Re: Network is unaccessible, incorrect function.

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In article <A3ED9DA4-8381-4DF4-8459-A7754E958364@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Phill Barrett" <PhillBarrett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >Hi,
>> >
>> >I have a small (3 computer) wired Peer/Peer TCP/IP LAN and am trying to add
>> >another computer to it. The other computers all see each other, can browse
>> >to each other, and appear under View Workgroup Computers.
>> >
>> >The new computer appears under View Worgroup computers on the other
>> >machines, and can be browsed to. However, if I try to connect to one of the
>> >other computers from the new one I get the message "Rudby is not accessible.
>> >You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact system
>> >administrator. Incorrect Function". Even the new computer itself doesn't
>> >appear under its own Worgroup Computers.
>> >
>> >I have set the new computer to share files, and given full permisson to each
>> >drive. The Computer Browser service is running on all machines. I have
>> >tried changing the Advanced WINS TCP/IP setting for each machine to NETBIOS
>> >over TCP/IP (on the advice of KB318030 but still the same problem.
>> >
>> >I am connecting via an OfficeConnect switch and Draytech ADSL router (acting
>> >as DHCP server), and have tried dissabling the firwall on the router and
>> >allowing NETBIOS. I have McAfee AV & Firewall installed and the LAN setup to
>> >be allowed, but have also tried dissabling this firwall to bo avail.
>> >
>> >On one occasion, after removing and reinstalling Microsoft File & Printer
>> >Sharing I was able to connect from this computer, but on the next reboot I
>> >was back to only being afle to connect to the new computer not from it, so
>> >this may be irrelevent.
>> >
>> >The new machine can acess the internet fine and ping the othr computers, and
>> >the others can access it. It is only the ability to connect to the
>> >othercomputers from the new one that doesn't work.
>> >
>> >Any ideas what might be wrong or how I might cure it?
>>
>> Enable the firewall on the router! It protects all of the computers
>> from Internet hackers, and it's not causing the problem
>>
>> The McAfee firewall on the new computer is probably causing the
>> problem. Un-install it.
>
>Thanks for this Steve, don't know why I didn't try uninstaling McAfee
>firewall - I guess I assumed disabling it did the same thing. Any idea why
>having McAfee firwall enabled (or disabled for that matter!) would prevent
>the new computer from seeing the others even when the LAN adresses are
>entered as safe?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Phill.

You're welcome, Phill. I've seen several cases where firewall
programs (especially ZoneAlarm, Norton, and McAfee) interfere with
normal network access when they're apparently configured properly, and
even when they're disabled. Uninstalling them usually gets the
network to work again.

I attribute that problem to bad design and/or implementation, and the
problem seems to be getting worse as vendors add more "features" (some
of them verging on being nothing but marketing gimmicks) to their
firewalls.

I don't think that a knowledgeable user like you needs those features.
I recommend using a combination of hardware firewall (home broadband
router) and simple software firewall (Windows Firewall in XP SP2).
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
.

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