Can't connect to other PCs over a Linksys wireless LAN

Can anyone offer advice on my problem?

At home I have three computers which all connect to the internet via a
Linksys WRT54G router; all three use wireless connections.

Although they connect to the internet without any problems, and I can
see an IP address when I use the ipconfig switch in DOS, none of the
the machines can see each other When I try to ping one from the other,
to map a network drive, or to use the net view command, I simply get
no response.

I found that, when I plugged my laptop directly into the router with
an RJ-45 cable I could connect a session of the game Call of Duty to
one of the machines; but I still couldn't ping it or share folders.

I've tried doing things like changing from fixed to assigned IP
addresses, turning on file-and-printer sharing and switching of
firewalls (on the PCs and the router) but still I get no joy.

I think the problem may be in one of two areas.

1: The wireless cards aren't configured properly
2: I need to add another networking component.

Linksys aren't much help - I'd be grateful if anyone could offer any
insight.

Cheers


Kev

Kevin Rafferty wrote:
> Can anyone offer advice on my problem?
>
> At home I have three computers which all connect to the internet via a
> Linksys WRT54G router; all three use wireless connections.
>
> Although they connect to the internet without any problems, and I can
> see an IP address when I use the ipconfig switch in DOS, none of the
> the machines can see each other When I try to ping one from the other,
> to map a network drive, or to use the net view command, I simply get
> no response.
>
> I found that, when I plugged my laptop directly into the router with
> an RJ-45 cable I could connect a session of the game Call of Duty to
> one of the machines; but I still couldn't ping it or share folders.
>
> I've tried doing things like changing from fixed to assigned IP
> addresses, turning on file-and-printer sharing and switching of
> firewalls (on the PCs and the router) but still I get no joy.
>
> I think the problem may be in one of two areas.
>
> 1: The wireless cards aren't configured properly
> 2: I need to add another networking component.
>
> Linksys aren't much help - I'd be grateful if anyone could offer any
> insight.
>
> Cheers
>
>
> Kev

1) the WRT54G has updated firmware (and a program to install it) on the
linksys website, available since dec 2 2004, your wrt54g may have been
manufactured before that date, even if you bought it after that date
(shipping takes time, delivery trucks aren't santa claus express!)

2) If you have XP SP2 installed, it has it's own firewall and can create
problems with any firewall you have and use (you only mention a computer and
router firewall, but if you have SP2, you may have 3 firewalls!)

3) If you had one or dueling firewalls active when you set up sharing, there
may have only been rules/exception created for one firewall and not the
other

4) there is actually a really handy prog for looking at your
disks/network/devices etc... It is called file explorer, ships with windows
so you already have it, but is no longer installed cuz people get it
confised with other explorers (right click on the desktop, select new,
shortcut, for location select browse go to windows and select the file named
explorer ((the one that looks like a screen and computer), then return
return)

If you are looking at a folder with the prog you just added (or the root),
right click, pick sharing and security, make sure there is a share name
*AND* Allow network users to change my files is selected (most games change
the files on other machines also playing the game)


If that doesn't work, one more thing (but only do it as a last resort) reset
the router back to factory settings (press and hold the reset button for
10-20 seconds ((next to the power jack)), the front lights flash) reset your
settings, remove and reinstall the software on each PC ( if pre-installed
start, connect to, show all connections, wireless network connection, set
up a home or small office connection then answer a bunch of q's and check
boxes as needed)...

Why? Once in a blue moon I run across whacked settings on the wap/router, or
on the pc's, some program that overwrote or corrupted things needed by the
system. It doesn't happen often, and should only be a last resort.. you can
do it and not screw things up, but if you do the wrong thing you can really
screw things up, so better not to do it if you don't have to. If you are
ready to pull your hair out, give it a try.. Your head will thank you,
especially since it's winter and will help keep your head warm

(E-Mail Removed) (Kevin Rafferty) wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed) om:

> Can anyone offer advice on my problem?
>
> At home I have three computers which all connect to the internet via a
> Linksys WRT54G router; all three use wireless connections.
>
> Although they connect to the internet without any problems, and I can
> see an IP address when I use the ipconfig switch in DOS, none of the
> the machines can see each other When I try to ping one from the other,
> to map a network drive, or to use the net view command, I simply get
> no response.
>
> I found that, when I plugged my laptop directly into the router with
> an RJ-45 cable I could connect a session of the game Call of Duty to
> one of the machines; but I still couldn't ping it or share folders.
>
> I've tried doing things like changing from fixed to assigned IP
> addresses, turning on file-and-printer sharing and switching of
> firewalls (on the PCs and the router) but still I get no joy.
>
> I think the problem may be in one of two areas.
>
> 1: The wireless cards aren't configured properly
> 2: I need to add another networking component.

>
> Linksys aren't much help - I'd be grateful if anyone could offer any
> insight.


You can try re-flashing the router with the firmware. Sometimes, the
firmware not be working properly out of the box.

You can try the following services and protocol on the NIC's removing
everything else off of the NIC(s).

1) Client for MS Networks
2) File and Print Sharing for MS networks
3) Internet Protocol TCP/IP

If that doesn't work, then you can add MS's NWLink IPX/SPX NetBios
compatible protocol to the NIC's as the Number 4 option.

You should disable any personal FW(s) until you have network implemented.

Duane

On 27 Jan 2005 00:51:23 -0800, in alt.internet.wireless ,
(E-Mail Removed) (Kevin Rafferty) wrote:

>Can anyone offer advice on my problem?
>
>At home I have three computers which all connect to the internet via a
>Linksys WRT54G router; all three use wireless connections.
>
>Although they connect to the internet without any problems, and I can
>see an IP address when I use the ipconfig switch in DOS,

What are their IP addresess? All in the same subnet eg 192.168.1.x?
Something peculiar? Do they all have the router set as the default gateway?
ipconfig /all may help.

>none of the
>the machines can see each other When I try to ping one from the other,
>to map a network drive, or to use the net view command, I simply get
>no response.

Turn off all firewalls on the PCs, see if that helps. If so, you need to
configure the firewalls to allow ping responses, open the ports for
file/printer sharing (this is usually very obvious), and open the ports for
any games you want to play across them. With ZoneAlarm, you can achieve all
this in one go by putting all machines into the "Trusted" zone. With
WinXP's builtin firewall its fiddlier.

>I've tried doing things like changing from fixed to assigned IP
>addresses, turning on file-and-printer sharing and switching of
>firewalls (on the PCs and the router) but still I get no joy.

If you hope to use file/printer sharing then you need to have file/printer
sharing on (obviously) on all the machines. Unless you have wired your
router up wrong, the firewall in there won't be interfering as its on the
upstream side of the wireless. Be sure you've disabled ALL firewalls on
the PCs tho - remember XP has a builtin one as well as whatever else you
may be using.

>1: The wireless cards aren't configured properly

Unlikely. If they can get to the internet then they're working properly.

>2: I need to add another networking component.

Also unlikely, but depends on your OS. For XP you need TCP/IP, Client for
MS networks, and file/printer sharing, nothing else. For 98, I seem to
recall you needed NetBEUI or something.


--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

Thanks for the advice folks. Depressingly, I've tried just about
everything mentioned above (including flashing the firmware). Could
it be a physical fault with the router? As someone's already pointed
out, the fact that I can connect to the internet would imply not.

Kevin Rafferty wrote:
> Thanks for the advice folks. Depressingly, I've tried just about
> everything mentioned above (including flashing the firmware). Could
> it be a physical fault with the router? As someone's already pointed
> out, the fact that I can connect to the internet would imply not.

may I suggest you reset the wap/router to factory defaults? The reset switch
is next to the power jack on the back of the device... Press it in with a
pen or something for about 10-15 seconds. Then when the lights stop
flashing, unplug it and plug it back in. At this point it is set new out of
the box, but do NOT add security yet.. Test and see if you can access stuff
with nothing modified yet.

Have you enabled file and print sharing on your systems (when you go to each
system, do the setup a small office or home network) ?

It's very easy to set the options to disable wireless/routimg.. Resetting it
all makes absolutely sure nothing is left over from your trying things. By
doing the setup (start/connect to/show all connections... and the on the
left side set up a small office or home network), basically makes sure that
all the settings are enabled correctly.

You tried everything else, why not go back to square one and start over?