Need Network Help Please

[The Critic]

I'm trying to accomplish the following:

- Share a 56K dial-up connection between two Windows XP computers using Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).
- Share files and a printer.

Both computers are connected together using an Airlink 4 port AR504 Cable/DSL router with CAT5E cables, wired to the T568B pattern. I connected the CAT5E cables to the #1 and #2 ports on the Cable/DSL router. I also ran the Windows "Network Setup Wizard" to set the workgroup, computer name, and computer description as well as enable file/printer sharing. The 56K dial-up connection is also set to "share."

Yet, when I open up (one either computer) the function to view the computers listed in the workgroup, I am never able to see the other computer.

Lastly, only one of the computers is able to access the router setup software, and this is the "client" computer connected to the #2 port on the router.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

If you have the Windows Firewall on, you may not be able to browse network resources at all.

Forget the Windows Browser ("network neighborhood") thing, it's problematic at best. From computer1 type in \\computer2 at the Start > Run menu. If you have permissions on computer from the user you're logged on as in computer1, you'll be able to see shared files, folders, printers...

The converse is true: from computer2 type in \\computer1.

As for the router, there's a chance it's bad, it's a hit or miss thing on the low-end of the network spectrum.

 

[The Critic]

Hey thanks! Let me go try that.

BTW, router was only $7.99 from Fry's.

Mike

 

[brianl703]

You might also try using the ping command to verify connectivity.

If ping doesn't work, the problem is with the network hardware or the IP address configuration.

 

[The Critic]

ping works on that pc #2 but not pc #1. I went back and disabled all firewalls on both computers and changed the workgroup name to the default MSHOME. Now, I'm able to see an "internet gateway" on the client PC but am still unable to access the internet thru ICS on the client pc.

Mike

 

[michaelc80]

Did you run the ICS wizard on both machines?

Also, since you have a P2P network you'll need to make sure that usernames and password are identical in "Local users and groups". In other words, if you log in on one computer as "User1" make sure you have a "User1" account on the other computer to allow it to authenticate. Both have to authenticate to each other. Make sure the passwords are identical, and make sure the case is too (I know the case of the username shouldn't make a difference, but I've seen times when it does).

Here is a pretty good article that might help you out.

Annoyances.org article