly ask that someone give me some advice. Thank you.
-Alan

 

What are the operating systems of the computers that cannot connect and of the computers that are shared?

It's a peer to peer network correct?

 

All computers are running XP except on Dell Inspiron Laptop that is using Vista. This computer has no problems. I don't know how to answer the peer to peer question.
-Alan

 

Yes, it is a peer to peer network.-Alan

 

On the XP computers, do you know if they are Home or Pro? You can check by right clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties. It should give a list of system information and at the top it should tell you the operating system(eg. XP Home or XP Pro) and if there are any service packs installed(should be SP2 or SP3).

"One of the wired computers and one of the wired computers are able to connect to the internet but not to the shared computers on the network."
Did you mean one of the wired computers and one of the wireless computers? :-D

I've seen this problem before, mainly when there is an XP Home computer involved, and am trying to remember the possible fixes for it. I know one involved installing a protocol if it was a Home edition but we will try to avoid having to go that route if possible.

Just check to see which ones are Home and which ones are Pro and we'll work from there. Hope I'll be able to help.

 

Wired computer 1: Home XP - fully functional
Wired Computer 2: Professional XP - fully functional
Wired Computer 3: Home XP - fully functional
Wired Computer 4: Home XP - able to connect to the Web but no shared
network capabilities - the router sees the
computer but the computer doesn't see other
computers
Wireless Computer 5: Vista - fully functional
Wireless Computer 6: Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005 - able to connect t to the Web but no shared
network capabilities - the router sees the
computer but the computer doesn't see other
computers

Thanks

 

Try doing a search. Set it to search for another computer, and type the name of the computer that you want to access.

 

The search fails to find any of the workgroup computers.

 

Are the network printers connected via network cables to the router with their own IP or are they shared printers connected to a PC?

You may have already done this, but make sure all of the workgroups are the same.

For the XP machines, on each PC, right click on My Computer and click on Properties. Then click the Computer Name tab.

For the Vista machine just right click My Computer and then click properties. Just scroll down to where it tells you the workgroup.

They should all be on the same workgroup.

 

also, just 1 router or do you have wireless access points as well?

 

Also, on the Vista computer, go to Start, Control Panel. In the left panel, click Classic View(unless you're already in Classic View. You can change it back later if you'd like), and then open the Network and Sharing Center. Next to your network name, it will tell you the "network location." Make sure it's set to Private Network. If it's not, click on the Customize button next to the network name and change it to a Private Network.

Also make sure that Network Discovery is on. If you have it set to Private Network it should be turned on, but best to check rather than assume. And I think you already said that you made sure no firewalls were blocking anything...

Also... Do you have Norton?

OH! SORRY! The Vista computer has full functionality! Ignore that part, but, do you have Norton?

 

No, none of the computers use Norton. All use Panda Antivirus. All workgroups are the same. I only have the one router - 4 port switch with wireless access point. A second 4 port switch is attached to the router to give me a total of 7 wired ports. There is one network printer that is hardwired and has its own IP address (a recent additon to my network and the problem we are working on predates the addition of this printer).
In playing around with workgroups I notice that one of the functioning wireless computers has two workgroups listed under Microsoft Windows Network folder - Workgroup and MSHOME. This is the folder under My Network Places in WIndows Explorer. Is there a way to put two workgroups on a computer? Also I see that in the My Networks Folder on all the computers that the router is listed as a Gateway.

 

I don't mean to leave your questions unanswered and just ask questions of my own but..

Are you sure that you have the networked(the stand-alone one) printer installed/added correctly on the computer(s) that cannot print to it? Considering you've successfully added it to all of the others probably know what you're doing as far as that goes, but you might as well check.

Ok, now, on the XP home computer that cannot access the local network. Go to Start, then Control Panel. Right click on Network Connections and click Properties. Then right click on the connection that you're using and click properties. If you can, take a screen shot or list out the various protocols that are installed. There should be one listed there called "File and Print sharing for Microsoft Networks" and it should have a check in the box next to it. If it doesn't, check the box and hit ok.

 

The protocols are all installed and seem ok. The network printer seems ok. If one Googles the message that "MSHome is not accessible" one gets a lot of hits and a lot of detailed information. Your thoughts? Thanks.

 

Is you're workgroup MShome or Workgroup?

I know you said that on one computer it had both, but other than that computer, what is you're workgroup name?

Have you tryed cycling all of your equipment? Meaning, power everything down from the modem to the PCs. Then plug them all back in, modem first, let it come on, then the router, then the switches, then the computers. I know this would be a real hassle due to the amount of equipment and computers, but... it could solve the problem. If I was thinking straight I probably should have had you do this first.

Now, let me get this straight as well... When you go to My Network Places, then click view workgroup computers, what do you get? An error message?

 

I have attached 2 JPEG - images of two screens, one is the error msg. and the other is My Network Places. I tried the recycling effort but no help. Sorry about my tardy response, I was out of town for a week.