cannot see computer in workgroup.

**riddellcomp** · October 14th, 2004, 05:08 PM

Im trying to setup a network on XP with 3 pcs but at this stage I am unable to see any computers within PC 1 which is the main computer.
They are all running XP Pro and PC 2 and 3 are connected via a wireless network. PC 3 has connection problems so Im leaving that alone for now.
PC 1 doesnt see itself under the workgroup MSHOME or my network places. All computers are in the same workgroup MSHOME and I have netbios over tcp/ip enabled. Computers are set to obtain ip's automatically and are set as 192.168.0.1 xxx.0.2 and xxx.0.3
If I go to PC 2 I am able to see its own shared folders as well as the shared folders on PC1. But I cannot see any shared folders on PC 1 including its own shared folders.

If I open IE and type \\127.0.0.1 or \\computername whilst on PC 1 it does show the shared files on PC 1 so I think all thats setup right. I just cant see them via network places which although probably shouldnt matter as I can see them on the other PC. But thats beside the point as it should work and doesnt. I have setup another network the same way and it worked fine.

Any suggestions??

Thanks in advance...

**riddellcomp** · October 15th, 2004, 08:12 AM

Just to add to the above, this computer is setup as follows.

PC 1 is connected to a Dlink adsl 4 port router. The Netgear wireless router is connected to one of the ports and the other 2 pc's connect to this wireless router via pci wireless cards. They are able to surf the net no problems.
Should PC 1 perhaps be connected to another port on the wireless router? Will this make a difference to how everything is seen?
Still doesnt explain why PC 3 can see the shared folders form PC 1 though but not the other way around?

Does anyone have some ideas on this????

**GreenGrime** · October 15th, 2004, 08:35 AM

Does the Windows administrator account have a password on all PCs?

Or are you using an account with and identical name-password to access the shared folders?

**riddellcomp** · October 15th, 2004, 08:42 AM

The administrator account has no password at all. I am using simple file sharing so each computer just logs on with its own local administrator username and no password. The guest account is turned on in PC 1.

**confus-ed** · October 15th, 2004, 09:05 AM

GUEST account ? .. danger WIll Robinson moment !, you don't want one of them, especially not one with NO password ! & really 'simple sharing' is yet another 'accident waiting to happen' .. I know this doesn't really help with these 'connection' issues just now - but read this @labmice (very handy site btw!)

The guest account has always been a huge hacker hole, and should be disabled as soon as you install your workstation. Unfortunately, this setting recommendation only applies to Windows XP Professional computers that belong to a domain, or to computers that do not use the Simple File Sharing model. Windows XP Home Edition will not allow you to disable the Guest account. When you disable the Guest account in Windows XP Home Edition via the Control Panel, it only removes the listing of the Guest account from the Fast User Switching Welcome screen, and the Log-On Local right. The network credentials will remain intact and guest users will still be able to connect to shared resources of the affected machine across a network. Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 300489 describes this behavior and states that it is by design. The best workaround for XP Home Users is to assign a strong password to the Guest account.

Then I think maybe you might want to reconsider your plan ?

**hudsonsmith** · October 15th, 2004, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by riddellcomp

Should PC 1 perhaps be connected to another port on the wireless router?

I would try it. It could be that the netgear router is acting as the dhcp server, in which case pc1 would not be assigned an address if it is connected to the dlink.

**riddellcomp** · October 15th, 2004, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

GUEST account ? .. danger WIll Robinson moment !, you don't want one of them, especially not one with NO password ! & really 'simple sharing' is yet another 'accident waiting to happen' .. I know this doesn't really help with these 'connection' issues just now - but read this @labmice (very handy site btw!)

Then I think maybe you might want to reconsider your plan ?

okay so your suggesting I go back and disable simple file sharing? Then If I create user accounts with no passwords on PC 1 for PC 2 and PC 3 should PC 2 and PC 3 have no problems trying to access PC 1s shared folders??

**GreenGrime** · October 15th, 2004, 09:49 AM

If you are not using the same user account with the same password on all PCs to access the shares, then you need to put a password on the admin account (the same on all PCs).

Windows XP will not let you access shares properly with a passwordless admin account.

**confus-ed** · October 15th, 2004, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by riddellcomp

okay so your suggesting I go back and disable simple file sharing? Then If I create user accounts with no passwords on PC 1 for PC 2 and PC 3 should PC 2 and PC 3 have no problems trying to access PC 1s shared folders??

Err nope, I think I was saying that a guest account is bad, & a guest account with no password is worse, & that simple file sharing is bad too (well not in a domain & connected to the net it is) - & I knew this might change your mind about what you are doing .. here I'd ask are you sure you've got all the firewalls off & that nothing (like the network setup wizard perhaps as it does) has turned any of them on ?

**riddellcomp** · October 15th, 2004, 05:37 PM

Ed,

Have triple checked that the firewalls are off. We did try to run the Network setup wizard as a last resort but at the end got a message saying that an error was encounted, with no other information. Thats what makes me think that something is not right but what and where???
And yes we did go back to disable the firewall but it was off anyway. SP2 is installed on this computer, could that cause problems? Perhaps we should resort back to a time before sp2???

**riddellcomp** · October 15th, 2004, 10:43 PM

What would be the best way to setup this network? PC 2 and 3 belong to his daughters and connect to PC 1 via a wireless connection purely for internet access and to print to the local printer on PC 1. He doesnt want passwords set on PC 2 and 3 as his daughters are 8 and 6 and wouldnt remember them anyway.
What do you suggest???

**hudsonsmith** · October 16th, 2004, 08:03 AM

I have a similar setup. As I said above, try connecting pc1 to the netgear router as well. Configure it to use the netbios setting from the dhcp server. Hopefully that will solve its ability to see the other two.

As far as security, I don't see a big issue in not requiring passwords as long as 1) all 3 pc's are nat'ed behind the router 2) you run a software firewall like zonealarm or sp2's on top and 3) you limit which folders are shared. With XP, even though you can see the other pc's on the network, you only have access to the folders specifically designated. Limit these to non-system document folders only. Think about whether you need to grant anything more than read access.

I don't think the guest account needs to be enabled. I don't have it enabled on my network and the computers are able to connect to each other and browse the shared folders.

**gazzak** · October 16th, 2004, 08:55 AM

Don't flame me until you at least give this a try....

Go to tcp/ip advanced settings - wins - and check "enable netbios over tcp/ip"

Even if you're not running wins, just try it.

(EDIT: that's if riddles suggestion don't hep!)

**riddellcomp** · October 18th, 2004, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by gazzak

Don't flame me until you at least give this a try....

Go to tcp/ip advanced settings - wins - and check "enable netbios over tcp/ip"

Even if you're not running wins, just try it.

(EDIT: that's if riddles suggestion don't hep!)

I wont flame you because I have already done this. Before I did this I kept getting the following error.

"MSHOME is not accessible. You might not have permission......Contact the admin of the server to find out if you have access permission....
When trying to open and view the MShome workgroup.

I then enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP and was able to at least open My network places and view an otherwise empty MShome folder.

**riddellcomp** · October 18th, 2004, 07:43 AM

Okay well according to the owner of this network he already has PC 1 connected to the router and the router connected to the adsl modem. Although I havent been there lately to verify this.

What could be wrong with this network???? Why is it that PC 2 can see the shared files on PC 1 but PC 1 cannot see itself or its own shared files in the workgroup??? The only thing left to try is create new workgroup names but other than that Im all out of ideas????