Home network - One XP computer cannot share files

[dddiam]

I have three computers on a home network all members of the same workgroup:
#1 is Vista Home Premium, ethernet wired to the router.
#2 is XP Home Premium, WPA wireless.
#3 is XP Home, WPA wireless.

Each computer has one shared folder for sharing files across the network.

Computer #1 cannot see either of the other computers. Clicking on "Network" in the file explorer only shows its own shared directories.

Computer #2 can access shared folders on both of the other two. The folders appear in "My Network Places", without any log on prompts for the other computers.

Computer #3 can access the shared folder on Computer #1 (after answering a login prompt), but when attempting to get to #2, it gets a prompt to log on to #2, but the user name field is grayed out, preset to computername#2\Guest.

Neither Computer #1 nor #3 is able to access the shared folder on #2.

Any thoughts on how to tackle this puzzle?

- David

[Macarenas]

Step 1: Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Network and Internet Connections.
2. Click Network Connections.
3. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
4. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
5. Click the General tab, and then click Advanced.
6. Click the WINS tab.
7. Under NetBIOS setting, click Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, and then click OK two times.
8. Click Close to close the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box.
9. Close the Network Connections window.

Step 2: Start the Computer Browser service

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. Double-click Services and Applications.
3. Double-click Services.
4. On the right side, right-click Computer Browser, and then click Start.
5. Close the Computer Management window.

[Rudra.J]

Hey!
To not make things complicated, use DHCP. That is, in each computer, select obtain IP Address automatically... Now Make sure all the computers are in the same Workgroup. Make sure File and Printer Sharing is enabled...! If only the above steps are done, you will have no more issues
All the best...!

[dddiam]

Originally Posted by Rudra.J

Hey!
To not make things complicated, use DHCP. That is, in each computer, select obtain IP Address automatically... Now Make sure all the computers are in the same Workgroup. Make sure File and Printer Sharing is enabled...! If only the above steps are done, you will have no more issues
All the best...!

Thanks.

I give it a try and report back.

- David

[chroma]

As you have mentioned in your home network setup that Computer #1 cannot see the shared folders of both Computer #2 and #3, so there is no question that Computer #1 can access the sharing folders of Computer #2.
To make the access of computer #1 on #2 possible, you should change the network settings on both 1 and 2.

[dddiam]

I am starting with Computer #1, which is Vista Home Premium, wired to router.

Under "Local Area Connections" properties, I tried to add a protocol. Netbios was not listed as one of the available protocols to install.

All three computers are laptops with pre-installed OSs, so I do not have the original MS disks.

From where can I obtain NetBios?

- David

[Milton.J]

Originally Posted by dddiam

Computer #1 cannot see either of the other computers. Clicking on "Network" in the file explorer only shows its own shared directories.

Is the username you defined on the Computer #2 & Computer #3 the same as the one you are using on the Vista machine? On Vista you can open up a "cmd" prompt and type "whoami" to see which user you are logged in as.

After changing the permissions for the shared folders on the XP machines, you need to log off from the Vista PC and then log back in.

[Yogesh]

Please note:
Thread moved from Windows Software to Networking & Security.

[Milton.J]

Originally Posted by dddiam

Neither Computer #1 nor #3 is able to access the shared folder on #2.

Check the firewall settings of Computer #2. That can be the blocking cause for other computers.
Also check on that computer the 'simple file sharing' is disabled or not. By that, the greyed out username field will get enabled.

[dddiam]

Originally Posted by Milton.J

Is the username you defined on the Computer #2 & Computer #3 the same as the one you are using on the Vista machine?

All computers have the same user name and password for that user name.

[dddiam]

Originally Posted by Milton.J

Check the firewall settings of Computer #2. That can be the blocking cause for other computers.
Also check on that computer the 'simple file sharing' is disabled or not. By that, the greyed out username field will get enabled.

Computers #2 and #3 both have "Simple File Sharing" enabled. Is that the desired setting? (I did not check #1. I am focusing for the moment on #2 & #3).

Computer #2 can see the shared folders on all three computers. No logon is required; Explorer comes up with all of the shared folders listed and accessable.

Computer #3 can see the names of all of shared folders, but requires a logon to access them. From #3's Explorer, I can log on successfully to #1 (the user name is not grayed out), but not to #3 (because the user name is grayed out).

Computer #3 uses the default settings of Windows Firewall.

Computer #2 normally uses MacAfee firewall, but I switched to Windows Firewall as a test, and the sharing behaviors of the computers did not change. Neither firewall is very granular in its options.

- David

[dddiam]

I may have fixed Computer #1, but not #2.

I was playing around with Computer #1's "Network and Sharing Center", exploring options. I am not aware that I actively changed anything, but now Computer #1 can see the other two computers, and they appear in Explorer.

Computer #1 can access #3's shared folder and files without needing to log on to #3.

Computer #1 cannot successfully access #2's shared folder. It gets a logon prompt, but the logon fails, whether I type in a simple user name, or a qualified user name.

Computer #2 is still the core of the problem. It can access remote shared folders, but the other computers cannot successfully access #2's shared folder. There is a problem with the authentication/identification.

- David

[dddiam]

I am getting closer, but I still need some suggestions.

I played around with security settings, made sure that all computers had "Simple File Sharing" enabled, and tweaked some other settings.

Since the grayed-out user ID said "Guest" in it, I also enabled and activated the Guest account on Computer #2, and attempted to access Computer #2's shared folder via its Guest account.

Going in via the Guest account, Computers #1 & #3 can see the shared folder on Computer #2, but when I tried to open its shared folder from #1 or #3, I get the following message:

"Open Folder"

\\Computer-2\SharedFolder is not accessable. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact the
administrator of this server to find out if you have access
permissions.

Not enough server storage is available to run this command.

Computer #2 has 12 GB of hard drive space remaining.

- David