Cannot access machine by name

I have a simple peer-to-peer network in my office, no domain or anything.
Everyone is working off of a workgroup named AWAY_TEAM. My desktop computer
(named Anchorman) is running Windows XP Pro, and my Laptop (named DLGLaptop)
is also running Windows XP Pro. I have several shared folders on my desktop
computer. I am connected through a NetGear FVS318 router.

From my laptop, I cannot access the Anchorman machine by name. For
instance, if I go to My Network Places, it is not listed there. As a matter
of fact, when I try to view the AWAY_TEAM group, I'm told, "Away_team is not
accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource...".
I frequently use the DOS NET USE command to map a drive to my Desktop, so I
can copy files, and I cannot access the machine by using \\anchorman either.

I can access the Desktop machine from my laptop via the IP address, however
(which is static). If I type \\192.168.0.105 into the Run prompt, and click
OK, it brings up a list of the shared folders on that computer. I can also
use the IP address to map a drive. So, from that perspective, I'm not dead
in the water, but just annoyed because I can't access the machine by it's
name.

Does anyone know why I can't access the Away_team workgroup? I have
checked, and double-checked to make sure that the Laptop machine is part of
that workgroup, and it is, so it cannot be due to being in a different
workgroup.

Thanks,
Jesse

Open a dos prompt on the problem machine and run
ipconfig /all then post the NetBIOS node type.

"Jesse" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
>I have a simple peer-to-peer network in my office, no domain or anything.
>Everyone is working off of a workgroup named AWAY_TEAM. My desktop
>computer (named Anchorman) is running Windows XP Pro, and my Laptop (named
>DLGLaptop) is also running Windows XP Pro. I have several shared folders
>on my desktop computer. I am connected through a NetGear FVS318 router.
>
> From my laptop, I cannot access the Anchorman machine by name. For
> instance, if I go to My Network Places, it is not listed there. As a
> matter of fact, when I try to view the AWAY_TEAM group, I'm told,
> "Away_team is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
> network resource...". I frequently use the DOS NET USE command to map a
> drive to my Desktop, so I can copy files, and I cannot access the machine
> by using \\anchorman either.
>
> I can access the Desktop machine from my laptop via the IP address,
> however (which is static). If I type \\192.168.0.105 into the Run prompt,
> and click OK, it brings up a list of the shared folders on that computer.
> I can also use the IP address to map a drive. So, from that perspective,
> I'm not dead in the water, but just annoyed because I can't access the
> machine by it's name.
>
> Does anyone know why I can't access the Away_team workgroup? I have
> checked, and double-checked to make sure that the Laptop machine is part
> of that workgroup, and it is, so it cannot be due to being in a different
> workgroup.
>
> Thanks,
> Jesse
>

> Open a dos prompt on the problem machine and run
> ipconfig /all then post the NetBIOS node type.

Node Type reports Peer-Peer. I hope that is the same as "NetBIOS node
type", because I don't see that.

Thanks,
Jesse

Yes it is the same. Disregard.
Sorry I missed it in your original
post but you cannot browse remote
workgroups without at least 1 domain
in place. Since a domain is defined by
having at least 1 primary domain controller
or DMB (domain master browser) which
gathers the local as well as the remote
browse list browsing across segments will
not work.

"Jesse" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
>> Open a dos prompt on the problem machine and run
>> ipconfig /all then post the NetBIOS node type.
>
> Node Type reports Peer-Peer. I hope that is the same as "NetBIOS node
> type", because I don't see that.
>

> Yes it is the same. Disregard. Sorry I missed it in your original
> post but you cannot browse remote workgroups without at least 1 domain
> in place. Since a domain is defined by having at least 1 primary domain
> controller
> or DMB (domain master browser) which gathers the local as well as the
> remote
> browse list browsing across segments will not work.

Well, first of all, what constitutes being a "remote workgroup"? It's not
really "remote", I don't believe. My desktop is right here, and my laptop
is to the left of me, and they're both hooked to the same exact router. So,
they're really on the same LAN.

Besides all of this, I used to be able to access machine by it's machine
name before, but something has changed, and I just don't know what.

Is the function that you're talking about (domain master browser) something
that my router may have been taking on before, or my desktop machine, and
some how, that function has been turned off?

BTW, I have a Linux box on my network running Samba that I use for backup's.
It's name is Risa. From my desktop machine, I can go to Start / Run, and
type \\risa, and it brings up the shared resources from the risa machine, no
problem. I have also just discovered that on my laptop I can type \\risa
and it will also bring up the shared resources on Risa. So, my laptop
doesn't seem to be the problem, my desktop machine seems to be the problem.
When I type \\anchorman (the name of my desktop) from my laptop (and
presumably any other machine on the network), I get "the network path was
not found", but I can type \\192.168.0.105, and it comes up without a
problem.

So, that being the case, is there a service, or a setting somewhere that
makes it where other machines cannot access my desktop by name? I am also
running pc-cillin Network security software. It has a firewall and
everything. However, I closed it down completely to make sure that wasn't
causing my problem, and that didn't make a difference.

Thanks,
Jesse

Thanks,
Jesse

Hi Jesse,
Answers inline

"Jesse" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
>> Yes it is the same. Disregard. Sorry I missed it in your original
>> post but you cannot browse remote workgroups without at least 1 domain
>> in place. Since a domain is defined by having at least 1 primary domain
>> controller
>> or DMB (domain master browser) which gathers the local as well as the
>> remote
>> browse list browsing across segments will not work.
>
> Well, first of all, what constitutes being a "remote workgroup"? It's not
> really "remote", I don't believe. My desktop is right here, and my laptop
> is to the left of me, and they're both hooked to the same exact router.
> So, they're really on the same LAN.

My apolgy.

> Is the function that you're talking about (domain master browser)
> something that my router may have been taking on before, or my desktop
> machine, and some how, that function has been turned off?

No but a SAMBA server running in DC mode will assume the
role of DMB on a windows network causing problems when a
domain is in place.

>
> BTW, I have a Linux box on my network running Samba that I use for
> backup's. It's name is Risa. From my desktop machine, I can go to Start /
> Run, and type \\risa, and it brings up the shared resources from the risa
> machine, no problem. I have also just discovered that on my laptop I can
> type \\risa and it will also bring up the shared resources on Risa. So,
> my laptop doesn't seem to be the problem, my desktop machine seems to be
> the problem. When I type \\anchorman (the name of my desktop) from my
> laptop (and presumably any other machine on the network), I get "the
> network path was not found", but I can type \\192.168.0.105, and it comes
> up without a problem.
>
> So, that being the case, is there a service, or a setting somewhere that
> makes it where other machines cannot access my desktop by name? I am also
> running pc-cillin Network security software. It has a firewall and
> everything. However, I closed it down completely to make sure that wasn't
> causing my problem, and that didn't make a difference.
>
Broadcast name resolution in a non routed environment is responsible for
name to tcp/ip address translation without a WINS server. Your error
suggests broadcasts and/or NetBIOS is being blocked. Open a dos
prompt on the problem machine and run net view. What do you see?

> Broadcast name resolution in a non routed environment is responsible for
> name to tcp/ip address translation without a WINS server. Your error
> suggests broadcasts and/or NetBIOS is being blocked. Open a dos
> prompt on the problem machine and run net view. What do you see?

When I run NET VIEW on my Desktop (the one I'm having accessing by name from
my laptop), I can see the following machines:
\\ANCHORMAN
\\DLGLAPTOP
\\RISA

When I open it from my Laptop (DLGLAPTOP), I see the following:
\\ANCHORMAN
\\DLGLAPTOP
\\RISA

Strange that it should see it by name in a NET VIEW, but I can't access it
via a NET USE command, or Run command (by typing \\anchorman).

Thanks,
Jesse

Hi Jesse,
The error is almost always related to something blocking broadcasts /
NetBIOS. You could check the local security policy.

"Jesse" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uJsP8v%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Broadcast name resolution in a non routed environment is responsible for
>> name to tcp/ip address translation without a WINS server. Your error
>> suggests broadcasts and/or NetBIOS is being blocked. Open a dos
>> prompt on the problem machine and run net view. What do you see?
>
> When I run NET VIEW on my Desktop (the one I'm having accessing by name
> from my laptop), I can see the following machines:
> \\ANCHORMAN
> \\DLGLAPTOP
> \\RISA
>
> When I open it from my Laptop (DLGLAPTOP), I see the following:
> \\ANCHORMAN
> \\DLGLAPTOP
> \\RISA
>
> Strange that it should see it by name in a NET VIEW, but I can't access it
> via a NET USE command, or Run command (by typing \\anchorman).

Nortons internet security perhaps. I've seen this before.

"Michael Giorgio - MS MVP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:
> Hi Jesse,
> The error is almost always related to something blocking broadcasts /
> NetBIOS. You could check the local security policy.

> Nortons internet security perhaps. I've seen this before.

I'm not running Norton. I have Norton Ghost running, but that is all. I'm
running pc-cillin, and it does have a firewall, but as stated, I've shut it
completely down, and I still have the problem.

>The error is almost always related to something blocking broadcasts /
>NetBIOS. You could check the local security policy.

How do I do this, and what specifically do I look for?

Thanks,
Jesse