Cannot find network path on my Vista machine

[Azzan]

Hey Everyone,

I'm trying to create a network for my shared files and a printer on my system which is running Windows Xp and on my laptop having Windows Vista on it. The problem is that when i try to open my desktop icon in the network box on the laptop is says that it can't be found. I had set both the workgroups in the same manner, but i don't understand why doesn't it works. I get an error showing that network path can not be found on my Windows Vista. Can any body tell me that why i'm unable to get network on my laptop? Does any body have any idea on the above issue? Kindly help me out to resolve this issue.

Thanks.

[Zachary]

I am having the same problem. I have a vista Laptop (wireless) and an XP desktop (ethernet) networked through a wireless router. The xp machine has the printer. I can see the vista machine from the xp machine, access folders and transfer files. I can ping both ways without problem. The xp shows up on my vista network map, but will not appear in the list of machines. I loaded the LLTP, changed workgroup name, have identical user/pass accounts, enabled network discovery and yet still the connection is one way.

[Big Fish]

File and printer sharing are done in two different ways simultaneously.

The first way is through netbios broadcasts. You know that netbios broadcasts will not go through NAT, over a VPN tunnel, or two different subnets. This is why they say, netbios is not routeable. The only way to get this to work this way is:
1) to have a WINS or LMHOST record connection between the Domain master browser of site A and the remote PC or remote site's domain master browse (Site B)r.
2) This method uses WINS/NETBIOS port 137/TCP, and netbios datagram ports 138 & 139 UDP.
3) It will require you have netbios over TCP/IP enabled (Not Netbios over DHCP).
4) It is also necessary that you do NOT run IPversion 6 on either the 2003 server or Vista machine. Netbios will not go through an IPv6 toredo tunnel.
5) and your netbios bindings must be correct to share between sites.

The second and newest method is through SMB shares over TCP.
In order to get this to work you need:
1) an open path on SMB port 445/TCP, Netbios datagram port 139/UDP, and RPC port 135/UDP.
(Note:- Most ISPs block SMB shares because of the vulnerabilities of the shares and access to open shares that Hackers exploit, these ports are highly targeted.)
2) you must not be using IP version 6.

[Shen]

I am running WHS PP1 beta. I am considering uninstalling it, but haven't figure out how and I am not sure this is necessary either.

Also, is there anything analagous to the public or private network setting on WHS? When I view my "Network Map" under the Network and Sharing center of my vista machine, it shows my server under "The following discovered devices can not be placed in the map." Under the help documentation for this, it says this could be due to public/private settings on a Vista machine. However, in this case it is not Vista, but WHS.

[Steve123]

Just follow the below steps to find out the exact problem:-

1. On my new windows vista machine (HP Pavilion dv2200) I did a full system restore, resetting back to all settings that existed right out of the box.
2. Fully diagnosed and debugged all network issues on the other PCs on my home network. This includes one Windows 95 PC, one Windows 98 PC,and two Windows XP PCs. They are all sharing the same workgroup, can all share printers and files in a fully expected way, and are all visible on each other's "Network Neighborhood" or "View Workgroup Computers" screen. I also have a print server on that same workgroup, also fully viewable and usable by all. Also installed LLTD on both Windows XP computers.
3. Booted up (as if for the first time) the Vista computer.
4. Connected the Vista computer to my wireless LAN, so that it had internet access.
5. Of course, then there were windows updates and HP updates and all that, so I booted it up a total of four more times to bring it to a stable place. I have added no software or configuration.
6. Disconnected my wireless router from the internet so that I didn't have to worry about any outside intrusions.
7. Disabled or closed the firewall on every single computer in the home. All naked to the world on every port.
8. Changed the workgroup name on the Vista computer to match the workgroup name on every other computer on my LAN. Had to reboot one more time.
9. Made the network I was dealing with on the VISTA computer a "private" network. Turned file sharing and printer sharing on on the "Network and Sharing" page of the VISTA computer. Turned "Password Protection" off.
10. Looked at the full "Network Map" on the Vista computer. As expected, the router and the two windows XP computers showed up. The print server and the windows 98 and windows 95 machine do not show up. No surprise there, they do not have LLTD.
11. Verified that the Vista machine could ping every other machine by IP address (including the print server and the router) on the network.
12. Verified that every other computer and the router could ping the VISTA machine. Re-verified that the non-vista computers could ping each other.
13. The Vista machine shows up in the network neighborhood or "View Workgroup" screen of all the other computers, except the Windows 95 computer. However, when I try to open the Vista computer, or look at the properties, I get an error message from ANY of the other computers saying "//Vista-PC is not accessible. You might not have permission to access it, contact the system administrator" Under that, the dialog says "The Network Path was not found".
14. When I try to view the network on the VISTA machine, ONLY the network hub/router and the vista machine itself show up. The other machines do not show up at all.
15. Verified once again that ALL firewalls are off.

[Em Ku]

In some special case, firewall of an security tool will block all network accesses that do not have the right permission, such as KIS. Take a note to set your network access control with fully permission in your KIS or some firewall tools