File and Print Sharing and ICS stopped working

I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free. All
boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a modem
and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE. All
could share files and printers also.

Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to connect. I
checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup names
and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with two
workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup names
but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
Same issue.

It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines around
to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.

Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can investigate?

Thanks in advance.

Reggie Laffond wrote:

> I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free. All
> boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a modem
> and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE. All
> could share files and printers also.
>
> Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to connect. I
> checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
> couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup names
> and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
> neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with two
> workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup names
> but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
> special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
> Same issue.
>
> It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines around
> to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.
>
> Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can investigate?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
Check the IP addresses and masks with winipcfg and make sure they're
all on the same subnet.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Reggie Laffond wrote:
>
> > I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free.
All
> > boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a
modem
> > and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE.
All
> > could share files and printers also.
> >
> > Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to
connect. I
> > checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
> > couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup
names
> > and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
> > neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with
two
> > workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup
names
> > but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
> > special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
> > Same issue.
> >
> > It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines
around
> > to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.
> >
> > Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can
investigate?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> Check the IP addresses and masks with winipcfg and make sure they're
> all on the same subnet.
>
> --
> The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
> minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

When I went home and looked in Network Neighborhood I could see the aother
three workstastions from any anywhere. Magic. Maybe it just needed time to
show up there. I noticed that after a reboot the other names don't always
display but if I type the computer name in the address bar of Explorer I can
browse the files OK (and it immediately makes the name available in network
neighborhood.
I double checked the subnet mask and IP addresses as suggested. Subnets and
first two segment of the IP addresses match. But still only the ICS machine
can get to the internet.

Should I take this to the internet newsgroup since my connectivity issue is
resolved or can I continue here?

Ideas?

Reggie Laffond wrote:

> CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>Reggie Laffond wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free.
>
> All
>
>>>boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a
>
> modem
>
>>>and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE.
>
> All
>
>>>could share files and printers also.
>>>
>>>Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to
>
> connect. I
>
>>>checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
>>>couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup
>
> names
>
>>>and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
>>>neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with
>
> two
>
>>>workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup
>
> names
>
>>>but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
>>>special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
>>>Same issue.
>>>
>>>It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines
>
> around
>
>>>to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.
>>>
>>>Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can
>
> investigate?
>
>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Check the IP addresses and masks with winipcfg and make sure they're
>>all on the same subnet.
>>
>>--
>>The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
>>minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
>
>
> When I went home and looked in Network Neighborhood I could see the aother
> three workstastions from any anywhere. Magic. Maybe it just needed time to
> show up there. I noticed that after a reboot the other names don't always
> display but if I type the computer name in the address bar of Explorer I can
> browse the files OK (and it immediately makes the name available in network
> neighborhood.
> I double checked the subnet mask and IP addresses as suggested. Subnets and
> first two segment of the IP addresses match. But still only the ICS machine
> can get to the internet.

Whoa ...

What do you mean "first two segment ..." Are you running a class
B network? Most home users run class C (i.e. the netmask is
255.255.255.0, so that to be in the same subnet -- and able to
communicate -- the first _three_ numbers match).

>
> Should I take this to the internet newsgroup since my connectivity issue is
> resolved or can I continue here?
>
> Ideas?
>
>


--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

"CJT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Reggie Laffond wrote:
>
>> CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>>>Reggie Laffond wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free.
>>
>> All
>>
>>>>boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a
>>
>> modem
>>
>>>>and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE.
>>
>> All
>>
>>>>could share files and printers also.
>>>>
>>>>Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to
>>
>> connect. I
>>
>>>>checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
>>>>couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup
>>
>> names
>>
>>>>and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
>>>>neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with
>>
>> two
>>
>>>>workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup
>>
>> names
>>
>>>>but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
>>>>special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
>>>>Same issue.
>>>>
>>>>It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines
>>
>> around
>>
>>>>to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.
>>>>
>>>>Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can
>>
>> investigate?
>>
>>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>Check the IP addresses and masks with winipcfg and make sure they're
>>>all on the same subnet.
>>>
>>>--
>>>The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
>>>minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
>>
>>
>> When I went home and looked in Network Neighborhood I could see the
>> aother
>> three workstastions from any anywhere. Magic. Maybe it just needed time
>> to
>> show up there. I noticed that after a reboot the other names don't always
>> display but if I type the computer name in the address bar of Explorer I
>> can
>> browse the files OK (and it immediately makes the name available in
>> network
>> neighborhood.
>> I double checked the subnet mask and IP addresses as suggested. Subnets
>> and
>> first two segment of the IP addresses match. But still only the ICS
>> machine
>> can get to the internet.
>
> Whoa ...
>
> What do you mean "first two segment ..." Are you running a class
> B network? Most home users run class C (i.e. the netmask is
> 255.255.255.0, so that to be in the same subnet -- and able to
> communicate -- the first _three_ numbers match).
>
Subnets match 255.255.255.0.
I can't remember what the IP addresses were (I'm not home now) but the first
two segments match (ie.168.172.xx.xx) on all machines.
>>
>> Should I take this to the internet newsgroup since my connectivity issue
>> is
>> resolved or can I continue here?
>>
>> Ideas?
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
> minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

Reggie Laffond wrote:
> "CJT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>Reggie Laffond wrote:
>>
>>
>>>CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>>
>>>>Reggie Laffond wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I've had a small network in my home for two years fairly trouble free.
>>>
>>>All
>>>
>>>
>>>>>boxes are Win98SE with NICs connected to a hub with CAT5E. One has a
>>>
>>>modem
>>>
>>>
>>>>>and ICS. The ICS box dials up the ISP and the others simply launch IE.
>>>
>>>All
>>>
>>>
>>>>>could share files and printers also.
>>>>>
>>>>>Last week my daughter said she could not get Instant Messanger to
>>>
>>>connect. I
>>>
>>>
>>>>>checked and her machine could not see two of the four. And the two she
>>>>>couldn't get to could only see each other. I tried changing workgroup
>>>
>>>names
>>>
>>>
>>>>>and computer names but the same pair can only see each other in network
>>>>>neighborhood. So now it's like I have two different networks each with
>>>
>>>two
>>>
>>>
>>>>>workstations. I know this can happen if you use different workgroup
>>>
>>>names
>>>
>>>
>>>>>but I was careful when I typed - and no uppercase or trailing spaces or
>>>>>special characters. In fact I went back to the default name "WORKGROUP".
>>>>>Same issue.
>>>>>
>>>>>It isn't a physical connection problem because I swapped the machines
>>>
>>>around
>>>
>>>
>>>>>to different jacks the symptom hasn't changed.
>>>>>
>>>>>Are ther known problems with Win98 and networking that I can
>>>
>>>investigate?
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Check the IP addresses and masks with winipcfg and make sure they're
>>>>all on the same subnet.
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
>>>>minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
>>>
>>>
>>>When I went home and looked in Network Neighborhood I could see the
>>>aother
>>>three workstastions from any anywhere. Magic. Maybe it just needed time
>>>to
>>>show up there. I noticed that after a reboot the other names don't always
>>>display but if I type the computer name in the address bar of Explorer I
>>>can
>>>browse the files OK (and it immediately makes the name available in
>>>network
>>>neighborhood.
>>>I double checked the subnet mask and IP addresses as suggested. Subnets
>>>and
>>>first two segment of the IP addresses match. But still only the ICS
>>>machine
>>>can get to the internet.
>>
>>Whoa ...
>>
>>What do you mean "first two segment ..." Are you running a class
>>B network? Most home users run class C (i.e. the netmask is
>>255.255.255.0, so that to be in the same subnet -- and able to
>>communicate -- the first _three_ numbers match).
>>
>
> Subnets match 255.255.255.0.
> I can't remember what the IP addresses were (I'm not home now) but the first
> two segments match (ie.168.172.xx.xx) on all machines.
>

With that netmask, the first _three_ numbers must match.

>>>Should I take this to the internet newsgroup since my connectivity issue
>>>is
>>>resolved or can I continue here?
>>>
>>>Ideas?
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
>>minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
>
>
>


--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.