Home network file transfer/print sharing woe

I have 3 computers:

1 desktop, XP Home, Netgear WG311, onboard 10/100 LAN, 2 laptops - 1 XP
Home, Netgear WG511, onboard 10/100 LAN, 1 XP Pro Netgear WG511, onboard
10/100 LAN)

I just have the one WG511 card that I swap as needed, and run that
through the wireless connection through a DG834G router. On the desktop
PC and the XP Home laptop, I have ICF enabled but *only* on each of
their dial-up connections.

The problem I have is this:

I am never allowed to access the desktop from either laptop no matter
what I seem to share, either wirelessly or with a physical LAN
connection. I can see "desktop" under the workgroup, but thats it.
I've tried sharing root drives, enabling guest account, creating a user
account with the same name as on one of the laptops, all with the same
"access denied, please consult your network admin" message. This wasn't
too bad as any time I wanted to tranfer to laptop I could put things
there from the desktop (just allow users to modify files on the laptop
share), but now I want to share a printer I have attached to the
desktop, and as I'm unable to connect to the desktop, I can't. I don't
see why desktop > laptop works happily, but not the other way.

At any point, all PC's can see each other in the workgroup (eg. MSHOME
or whatever I call it). All have the same workgroup. All have Guest
account switched off currently, though I have tried switching it on. If
I want to transfer files, I have to either get or put from the desktop,
but never the other way round. Can't connect using //desktop from the
laptops. Any ideas?

cheers,

--
[ste]
my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
http://tinyurl.com/x6fo


[ste parker]

"[ste parker]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have 3 computers:
>
> 1 desktop, XP Home, Netgear WG311, onboard 10/100 LAN, 2 laptops - 1 XP
> Home, Netgear WG511, onboard 10/100 LAN, 1 XP Pro Netgear WG511, onboard
> 10/100 LAN)
>
> I just have the one WG511 card that I swap as needed, and run that
> through the wireless connection through a DG834G router. On the desktop
> PC and the XP Home laptop, I have ICF enabled but *only* on each of
> their dial-up connections.
>
> The problem I have is this:
>
> I am never allowed to access the desktop from either laptop no matter
> what I seem to share, either wirelessly or with a physical LAN
> connection. I can see "desktop" under the workgroup, but thats it.
> I've tried sharing root drives, enabling guest account, creating a user
> account with the same name as on one of the laptops, all with the same
> "access denied, please consult your network admin" message. This wasn't
> too bad as any time I wanted to tranfer to laptop I could put things
> there from the desktop (just allow users to modify files on the laptop
> share), but now I want to share a printer I have attached to the
> desktop, and as I'm unable to connect to the desktop, I can't. I don't
> see why desktop > laptop works happily, but not the other way.
>
> At any point, all PC's can see each other in the workgroup (eg. MSHOME
> or whatever I call it). All have the same workgroup. All have Guest
> account switched off currently, though I have tried switching it on. If
> I want to transfer files, I have to either get or put from the desktop,
> but never the other way round. Can't connect using //desktop from the
> laptops. Any ideas?
>
> cheers,
>
> --
> [ste]
> my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
> http://tinyurl.com/x6fo

1. Can you ping desktop from laptop(s).......successfully
2. Disable ALL Firewalls........does this make difference.
3. Is desktop set up as the master. Run DOS then at prompt type, nbtstat -n,
then hit enter. Does .....MSBrowse.... appear at bottom of list.

also see my previous post on my networking setup experience

toy

Toy wrote:

> "[ste parker]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>I have 3 computers:
>>
>>1 desktop, XP Home, Netgear WG311, onboard 10/100 LAN, 2 laptops - 1 XP
>>Home, Netgear WG511, onboard 10/100 LAN, 1 XP Pro Netgear WG511, onboard
>>10/100 LAN)
>>
>>I just have the one WG511 card that I swap as needed, and run that
>>through the wireless connection through a DG834G router. On the desktop
>>PC and the XP Home laptop, I have ICF enabled but *only* on each of
>>their dial-up connections.
>>
>>The problem I have is this:
>>
>>I am never allowed to access the desktop from either laptop no matter
>>what I seem to share, either wirelessly or with a physical LAN
>>connection. I can see "desktop" under the workgroup, but thats it.
>>I've tried sharing root drives, enabling guest account, creating a user
>>account with the same name as on one of the laptops, all with the same
>>"access denied, please consult your network admin" message. This wasn't
>>too bad as any time I wanted to tranfer to laptop I could put things
>>there from the desktop (just allow users to modify files on the laptop
>>share), but now I want to share a printer I have attached to the
>>desktop, and as I'm unable to connect to the desktop, I can't. I don't
>>see why desktop > laptop works happily, but not the other way.
>>
>>At any point, all PC's can see each other in the workgroup (eg. MSHOME
>>or whatever I call it). All have the same workgroup. All have Guest
>>account switched off currently, though I have tried switching it on. If
>>I want to transfer files, I have to either get or put from the desktop,
>>but never the other way round. Can't connect using //desktop from the
>>laptops. Any ideas?
>>
>>cheers,
>>
>>--
>>[ste]
>>my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
>>http://tinyurl.com/x6fo
>
>
> 1. Can you ping desktop from laptop(s).......successfully

I believe I could yes, but will have to retry to be sure.


> 2. Disable ALL Firewalls........does this make difference.

I discounted the XP Firewall as being the problem, because it's set up
on the desktop in the same way as on the XP Home laptop (*only* on the
dialup connection) , yet I can access the laptop from the desktop, but
not vice versa. Still, something to try, but not something I'd want to
have disabled when I do dialup.

> 3. Is desktop set up as the master. Run DOS then at prompt type, nbtstat -n,
> then hit enter. Does .....MSBrowse.... appear at bottom of list.
>

I can't check at the moment, but should it be set as the master? And if
it shouldn't be how do I make it not the master (and vice versa)? Thats
the only thing I've not heard of before.


> also see my previous post on my networking setup experience
>

Didn't see it when I was trawling through before, but got it now, nice
and detailed, thanks!

--
[ste]
my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
now with cds, more pc bits, minidisc player!
http://tinyurl.com/x6fo

Toy wrote:

> 1. Can you ping desktop from laptop(s).......successfully

Yes, can successfully ping 192.168.0.2 (desktop) from laptop.


> 2. Disable ALL Firewalls........does this make difference.

All firewalls disabled. No difference.


> 3. Is desktop set up as the master. Run DOS then at prompt type, nbtstat -n,
> then hit enter. Does .....MSBrowse.... appear at bottom of list.
>

...__MSBROWSE__..<01> GROUP Registered is at the bottom of the list on
the desktop only.


> also see my previous post on my networking setup experience
>

Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on desktop and laptop, no difference.

Tried putting the desktop in a different workgroup, no difference.

Tried mapping a network drive to \\192.168.0.2\sharedfolder - this works

Computer Browser service is running on both machines though..... My head
hurts!


--
[ste]
my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
now with cds, more pc bits, minidisc player!
http://tinyurl.com/x6fo

"[ste parker]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Toy wrote:
>
> > 1. Can you ping desktop from laptop(s).......successfully
>
> Yes, can successfully ping 192.168.0.2 (desktop) from laptop.
>
>
> > 2. Disable ALL Firewalls........does this make difference.
>
> All firewalls disabled. No difference.
>
>
> > 3. Is desktop set up as the master. Run DOS then at prompt type,
nbtstat -n,
> > then hit enter. Does .....MSBrowse.... appear at bottom of list.
> >
>
> ..__MSBROWSE__..<01> GROUP Registered is at the bottom of the list on
> the desktop only.
>
>
> > also see my previous post on my networking setup experience
> >
>
> Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on desktop and laptop, no difference.
>
> Tried putting the desktop in a different workgroup, no difference.
>
> Tried mapping a network drive to \\192.168.0.2\sharedfolder - this works
>
> Computer Browser service is running on both machines though..... My head
> hurts!
>
>
> --
> [ste]
> my 49p eBay giveaway. games, pc bits, and more!
> now with cds, more pc bits, minidisc player!
> http://tinyurl.com/x6fo

All your settings are identical to mine apart from Computer Browser on both
our laptops is set to disable.
My desktop is the only one set to Automatic. I have been trying to locate
the site that suggested this option over having ALL comps Automatic. Try
setting your laptop to disable.

Start>right click My Computer>Manage>Double Click Services and
Applications>Double Click Services>Double Click Computer Browser, Set
Start-up type to Disable then OK

switch off both comps, start up desktop first, let it fully load, then start
laptop.

Don't do anything more for about 5 minutes on either comp. Now run My
Network Places on Desktop first.

now whets happening.

toy

Toy wrote:
>
>
> All your settings are identical to mine apart from Computer Browser on both
> our laptops is set to disable.
> My desktop is the only one set to Automatic. I have been trying to locate
> the site that suggested this option over having ALL comps Automatic. Try
> setting your laptop to disable.
>
> Start>right click My Computer>Manage>Double Click Services and
> Applications>Double Click Services>Double Click Computer Browser, Set
> Start-up type to Disable then OK
>
> switch off both comps, start up desktop first, let it fully load, then start
> laptop.
>
> Don't do anything more for about 5 minutes on either comp. Now run My
> Network Places on Desktop first.
>
> now whets happening.
>

Computer browser on or off makes no difference. I'm convinced it's
something thats set on the desktop somehow, but what?! Aaaaargh!

--
[ste]

"[ste parker]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Toy wrote:
> >
> >
> > All your settings are identical to mine apart from Computer Browser on
both
> > our laptops is set to disable.
> > My desktop is the only one set to Automatic. I have been trying to
locate
> > the site that suggested this option over having ALL comps Automatic. Try
> > setting your laptop to disable.
> >
> > Start>right click My Computer>Manage>Double Click Services and
> > Applications>Double Click Services>Double Click Computer Browser, Set
> > Start-up type to Disable then OK
> >
> > switch off both comps, start up desktop first, let it fully load, then
start
> > laptop.
> >
> > Don't do anything more for about 5 minutes on either comp. Now run My
> > Network Places on Desktop first.
> >
> > now whets happening.
> >
>
> Computer browser on or off makes no difference. I'm convinced it's
> something thats set on the desktop somehow, but what?! Aaaaargh!
>
> --
> [ste]

ste,

I still have a problem in that if one of the other 2 notebooks is fired up
before my desktop (master) then the desktop does not see the other 2
computers in My Network Places. I just get that error message whatever it
is.

It will still see and open the shared files on the other 2 so I am not to
bothered with this one glitch.

dj

Toy wrote:
> "[ste parker]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>Toy wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>All your settings are identical to mine apart from Computer Browser on
>
> both
>
>>>our laptops is set to disable.
>>>My desktop is the only one set to Automatic. I have been trying to
>
> locate
>
>>>the site that suggested this option over having ALL comps Automatic. Try
>>>setting your laptop to disable.
>>>
>>>Start>right click My Computer>Manage>Double Click Services and
>>>Applications>Double Click Services>Double Click Computer Browser, Set
>>>Start-up type to Disable then OK
>>>
>>>switch off both comps, start up desktop first, let it fully load, then
>
> start
>
>>>laptop.
>>>
>>>Don't do anything more for about 5 minutes on either comp. Now run My
>>>Network Places on Desktop first.
>>>
>>>now whets happening.
>>>
>>
>>Computer browser on or off makes no difference. I'm convinced it's
>>something thats set on the desktop somehow, but what?! Aaaaargh!
>>
>>--
>>[ste]
>
>
> ste,
>
> I still have a problem in that if one of the other 2 notebooks is fired up
> before my desktop (master) then the desktop does not see the other 2
> computers in My Network Places. I just get that error message whatever it
> is.
>
> It will still see and open the shared files on the other 2 so I am not to
> bothered with this one glitch.
>

Well, I've now solved my problem - it was a sodding virus that had half
got onto my system it would seem. I don't think I'd ever have seen it
but a different virus just got caught, and I went to check a few
registry entries to see that it had been tided up OK. It had, but I
spotted something odd (a Microsoft Restore entry calling SCRGRD.exe), so
checked it out - the exe wasn't on my system, but this virus also alters
a key called "restrictanonymous" from 0 to 1. Change it back to 0 (ie
don't restrict enumeration of accounts), and hey presto.

The exact key, for reference, was:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\restrict anonymous = "1"

The default, and what it should be set to, is "0". The virus came up
around the start of June, which does correspond with the onset of my
problem, but seeing as my virus software hasn't raised any alarms on it
I didn't think of it - indeed, even a rescan didn't pull it up, but
probably due to the exe not being there.

--
[ste]