Help with Windows XP Local Network problems

[RDK]

Hi Folks....First if this is not the right forum for this question, please

let me know and I will repost it there.



My issues is this:



0. All computers are Windows XP SP3, fully patched



1. I have a 3 PC network with a Linksys wireless router for an Ethernet

connection for one PC and wireless connection for the 2 laptops.



2. All three have a Sym Business version of AV and Firewall



3. all three see the two printers attached to PC-A



The issue is that there is no consistency with the visibility of shares on

each computer in the other computers Network Places. That is I always see

the workgroup, but many times it is either not populated or if populated

the shares for each computer are not shown



If I insist by clicking on the workgroup icon I get a "Network path not

found" error message



I'm rather knowledgeable on Windows and Networking, but this has me stumped.



Printers are visible everywhere, but files shares are not.



Any ideas?



Thanks....RDK

 

[JohnB]

The issue is with NetBIOS name resolution. Normally, in a Windows network

there is a WINS server that provides name resolution. In your small network

that isn't an option. An alternative is to use your LMHOSTS file. If you

go that route, you will need to set your PC's to static IP addresses.





"RDK" wrote in message

news:eapNZPtHLHA.5700@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Hi Folks....First if this is not the right forum for this question, please

> let me know and I will repost it there.

>

> My issues is this:

>

> 0. All computers are Windows XP SP3, fully patched

>

> 1. I have a 3 PC network with a Linksys wireless router for an Ethernet

> connection for one PC and wireless connection for the 2 laptops.

>

> 2. All three have a Sym Business version of AV and Firewall

>

> 3. all three see the two printers attached to PC-A

>

> The issue is that there is no consistency with the visibility of shares on

> each computer in the other computers Network Places. That is I always see

> the workgroup, but many times it is either not populated or if populated

> the shares for each computer are not shown

>

> If I insist by clicking on the workgroup icon I get a "Network path not

> found" error message

>

> I'm rather knowledgeable on Windows and Networking, but this has me

> stumped.

>

> Printers are visible everywhere, but files shares are not.

>

> Any ideas?

>

> Thanks....RDK

>

 

[John John - MVP]

As long as all the machines are on the same subnet you don't need Wins

nor do you need to use the lmhosts file, peer networks work just fine

with the Computer Browser service.



John



JohnB wrote:

> The issue is with NetBIOS name resolution. Normally, in a Windows network

> there is a WINS server that provides name resolution. In your small network

> that isn't an option. An alternative is to use your LMHOSTS file. If you

> go that route, you will need to set your PC's to static IP addresses.

>

>

> "RDK" wrote in message

> news:eapNZPtHLHA.5700@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>> Hi Folks....First if this is not the right forum for this question, please

>> let me know and I will repost it there.

>>

>> My issues is this:

>>

>> 0. All computers are Windows XP SP3, fully patched

>>

>> 1. I have a 3 PC network with a Linksys wireless router for an Ethernet

>> connection for one PC and wireless connection for the 2 laptops.

>>

>> 2. All three have a Sym Business version of AV and Firewall

>>

>> 3. all three see the two printers attached to PC-A

>>

>> The issue is that there is no consistency with the visibility of shares on

>> each computer in the other computers Network Places. That is I always see

>> the workgroup, but many times it is either not populated or if populated

>> the shares for each computer are not shown

>>

>> If I insist by clicking on the workgroup icon I get a "Network path not

>> found" error message

>>

>> I'm rather knowledgeable on Windows and Networking, but this has me

>> stumped.

>>

>> Printers are visible everywhere, but files shares are not.

>>

>> Any ideas?

>>

>> Thanks....RDK

>>

>

>

 

[John John - MVP]

RDK wrote:

> Hi Folks....First if this is not the right forum for this question, please

> let me know and I will repost it there.

>

> My issues is this:

>

> 0. All computers are Windows XP SP3, fully patched

>

> 1. I have a 3 PC network with a Linksys wireless router for an Ethernet

> connection for one PC and wireless connection for the 2 laptops.

>

> 2. All three have a Sym Business version of AV and Firewall

>

> 3. all three see the two printers attached to PC-A

>

> The issue is that there is no consistency with the visibility of shares on

> each computer in the other computers Network Places. That is I always see

> the workgroup, but many times it is either not populated or if populated

> the shares for each computer are not shown

>

> If I insist by clicking on the workgroup icon I get a "Network path not

> found" error message

>

> I'm rather knowledgeable on Windows and Networking, but this has me stumped.

>

> Printers are visible everywhere, but files shares are not.

>

> Any ideas?



Disable *ALL* the firewalls while you troubleshoot the problem, if need

be pull the internet connection while you work on the problem.



Being that the problem is intermittent (sometimes it's populated,

sometimes it isn't) I'm almost certain that this is a Master Browser

issue, look in the Event Log for clues, specifically look for Event ID

8021, Event ID 8032 or Event ID 8003. The use of the NET VIEW and

BROWSTAT commands (at the command prompt) can be most useful when

troubleshooting these issues.



John