Remote Desktop stopped working

Hey guys, I have an issue that I have been fighting with and cant resolve so I am reaching out for help.

I have 2 machines, both running XP, Machine A connects to the internet wirelessly, Machine B has no internet connection. I had the 2 machines connected via a network cable. I have been able to use remote desktop to connect to Machine A from Machine B for months with no issue. Just the past couple days, the connection stopped working. When I try to connect, I get an error "this computer cant connect to the remote computer".

It's strange because nothing has changed, no additional software installed, etc. machine B has windows updates turned off, Machine A has them turned on. I checked to make sure Machine B still have RDP enabled and it does. I also verified firewall is still turned off and it is.

Another weird thing is that I can connect through RDP from Machine B to Machine A. But Im at a loss as to why my connection from Machine A to Machine B stopped working and I cant figure out how to get it back up.

I can ping Machine A from Machine B. When I try to ping Machine B from Machine A, it times out.

Can someone help?

 

Does Machine B still have a correct IP address?

 

Kinda confusing, but, both firewalls turned off?
are you using FDQN to ping? or IP number?
if FDQN, try using ipconfig /flushdns and try again.

notes:

FQDN = Fully Qualified Domain Name I.E. forums.majorgeeks.com
IP number = (for majorgeeks) 74.86.201.210

Are both computer fully updated, equally?

 

Another note, Im not that good with this sort of thing.

Nothing has changed on either machine. Both are set to obtain IPs automatically. I try pinging Machine B from Machine A using name and IP and it times out.

On a side note, Machine A can see Machine B if I just open an explorer window and navigate to it that way. Both are part of the same workgroup.

Machine A is set to get windows updates, Machine B is not, since it has no internet connection.

 

Hello.

I have to know how really are connected both computers A and B.

So i will send you a picture and you will tell me if im right about your problem description.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3121/yourconex.png

 

I have a wireless router and Machine A accesses the internet via wireless card. Machine B has no internet connection, so neither A or B has an ethernet connection going into it from a switch.

Machine A has been able to RDP connect to Machine B for weeks now, up until a few days ago. Machine B can RDP into Machine A, but not the other way around. RDP is enabled on Machine B. Im not sure whats changed that stopped the RDP from Machine A to Machine B to work.

Machine A and Machine B are connected directly to each other via ethernet cable, both are on the same workgroup.

Hope that helps.

 

Man, i understand the basic problem, but, when you said:

"Machine A and Machine B are connected directly to each other via ethernet cable"

You mean a "direct LAN cable" or thorugh a "switch" be specific please.

There's a basic steps you can follows like this:

1- Check for ping (by name and by IP) this is important, because if you changed the ip from a machine the other still recognizing the last IP.

To solve that make this command in CMD:

Start > Run > cmd ipconfig /flushdns

Check the firewall in both PC's.

Check they're in the same Workgroup Name , and in the same ip Range.
Like both in 192.168.0.x.

Tell us results.