Re: Sharing Resources on LAN

From: Bob Willard (BobwBSGS_at_TrashThis.comcast.net)
Date: 05/02/04


Date: Sun, 02 May 2004 08:47:39 -0400

Michael Ayres San Francisco wrote:
> I see that many others are having the same problem I am:
> Networking and sharing resoures between heterogenous
> Windows machines.
>
> I have a small office LAN with an XP-home, Win2K and ME
> OS. All connect via the router to the Internet, but I
> can't get resources sharing going, file folder on the XP
> and a printer on the ME?
>
> Is anyone getting an answer other than upgrading all the
> machines to the same OS?
>
> Thanks

Lots of folks have had the same problems, and most of them have
apparently found solutions. You might start with a Google
search of this NG, where the problems and solutions have been
repeatedly discussed. For certain, it is not necessary
to have the same flavor of WinWhatever; every version can
network with every other version, starting with Win3.11.

While not all are strictly necessary, I suggest these steps:

1. Enable DHCP on your router, and set each PC to be a DHCP client;
    some OSs call this "Enable auto IP" or the like. Reboot all.
    Check (by run WINIPCFG under W9x or by run CMD and typing
    CONFIG/ALL under W2K or XP) that all PCs are in the same IP
    subnet, which means for IPA=a.b.c.d, that a.b.c is the same
    and the d's unique for each PC.
2. Permanently disable ICF on all XP PCs. Temporarily uninstall
    all other firewall apps and all antivirus apps on each PC.
3. Enable TCP/IP and NetBIOS over TCP/IP on each PC. Disable
    NetBEUI and IPX/SPX on each PC.
4. Check that each PC has a unique computer name and that all PCs
    have the same workgroup name.
5. Check that each PC has Client for M$ Nets enabled. Check that
    each PC has F&P sharing enabled, and that each PC has at least
    one (non-root) folder shared with a simple sharename. For sure,
    get F-sharing working before attempting P-sharing, since some
    P's cannot be (or cannot be easily) shared between some OSs.
6. Use the same accounts (User & PW) on each PC, and check that
    on each PC that account has full R/W access to that PC's
    shared resources. Check that the shared F's are marked for full
    R/W access from the network.

That should get you going. Next, you may want to experiment, by
turning on firewalls (other than ICF) and defining trusted zones;
and by using different accounts on different PCs, and by trying to
get P-sharing going. Good luck.

-- 
Cheers, Bob


Relevant Pages

  • Re: What do I need?
    ... PCs by cable or wireless. ... I'm not clear what you mean there by network sharing procedures. ... The main thing is to implement a hardware level barrier between ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: Internet connection sharing
    ... You need the W98 PC to be in the same IP subnet as the XP PCs. ... Each PC must have the same set of network protocols. ... working before attempting printer sharing, ... PINGing works: every PC should be able to PING every other PC on the LAN, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)
  • Re: Dynamic vs. Static IP -Internet Connection/File sharing
    ... > I have a number of PCs on a small peer-to-peer network. ... > IP so that I can share resources over the network. ... > dynamically allocate IPs to each of these clients - will I still be able to ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)
  • Re: PCs on home LAN cant see each other
    ... I ran the network setup wizard on all 3 PCs so I ... If one or more of the computers is XP Pro: ... Simple File Sharing and create identical user ... Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)
  • Re: Computers In Same Work Cant Access One Another.....
    ... >>I am trying to set up a network between the two PCs I ... With XP Pro, ... OR for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web)