[RESOLVED] Having file sharing issues on my network.

First off I'd like to say that I don't like asking for a lot of help, I'm not that familiar with networking(this is my first home network I have no previous experience with network hardware) but I'm willing to learn more if you will kindly tell me where and how.

To start off here is how my network looks: I have computer A and computer B connected to my Netgear WGR614 router via Cat5e cables and the router is connected to my DSL modem, I have file sharing enabled on both computer A and B.


The current problem I am experiencing is this, I can use computer B to copy files from computer A to B, but I cannot use computer A to copy files from B to A although I can freely send files from A/B to either A/B reading is the problem.

I used to have zonealarm installed on computer B but that has been completely removed per instructions I found at this site(my thanks to whomever posted that).

I thank all of you for taking the time to read and or reply to this. I will gladly accept any constructive criticism also:wave: .

Are both computers windows xp?

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Originally Posted by geoscomp

Are both computers windows xp?

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Sorry, I forgot to mention, Yes they are both Windoes XP home SP2.

Loopy, do you get any error messages in the process? I've worked on some machines that had weird networking issues (that I never got resolved short of a repair installation) which caused an "access denied" error on Machine B when I used it to copy/read files from Machine A. I've also seen similar glitches fixed just by running the Networking Wizard.

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Originally Posted by slgrieb

Loopy, do you get any error messages in the process? I've worked on some machines that had weird networking issues (that I never got resolved short of a repair installation) which caused an "access denied" error on Machine B when I used it to copy/read files from Machine A. I've also seen similar glitches fixed just by running the Networking Wizard.

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Yes, I have been getting the "access denied" error, on machine A when trying to get files off of B.

This is a straight permissions error. Are the user names and passwords the same for both machines? Have you shaired the appropriate folders? Do you have a "shared documents" folder in my computer?

I'm having the exact same issue on a clients network. I installed a new PC with a fresh copy of XP Pro sp2 installed on. The network is I guess what you would call to peer to peer. No server involved just a router. All run XP pro sp2, There are 4 or so other computers that can see and access one another freely but this new PC will not let anybody in. I get an error message that says access denied due to permissions. I have tried everything I can think of. Sharing is on with all open access, no firewalls, I even set a new administrator password and have tried new usernames etc. The same PC can access all the others. Very frustrating. I hate to have to reload the OS as it will be at my exp. Any ideas? Chris P.

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

This is a straight permissions error. Are the user names and passwords the same for both machines? Have you shaired the appropriate folders? Do you have a "shared documents" folder in my computer?

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No the user names and passwords are not the same for both machines, I do have a "shared documents" in my computer but that's not one of the folders I'm using for sharing. I have a few other folders I have set for sharing and I made sure full permissions were set on all of them.

-Thank you

OK then what you need to do is to create an account on the other machine with the logon of this machine and vice versa. Otherwise you can't login.

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

OK then what you need to do is to create an account on the other machine with the logon of this machine and vice versa. Otherwise you can't login.

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Sorry, but I don't fully understand. Do you mean logons as for example: when you start Xp with multiple accounts and you click on the one you want to logon as? If so do i just need to have the same logon on both accounts (do I really need to set a password?) or do I have to change accounts to access files across the network?

If you don't set a password, then you are giving free reign to hackers, crackers, spyware and viruses.

PC1 has an account called george
PC2 has an account called fred

For george to access fred's machine (PC2) he either has to use a limited guest account which allows the shared folder access or George must have an account on Fred's machine. Or as you pointed out above, you can "logon as" and provide Fred's user pass from George's machine.

Similarly Fred needs an account on George's machine, so both machines should have users of Fred AND George so that when Fred accesses George's machine, PC2 checks the user and pass for George and sees if it's allowed... since George has a user account on Fred's machine, PC2 will allow George to access as per the permissions george was assigned.

If you just used the shared folders, you wouldn't need to do this, but you want to share specific folders.

Note that firewall software can also block the connection... so while setting this up, have the firewalls off and then turn them back on after you have got the permissions and accounts right, then you can configure them as needed.

Well to be honest I just have one account on each computer with admin capabilities, So I suppose I should change that and add 2 more accounts to both computers? If I do how can I migrate to another account without affecting anything? (programs,my documents folder etc.) Thank you very much for your time.

you don't need to migrate them... they just need permission by setting up the accounts. You don't ever need to logon to them on the machine itself, it's purely to allow access from another machine.

I don't mean to be "redundant" but here's what I have done listed to further clarify what I'm supposed to do.

I read a little on user accounts so I followed the given directions and made a new Administrator account and changed the account I use now to limited. As far as passwords go can they be simple password or do they have to be more secure or "strong"?

And is their anyway to have Windows XP log me in on a "default" account rather then me seeing the "log on as" screen every time I boot my computer?

After all of that is sorted out I make another limited account that has the same info as the account on PC2(and vice-versa for PC2), correct?


-Thank you.

Passwords should be strong but most want them simple. It is up to you which you implement. As long as the Administrator account has a decent password - ie not easily guessable like using "administrator" for a password you should be fine.

Limited accounts are fine, but some software refuses to run under a limited account - RealArcade is one of them, but since you are the Admin as well, if you want to run something that needs admin, you can right click on the icon and select run as, then enter the admin password and away it goes.

Yes you can have xp log in to a default user and pass. here's how

Yes create the limited account on both machines... but you may have to set permissions to the directory you want to share specifically for that user. Limited usually defaults to read only so you have to tell XP to allow others to change the contents of the shared folder. Think of it this way, if you want to get into another person's house, you need permission and you need a key (password).. and the same goes for you letting people into your house.

I don't mean to over stretch this but your saying the only thing that most definitely needs a password is the Admin account. What happens if I forget/lose the passwords I've assigned to the accounts? I read about a way to back up passwords to a floppy but 1 of the computers has no floppy drive.

Loopy, what happens if you forget your PIN for your bank card?

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

Loopy, what happens if you forget your PIN for your bank card?

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:flame: Ouch!

I guess I'd just be out of luck :o. Just asking. I do remember in Win98 at it's default you could just press esc. to bypass the password.

Thank you.

If you are sharing folders, be sure to check your NTFS permissions in addition to the standard share permissions. It will be the "security" tab next to the share tab.