Problems again...My Network window freeze

Hello geeks!

Here's my setup: two computers running XP Home SP2; one computer (MAIN) has two partitions I want to share; the other computer (DEN) is hooked up to the TV and speakers, and I want it to read the partitions off MAIN. The computers are connected to an ADSL modem through a router. Both computers can use the internet.

When I first tried this setup, I had problems having DEN see MAIN. Using the advice from a previous thread, I made sure the router was seeing the computers. I made sure I could ping each computer. I ran the Network Setup Wizard, and made sure that all the relevant fields were entered correctly. I restarted the computers, and lo-and-behold it worked. I could run WinAmp on DEN and use the music from MAIN. I could watch movies from MAIN on DEN. It worked.

Then I went a couple of days without using anything (busy at work, not much time at home, etc.). When I tried to play WinAmp the other day, the connection didn't work. When I click on DEN's My Network Places and then click on MAIN's Shared folder, Explorer freezes and I have to kill the process (if I click on DEN's shared folder from MAIN, there's no problem). If I click on the "view workgroup computers" icon, I get a message saying MSHOME is unavailable, contact the network administrator, blah blah (when I click on "view workgroup computers" on MAIN, it works just fine). The network was working just fine a few days ago.

I reran the Network Setup Wizard on both computers. I made sure I could ping the computers. I checked out the router settings. But nothing.

The fact that this was working just fine a few days ago is driving me nuts. I haven't done anything to the computers (aside from using MAIN to check email, surf the net, etc.) since the day it worked, yet now it doesn't work. What could possibly be wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Forgot to add: MAIN is using Kerio Personal Firewall, and DEN is using Windows firewall. I've enabled file and print sharing in DEN, and added the ip address for DEN (192.168.8.18) to the trusted areas on MAIN.

 

Successful Sharing involves some general consideration in Network settings, http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html

As well as specific adjustment of each computer according to what is allowed to be shared.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040

 

You may just have dns resolving problem on the DEN. You said you can still ping the main computer, right? Then try to access main by typing ip instead of UNC.
For example, try typing "\\192.168.8.1" (main's ip address), instead of "\\main" on start - run
if this does work, set your IP's to "static" and it will work all the time.

 

Are these two machines up all the time on the network?

 

You can not ping each other if your pc's not up.... pretty simple.

 

PARI22 - The question I was asking....was not if they were up but if they were left on all the time. Very simple question if you have a command of the English language.

 

These computers are usually up all the time. Sometimes they go into stand-by mode, when not in use for a significant amount of time. But for the most part they are running all the time.

Is that going to make a difference?

 

What's the status of your systems? It appears you have configured them with static IP addresses, correct? I'm assuming that you are still able to ping each machine from each machine? Were you able to see both machines using the START | RUN and typing \\192.168.8.18 from MAIN; and the same from the DEN machine using MAIN's IP address?

If all of that is affermative, then I suggest building an LMHOST file on each machine with both machine names and IP addresses.

 

Hi,

Your first problem may be SP6 It has a serious TCP/IP bug.
Find the DHCP Client and Disable it. Or you probably need to change the value for your MTUs.

Additional resources
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~psgendb/nc/faq.html
http://www.all-internet-security.com

I hope this helps

Jenny

 

Huh?

 

They don't have static IP addresses. Or, at least, I never set them up with on. The computers do tend to have the same IP address assigned from the router (192.168.8.17 and 18).

I can ping each computer just fine. But, I can not do the \\192.168.8.17 or 18 command for each computer. I get an error message (sorry, don't have the exact message in front of me right now).

It's funny that the MAIN computer has no problem accessing the shared folders on DEN, but that DEN can't access anything from MAIN. This is the exact opposite setup I would like (I could care less about accessing DEN folders using MAIN).

 

Just a little clarification....if you are on the .18 machine, you can not START | RUN \\192.168.8.17 or \\192.168.8.18 from the .17 machine? Very strange.

OK.....turn off the firewall in both machines and try again.

 

Here is the message I get when I start->run->cmd \\192.168.8.18 from the .17 machine: "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

However, like I said, I can access the shared folders on the .18 machine from the .17 machine. Just not visa-versa.

I'll try turning off the firewalls...and see what happens. EDIT: got the same error message.

 

no.....

START | RUN type \\192.168.8.17 then OK

no CMD..

 

Below...

 

Hey jconstan. Sorry for the late reply to this...things got busy and I haven't had time to fiddle around with the computer.

Now, I did what you said and typed in the \\192.168.8.19 from the DEN computer. And, guess what, it brought up the shared folder from MAIN! Yet, I still get the error message when I try to access those folders through "my network places."

What should I do to make these folders accessible to programs running from DEN (e.g. having WinAmp read the library from MAIN)?

Thanks a bunch for your help.

 

Wow, its been a while.

The simplist way of getting a program running on DEN to access files on MAIN is via mapping. Share the directory where the files reside on MAIN and call it FILES for an example. Then go to DEN and MAP a drive, say Z, to \\192.168.8.19\FILES and check the box to perform the MAP on login. Then tell the WinAmp program on DEN that the library is located on drive Z: and away you go.