Adding XP client to Win98 wireless LAN

Hi,

I'd appreciate any help with this new challenge.

I want to add a WinXP (Home Ed.) notebook, as a new wireless client to my
little home
network. Here's what we have:

Cable modem goes to Linksys router/AP. One Win98 computer (the "main" or
host computer, with printer attached) is hard-wired into this router/AP,
while another Win98 machine networks with this wirelessly. I believe I'm
using NetBUI, although TCP/IP is also enabled.

For the 2 Win98 machines, everything works great -- connection sharing, file
sharing, even printer sharing.

Then, we got the new WinXP notebook, added the wireless client card,
and.....great, the connection was automatically shared. Now, on to file
sharing....

I changed the XP notebook's workgroup name, to match the other machines'.
Now, on the notebook, I can "see" the other wireless client, but not any of
its shared folders -- and I cannot see the host (hard-wired) computer at
all.

At one point, I tried using the WinXP networking wizard, to create a new
network, but it reached a point where the prompt seemed to want me to run a
program on the Win98 machines, and....well, considering how the other
machines are networking fine, I was reluctant to mess with them, unless it's
necessary. So, I closed the wizard.

After that, the WinXP notbook lost the shared connection, and I had to use
the "restore" utility to return to the original configuration, to get the
shared connection back.

Any pointers, please? Do I need to use some XP setting to enable file
sharing, before I'll be able to see the other computers' shared files?


Thanks for any tips!

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Ted Kerin"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>Hi,
>
>I'd appreciate any help with this new challenge.
>
>I want to add a WinXP (Home Ed.) notebook, as a new wireless client to my
>little home
>network. Here's what we have:
>
>Cable modem goes to Linksys router/AP. One Win98 computer (the "main" or
>host computer, with printer attached) is hard-wired into this router/AP,
>while another Win98 machine networks with this wirelessly. I believe I'm
>using NetBUI, although TCP/IP is also enabled.
>
>For the 2 Win98 machines, everything works great -- connection sharing, file
>sharing, even printer sharing.
>
>Then, we got the new WinXP notebook, added the wireless client card,
>and.....great, the connection was automatically shared. Now, on to file
>sharing....
>
>I changed the XP notebook's workgroup name, to match the other machines'.
>Now, on the notebook, I can "see" the other wireless client, but not any of
>its shared folders -- and I cannot see the host (hard-wired) computer at
>all.
>
>At one point, I tried using the WinXP networking wizard, to create a new
>network, but it reached a point where the prompt seemed to want me to run a
>program on the Win98 machines, and....well, considering how the other
>machines are networking fine, I was reluctant to mess with them, unless it's
>necessary. So, I closed the wizard.
>
>After that, the WinXP notbook lost the shared connection, and I had to use
>the "restore" utility to return to the original configuration, to get the
>shared connection back.
>
>Any pointers, please? Do I need to use some XP setting to enable file
>sharing, before I'll be able to see the other computers' shared files?
>
>
>Thanks for any tips!

You were smart not to run WinXP's network wizard on computers that are
already networked and working!

These tips should help you get everything working:

1. Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection Firewall on
local area network connections -- it's for use only on a direct modem
connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all other
firewalls while troubleshooting. Details here:

Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...c_firewall.htm

2. Use only one protocol for File and Printer Sharing. If the network
needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing from all
but one of them. Details here:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/..._protocols.htm

I don't see any need for NetBEUI, so remove it from all computers and
use only TCP/IP.

3. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers.
Details here:

Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...hoot/netbt.htm
--
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 - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Thanks, Steve -- I will check that out. (In fact, I came across your
tutorial yesterday, and saw the likely relevance.)

Sorry if my question complicated the issues unnecessarily -- I appreciate
that you waded through it, and offered your constructive advice.