Unwanted workgroups

Im gonna run the risk of sounding like a prime newbie here, but I have a bothersome bothersome problem (which all relates back to Microsoft, of course).
I'm setting up my first home network (two comps, xp on both, twisted pair cable between network cards, broadband in motherboard on host comp) and I cant seem to prevent a TON of random new workgroups instantly popping up next to the one I created (My Network Places/Entire Network/Microsoft Windows Workgroup). They are called stuff like "Home" and "Werner" and "MSHome" and even "Workgroup". I even get a "Shared documents on Sonias computer" directly under My Network Places. (Needless to add, I dont know a Sonia. Or a Werner.)

Im assuming this isn't exactly uncommon, but I'll be darned if I can find anything on the net or in Microsofts unhelpful helpfiles on how to stop them from appearing or even how to remove them once they do.

Is there anything I can do about this, or is NOT setting up a network at all my best shot...?

Thanks.

 

Your using cable right? you need a firewall to prevent your neighbors networks from appearing is my guess

 

As Colemanguy said - get a firewall. Your best bet is a Switch/NAT/Firewall combo. Attach the Ethernet cable from the ISP to it, your computers to it, and then they will be hidden, because remember, if you can see all those workgroups, then the people in them can see YOURS, too.

And, where, in this day and age, is there a broadband ISP that doesn't filter SMB/NBT?

dj

 

Junked the network and got myself a cheap D-link router with firewall. Works like a charm.
Tenant-owned housing. Guess the guys setting it up had no idea as to how to do it. Whats SMB/NBT?

 

SMB = Server Message Block. It's the protocol that Windows-based networks use for shared resource support.

NBT = NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

Generally, an ISP will filter all such network traffic at the appropriate levels, so as to prevent things such as Windows workgroups names, shares, etc. from appearing.

dj