problem pinging between PC'es connected to Linksys WRT54GS router

I am using a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router to provide internet
connection for a desktop and a laptop at home. The desktop is hooked up
to the router directly (i.e. wired), while the laptop is connected via
wireless. The desktop runs XP Home SP1, while the desktop runs XP Pro SP2.
Both can connect to the internet without problem.

The only problem is, they cannot ping through each other. Both are
configured to use the same workgroup, using the same gateway
192.168.2.1 (which is the IP of the router), and using the same
netmask 255.255.255.0. The desktop has IP 192.168.2.100 and the laptop
192.168.2.101. Both are installed with (a) Client for Microsoft Network,
and (b) File and Printer Sharing for Microsift Network.

After additional config to the router via IE (by creating two routes
"desktop" and "laptop" with their corresponding IP addresses), I can
now ping from desktop to laptop, but still cannnot ping from laptop to
desktop. The later is what I want, since I want to share the printer
from my desktop, and be able to access the shared printer on my laptop.

Would it be the problem of the router hardware, or router configuration,
or my Windows configurations?

Any help appreciated.

Harry wrote:
> I am using a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router to provide internet
> connection for a desktop and a laptop at home. The desktop is hooked up
> to the router directly (i.e. wired), while the laptop is connected via
> wireless. The desktop runs XP Home SP1, while the desktop runs XP Pro SP2.
> Both can connect to the internet without problem.
>
> The only problem is, they cannot ping through each other. Both are
> configured to use the same workgroup, using the same gateway
> 192.168.2.1 (which is the IP of the router), and using the same
> netmask 255.255.255.0. The desktop has IP 192.168.2.100 and the laptop
> 192.168.2.101. Both are installed with (a) Client for Microsoft Network,
> and (b) File and Printer Sharing for Microsift Network.
>
> After additional config to the router via IE (by creating two routes
> "desktop" and "laptop" with their corresponding IP addresses), I can
> now ping from desktop to laptop, but still cannnot ping from laptop to
> desktop. The later is what I want, since I want to share the printer
> from my desktop, and be able to access the shared printer on my laptop.


>
> Would it be the problem of the router hardware, or router configuration,
> or my Windows configurations?
>
> Any help appreciated.

Often the problem turns out to be associated with "firewall" settings. You're
hiding behind your router SPI firewall so temporarily turn off the firewall on
both computers and see what happens. If the computers can then see each other
you know where the problem is. But, someone correct me if I'm wrong... I don't
think you can share a printer with XP SP1 if you are using the XP firewall.
Might not even be able to share files with SP1 firewall.
Also make sure you enable printer sharing on the desktop once the computers are
talking.

DanR wrote...

>Often the problem turns out to be associated with "firewall" settings. You're
>hiding behind your router SPI firewall so temporarily turn off the firewall
on
>both computers and see what happens. If the computers can then see each other
>you know where the problem is. But, someone correct me if I'm wrong... I
don't
>think you can share a printer with XP SP1 if you are using the XP firewall.
>Might not even be able to share files with SP1 firewall.
>Also make sure you enable printer sharing on the desktop once the computers
are
>talking.

Thanks for your response.

I have Norton Personal Firewall installed on both my laptop & desktop.
After turnng off all 3 firewalls (router's, laptop's and desktop's),
I still got the same problem (could not ping from laptop to desktop).

Any other area should I look into?

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 19:47:35 GMT, (E-Mail Removed)_ (Harry)
wrote:

>The only problem is, they cannot ping through each other. Both are
>configured to use the same workgroup, using the same gateway
>192.168.2.1 (which is the IP of the router), and using the same
>netmask 255.255.255.0. The desktop has IP 192.168.2.100 and the laptop
>192.168.2.101. Both are installed with (a) Client for Microsoft Network,
>and (b) File and Printer Sharing for Microsift Network.

1. Check if the Windoze XP SP2 firewall or 3rd party firewall
(ZoneAlarm, Kerio, Norton, McAfee, etc) are blocking the pings.
Temporarily disable the firewalls to be sure.

2. The WRT54GS has a feature called "AP Isolation". It really should
be called client isolation. It's on the bottom of the Wireless
settings page. If it's checked, the WRT54G will NOT bridge between
two wireless clients. The idea behind isolation is to prevent worm
attacks between wireless clients. This is very useful in coffee shop
type of hot spots, but not very useful for home users.

Use ping to do all your testing. Once ping is working in both
directions, the rest of the Windoze networking pretzel should function
as expected.

>After additional config to the router via IE (by creating two routes
>"desktop" and "laptop" with their corresponding IP addresses), I can
>now ping from desktop to laptop, but still cannnot ping from laptop to
>desktop. The later is what I want, since I want to share the printer
>from my desktop, and be able to access the shared printer on my laptop.
>
>Would it be the problem of the router hardware, or router configuration,
>or my Windows configurations?
>
>Any help appreciated.

--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831.336.2558 voice http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
# (E-Mail Removed)
# (E-Mail Removed) AE6KS

Harry wrote:
> DanR wrote...
>
>> Often the problem turns out to be associated with "firewall" settings. You're
>> hiding behind your router SPI firewall so temporarily turn off the firewall
>> on both computers and see what happens. If the computers can then see each
>> other you know where the problem is. But, someone correct me if I'm wrong...
>> I don't think you can share a printer with XP SP1 if you are using the XP
>> firewall. Might not even be able to share files with SP1 firewall.
>> Also make sure you enable printer sharing on the desktop once the computers
>> are talking.
>
> Thanks for your response.
>
> I have Norton Personal Firewall installed on both my laptop & desktop.
> After turnng off all 3 firewalls (router's, laptop's and desktop's),
> I still got the same problem (could not ping from laptop to desktop).
>
> Any other area should I look into?

No new ideas but... instead of pinging... have you enabled printer sharing on
the desktop? If so, have you tried to add network printer from the laptop? (add
printer / location network / browse network) Do you have at least one shared
folder on the desktop computer? If not.. create a folder on the desktop and
share it. Then try to browse to it from the laptop. (I think it best to make the
shared folder read only.) You can get rid of the shared folder later but it may
help establish the network settings.
Also... Not a good idea to turn off the router's firewall protection.

Jeff Liebermann wrote...

>1. Check if the Windoze XP SP2 firewall or 3rd party firewall
>(ZoneAlarm, Kerio, Norton, McAfee, etc) are blocking the pings.
>Temporarily disable the firewalls to be sure.

Been there, no luck.



>2. The WRT54GS has a feature called "AP Isolation". It really should
>be called client isolation. It's on the bottom of the Wireless
>settings page. If it's checked, the WRT54G will NOT bridge between
>two wireless clients.

I can't find this option. Under Wireless tab, there are 4 sub-menus
(basic Wireless settings, Wireless Security, Wireless MAC Filter,
and Advanced Wireless settings). None of them has such option.
The firmware version is v2.07.1 shown on the top right corner.



>Use ping to do all your testing. Once ping is working in both
>directions, the rest of the Windoze networking pretzel should function
>as expected.

Yeah, can't do anything without ping'ing it thru

On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 05:45:21 GMT, (E-Mail Removed)_ (Harry)
wrote:

>>2. The WRT54GS has a feature called "AP Isolation". It really should
>>be called client isolation. It's on the bottom of the Wireless
>>settings page. If it's checked, the WRT54G will NOT bridge between
>>two wireless clients.

I goofed. It's called "AP Protection". It's on the bottom of the:
Wireless -> Advanced Settings
page. With Sveasoft Alchemy-V1.0 v3.37.6.8sv firmware (recommended),
it's in the middle of the page. It should be OFF by default.

>I can't find this option. Under Wireless tab, there are 4 sub-menus
>(basic Wireless settings, Wireless Security, Wireless MAC Filter,
>and Advanced Wireless settings). None of them has such option.
>The firmware version is v2.07.1 shown on the top right corner.

I think the WRT54GS has this feature. I'm sure the WRT54G does.

Current Linksys firmware is 4.50.6. You're 4 major revisions behind
in updates. The "AP Protection" feature may not be on earlier
versions.
http://www.linksys.com/download/vertxt/wrt54gs_ver.txt
However, I suggest you use Sveasoft Alchemy firmware instead:
http://www.sveasoft.com/content/view/3/1/



--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831.336.2558 voice http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
# (E-Mail Removed)
# (E-Mail Removed) AE6KS

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 05:45:21 GMT, (E-Mail Removed)_ (Harry)
> wrote:
>
>>> 2. The WRT54GS has a feature called "AP Isolation". It really should
>>> be called client isolation. It's on the bottom of the Wireless
>>> settings page. If it's checked, the WRT54G will NOT bridge between
>>> two wireless clients.
>
> I goofed. It's called "AP Protection". It's on the bottom of the:
> Wireless -> Advanced Settings
> page. With Sveasoft Alchemy-V1.0 v3.37.6.8sv firmware (recommended),
> it's in the middle of the page. It should be OFF by default.
>
>> I can't find this option. Under Wireless tab, there are 4 sub-menus
>> (basic Wireless settings, Wireless Security, Wireless MAC Filter,
>> and Advanced Wireless settings). None of them has such option.
>> The firmware version is v2.07.1 shown on the top right corner.
>
> I think the WRT54GS has this feature. I'm sure the WRT54G does.
>
> Current Linksys firmware is 4.50.6. You're 4 major revisions behind
> in updates. The "AP Protection" feature may not be on earlier
> versions.
> http://www.linksys.com/download/vertxt/wrt54gs_ver.txt
> However, I suggest you use Sveasoft Alchemy firmware instead:
> http://www.sveasoft.com/content/view/3/1/

My WRT54GS setup page shows "ap isolation" like Jeff said originally. My
firmware is Linksys v3.37.6
If you do a firmware update... do it from the wired computer. Not the wireless
computer. If there are storms brewing wait till later. You do NOT want this
operation to be interrupted.

"DanR" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:z%wze.3392$(E-Mail Removed) m...
>
>
> Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> > On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 05:45:21 GMT, (E-Mail Removed)_ (Harry)
> > wrote:
> >
> >>> 2. The WRT54GS has a feature called "AP Isolation". It really should
> >>> be called client isolation. It's on the bottom of the Wireless
> >>> settings page. If it's checked, the WRT54G will NOT bridge between
> >>> two wireless clients.
> >
> > I goofed. It's called "AP Protection". It's on the bottom of the:
> > Wireless -> Advanced Settings
> > page. With Sveasoft Alchemy-V1.0 v3.37.6.8sv firmware (recommended),
> > it's in the middle of the page. It should be OFF by default.
> >
> >> I can't find this option. Under Wireless tab, there are 4 sub-menus
> >> (basic Wireless settings, Wireless Security, Wireless MAC Filter,
> >> and Advanced Wireless settings). None of them has such option.
> >> The firmware version is v2.07.1 shown on the top right corner.
> >
> > I think the WRT54GS has this feature. I'm sure the WRT54G does.
> >
> > Current Linksys firmware is 4.50.6. You're 4 major revisions behind
> > in updates. The "AP Protection" feature may not be on earlier
> > versions.
> > http://www.linksys.com/download/vertxt/wrt54gs_ver.txt
> > However, I suggest you use Sveasoft Alchemy firmware instead:
> > http://www.sveasoft.com/content/view/3/1/
>
> My WRT54GS setup page shows "ap isolation" like Jeff said originally. My
> firmware is Linksys v3.37.6
> If you do a firmware update... do it from the wired computer. Not the
wireless
> computer. If there are storms brewing wait till later. You do NOT want
this
> operation to be interrupted.
>

I also have the WRT54GS -- just got it recently. I came with the
3.37.6 firmware (which does not show on the LInksys page).
Upgraded to the 4.50.6 from Linksys (as Jeff says -- do NOT use
a wireless connection to do the upgrade). I have no problem
pinging between my machines - several have SP2 on them. Make
sure you are not blocking it with something like ZoneAlarm (once
you find the problem, it is usually a "duh" moment -- I speak from
experience !)

mikey

Mike Fields wrote...

>I also have the WRT54GS -- just got it recently. I came with the
>3.37.6 firmware (which does not show on the LInksys page).
>Upgraded to the 4.50.6 from Linksys (as Jeff says -- do NOT use
>a wireless connection to do the upgrade). I have no problem
>pinging between my machines - several have SP2 on them. Make
>sure you are not blocking it with something like ZoneAlarm (once
>you find the problem, it is usually a "duh" moment -- I speak from
>experience !)

I did the fireware upgrade; which I appreciated you guys' info.
The upgrade did not solve the problem; but I finally have it resolved.
I needed to turn off two firewalls on my desktop -- the Windows' Internet
Connection Firewall and Norton Pernal Firewall -- before I could finally
ping thru from my laptop to my desktop.

I used to think that when Norton Personal Firewall was installed, it would
turn off Windows' firewall for me. I was wrong; it was not the case on my
XP Home SP1 desktop.

But turning off Norton Personal Firewall just to let my laptop to
access my destop's printer share -- it doesn't sound reasonable to me.
Maybe I should give up this idea.

Thanks for all you guys' help.