Computers not networking

Hi, I have a computer (let's say 'A') running XP with internet connection
sharing enabled so that two other machines can be networked to it and use the
internet, using wired connections. This wired network works successfully. I
have now installed a USB wireless adaptor on computer 'A' which is showing as
successfully installed and I am trying to add a laptop (as a fourth machine)
with wirelss connectivity to my home network for internet access and file and
printer sharing (I am not using a router; 'A' has an external broadband
modem). On both 'A' and the laptop the wireless network is showing as
connected: the laptop picking up the name of A's wireless network connection
and indicating a strong signal. However I cannot even ping from one computer
to the other, and inded the laptop is showing that no data has even been been
sent.

I have run the network setup wizard on both computers ('A' first). After
running it on computer A I notice that a network bridge has been created
(something that I was unable to achieve manually).

Can anyone advise me how to get the laptop to be able to join the home
network and access the internet from 'A' (without using a router)?

A's Network Bridge is set to 'obtain IP address automatically' and
ipconfig/release then IPconfig/renew on the laptop tells me 'unable to
contact your DHCP server'. This happens with all firewalls switched off.

I have followed instructions in help and support to configure the wirelss
connection 'A' to start with.

Please can anyone help? Many thanks.

No: cannot ping even with firewalls off.

"Robert L [MVP - Networking]" wrote:

> If turn off the firewall, can you ping it?
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:75DFFE37-0330-4B39-AEAD-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi, I have a computer (let's say 'A') running XP with internet connection
> sharing enabled so that two other machines can be networked to it and use the
> internet, using wired connections. This wired network works successfully. I
> have now installed a USB wireless adaptor on computer 'A' which is showing as
> successfully installed and I am trying to add a laptop (as a fourth machine)
> with wirelss connectivity to my home network for internet access and file and
> printer sharing (I am not using a router; 'A' has an external broadband
> modem). On both 'A' and the laptop the wireless network is showing as
> connected: the laptop picking up the name of A's wireless network connection
> and indicating a strong signal. However I cannot even ping from one computer
> to the other, and inded the laptop is showing that no data has even been been
> sent.
>
> I have run the network setup wizard on both computers ('A' first). After
> running it on computer A I notice that a network bridge has been created
> (something that I was unable to achieve manually).
>
> Can anyone advise me how to get the laptop to be able to join the home
> network and access the internet from 'A' (without using a router)?
>
> A's Network Bridge is set to 'obtain IP address automatically' and
> ipconfig/release then IPconfig/renew on the laptop tells me 'unable to
> contact your DHCP server'. This happens with all firewalls switched off.
>
> I have followed instructions in help and support to configure the wirelss
> connection 'A' to start with.
>
> Please can anyone help? Many thanks

I have networked before using the wired route. I don't fully understand all
the protocols, TCP/IP settings etc, but from my limited experience I don't
THINK this is the problem. Computers are set to obtain automatically. One
thing I am interested in however: having tried to set up the wireless
connection using the wireless connection wizard the icon that appears
alongside it in the 'wireless connections properties' box under the 'wireless
networks' tab listed under 'preferred networks' is different to the one that
appears alongside the connection that I had already created manually in the
same list! I think this may be because the wizard hasn't created a 'peer to
peer' connection, which is what I need? Clearly I am out of my depth!

When wireless network connection (‘per to peer’) shows as connected in
yellow box that comes up from connection icon in system tray, ipconfig
returns 169.254.84.255 for ‘ethernet adaptor network bridge’ on main computer
(‘A’), and ipconfig returns 169.254.31.16 for ‘ethernet adaptor wireless
connection 2’ on the laptop, again when it is also showing as connected in
the system tray (both computers are referring to the same wireless connection
name in their system trays, 'mike's nw'). For both computers tcp/ip settings
are set to obtain addresses automatically. In this state cannot ping either
machine from the other: the laptop ping to ‘A’ times out and pinging from A
gives answer ‘destination host unreachable’.

‘A’’s connection status shows packets sent but the laptop’s connection
status shows packets neither sent nor received. All firewalls off.

Hope you pick up this post as it was two or three days ago you replied last.
Thanks.


"Robert L [MVP - Networking]" wrote:

> If you don't have another security software blocking the ping, I would double check the TCP/IP settings.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:C99CF9A7-F3DA-4EB9-927A-(E-Mail Removed)...
> No: cannot ping even with firewalls off.
>
> "Robert L [MVP - Networking]" wrote:
>
> > If turn off the firewall, can you ping it?
> >
> > Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> > Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> > How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > "Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:75DFFE37-0330-4B39-AEAD-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi, I have a computer (let's say 'A') running XP with internet connection
> > sharing enabled so that two other machines can be networked to it and use the
> > internet, using wired connections. This wired network works successfully. I
> > have now installed a USB wireless adaptor on computer 'A' which is showing as
> > successfully installed and I am trying to add a laptop (as a fourth machine)
> > with wirelss connectivity to my home network for internet access and file and
> > printer sharing (I am not using a router; 'A' has an external broadband
> > modem). On both 'A' and the laptop the wireless network is showing as
> > connected: the laptop picking up the name of A's wireless network connection
> > and indicating a strong signal. However I cannot even ping from one computer
> > to the other, and inded the laptop is showing that no data has even been been
> > sent.
> >
> > I have run the network setup wizard on both computers ('A' first). After
> > running it on computer A I notice that a network bridge has been created
> > (something that I was unable to achieve manually).
> >
> > Can anyone advise me how to get the laptop to be able to join the home
> > network and access the internet from 'A' (without using a router)?
> >
> > A's Network Bridge is set to 'obtain IP address automatically' and
> > ipconfig/release then IPconfig/renew on the laptop tells me 'unable to
> > contact your DHCP server'. This happens with all firewalls switched off.
> >
> > I have followed instructions in help and support to configure the wirelss
> > connection 'A' to start with.
> >
> > Please can anyone help? Many thanks