Continuing problems with Windows 98 networking

-----Original Message-----
In article <11fc01c3780b$f7548270
$(E-Mail Removed), "mark kofler"
<(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
Hi, hope someone can shed some light on this.
I have two laptops and a desktop PC connected via a
Belkin Wireless Access port and a D-Link ADSL/modem router.
The problem is that I cannot consistently access or see
the other computers on the network via network
neighbourhood. Here is the typical situation:

Desktop PC - Windows 98 SE, Belkin Wireless PCI card.
Can see laptop 1 and 2 on the network most of the time,
but is never able to connect to laptop 1 or 2. Error
message is
"\\laptop1 is not accessible. Computer or sharename can
not be found."

Laptop 1 - Windows 98 SE, Netcomm Wireless PCMCIA card.
Can see laptop 2 on the network and access shared
resources. However it, never sees the desktop PC.

Laptop 2 - Windows 98, Belkin Wireless PCMCIA card.
Never able to see other computers on the network.
Error message: "Unable to browse the network" when
clicking on Entire Network icon in Network Neighbourhood.

Also I am having trouble creating a new user on this
laptop. I am trying to create a new user on this laptop
because we cancel the Windows logon box as we don't have
the password for the user defined on the Laptop. I
understand not logging on is a common cause of
the "Unable to browse the network" error.

When I create a new user using the User Wizard, it
displays the error msg
"There is already a user with that name. Choose another
name." for any user I try to create.

Do I have a problem with my router/Access port
configuration, or a problem with the configuration on
the individual laptops and PC's?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers Mark

Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking) wrote:

The problem is with the network configuration on the
computers, not
with the router/Access point.

You must be logged on as a user in order to browse the
network, hence
the "Unable to browse" message on Laptop 2. There's no
need to create
another user. Remove the password from the first user by
deleting its
password file, which is C:\Windows\USER.pwl, where "USER"
is the user
name. Then, log off and log back on using that user name
and no
password.

The key to Windows networking is to use the same, single
protocol for
File and Printer Sharing on all computers. Since your
network has an
ADSL router, TCP/IP is the one to use. Configure the
network card's
TCP/IP properties on each computer to obtain an IP address
automatically. Go to the Bindings tab and enable
both "Client for
Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing for
Microsoft
Networks". Remove NetBEUI and IPX/SPX from all
computers.

Disable and un-install all firewall programs on all
computers while
troubleshooting. Don't re-install them until everything
is working.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Mark Kofler wrote:


As far as I can see all computers have Client for
Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing for
Microsoft Networks" enabled. NetBEUI and IPX/SPX from is
not installed. Also firewalls have been uninstalled.
I ran Net Diag:
Result:
When the laptop runs as a diagnostic server, the desktop
can't find it.
When the desktop runs as a diagnostic server, the laptop
finds it.
Does that give any more clues?
Cheers Mark


..