W2K3 + WXP Config problem

I have just rebuilt my LAN at home which consists of 1 server (windows 2003
standard) and 2 workstations (windows xp pro) all three boxes are connected
to a Netgear switch which is also connected to an Acatel Speedtouch box for
connection to my Broadband supplier.

My requirement was that the workstations would be usable (i.e. connect to
the internet) when the server was not running - I have achieved this.

The problem that I have is that the Server cannot see the workstations even
thought they show in 'manage users and computers', ping returns a timeout.
Both workstations can see the server but not each other - although when
pinging with the machine name they know which IP address it is that is
timing out, as does the server when ping'ing a workstation.

The Acatel box has DNS enabled and DHCP disabled, the server has both
enabled but I'm using static IP addresses so DHCP is not required.

I don't know if it is wise to post network configerations here so I will
attempt to describe the settings:-

Server, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = 127.0.0.1, 2& forwards to ISP's name
servers
Workstations, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = Server IP, ALT DNS = Acatel IP

Can anybody please point me in the right direction with this one?

Many thanks,
Paul

configure you server with the static LAN IP address and
make the DNS server itself. Exp. 192.168.1.20 for IP,
and DNS. Gatway of 192.168.2.1. Next go to your DNS MMC
and add the forwarders of you Internet providers DNS
Servers.

For the workstations you can have them set to static such
as 192.168.2.98 and 99. Set the gateway to 192.168.1.1
and the dns server to 192.168.1.20. This will work as
long as the server is left on. If you turn off the
server then you will need to add the ISP DNS Servers.

Doing this and using the DNS of the server in your XP
workstations will allow your network to work perfectly -
as long as you leave your server running when you are
trying to access the internet with your XP machines.

Hope this is of some help....

Sounds like the firewall is enabled on one or more of these machines with
ICMP blocked.

Doug Sherman
MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Paul Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have just rebuilt my LAN at home which consists of 1 server (windows
2003
> standard) and 2 workstations (windows xp pro) all three boxes are
connected
> to a Netgear switch which is also connected to an Acatel Speedtouch box
for
> connection to my Broadband supplier.
>
> My requirement was that the workstations would be usable (i.e. connect to
> the internet) when the server was not running - I have achieved this.
>
> The problem that I have is that the Server cannot see the workstations
even
> thought they show in 'manage users and computers', ping returns a timeout.
> Both workstations can see the server but not each other - although when
> pinging with the machine name they know which IP address it is that is
> timing out, as does the server when ping'ing a workstation.
>
> The Acatel box has DNS enabled and DHCP disabled, the server has both
> enabled but I'm using static IP addresses so DHCP is not required.
>
> I don't know if it is wise to post network configerations here so I will
> attempt to describe the settings:-
>
> Server, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = 127.0.0.1, 2& forwards to ISP's
name
> servers
> Workstations, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = Server IP, ALT DNS = Acatel
IP
>
> Can anybody please point me in the right direction with this one?
>
> Many thanks,
> Paul
>
>

Thanks Doug, There is no option to set individual attributes for the the
firewall on the XP boxes so I switched it off on both boxes and everything
started working as expected.

Does taking this action leave me wide open? The Acatel DSL router has a
firewall which is not configrable. Should I be looking at a more
sophisticated router? I guess that XP SP2 will set me back to my original
position?

Thanks,

Paul

"Doug Sherman [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%23EJ5c%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sounds like the firewall is enabled on one or more of these machines with
> ICMP blocked.
>
> Doug Sherman
> MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
>
> "Paul Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I have just rebuilt my LAN at home which consists of 1 server (windows
> 2003
> > standard) and 2 workstations (windows xp pro) all three boxes are
> connected
> > to a Netgear switch which is also connected to an Acatel Speedtouch box
> for
> > connection to my Broadband supplier.
> >
> > My requirement was that the workstations would be usable (i.e. connect
to
> > the internet) when the server was not running - I have achieved this.
> >
> > The problem that I have is that the Server cannot see the workstations
> even
> > thought they show in 'manage users and computers', ping returns a
timeout.
> > Both workstations can see the server but not each other - although when
> > pinging with the machine name they know which IP address it is that is
> > timing out, as does the server when ping'ing a workstation.
> >
> > The Acatel box has DNS enabled and DHCP disabled, the server has both
> > enabled but I'm using static IP addresses so DHCP is not required.
> >
> > I don't know if it is wise to post network configerations here so I will
> > attempt to describe the settings:-
> >
> > Server, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = 127.0.0.1, 2& forwards to ISP's
> name
> > servers
> > Workstations, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = Server IP, ALT DNS =
Acatel
> IP
> >
> > Can anybody please point me in the right direction with this one?
> >
> > Many thanks,
> > Paul
> >
> >
>
>

Don't have any experience with the Acatel firewall, but most hardware
firewalls are at least as good as WinXP's. The most common way to protect a
network is with a single firewall at or behind the Internet gateway rather
than running firewalls on client machines. The Beta versions of XP SP2 do
not affect the machine's existing firewall settings.

Doug Sherman
MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Paul Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks Doug, There is no option to set individual attributes for the the
> firewall on the XP boxes so I switched it off on both boxes and everything
> started working as expected.
>
> Does taking this action leave me wide open? The Acatel DSL router has a
> firewall which is not configrable. Should I be looking at a more
> sophisticated router? I guess that XP SP2 will set me back to my original
> position?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Paul
>
> "Doug Sherman [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%23EJ5c%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Sounds like the firewall is enabled on one or more of these machines
with
> > ICMP blocked.
> >
> > Doug Sherman
> > MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
> >
> > "Paul Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I have just rebuilt my LAN at home which consists of 1 server (windows
> > 2003
> > > standard) and 2 workstations (windows xp pro) all three boxes are
> > connected
> > > to a Netgear switch which is also connected to an Acatel Speedtouch
box
> > for
> > > connection to my Broadband supplier.
> > >
> > > My requirement was that the workstations would be usable (i.e. connect
> to
> > > the internet) when the server was not running - I have achieved this.
> > >
> > > The problem that I have is that the Server cannot see the workstations
> > even
> > > thought they show in 'manage users and computers', ping returns a
> timeout.
> > > Both workstations can see the server but not each other - although
when
> > > pinging with the machine name they know which IP address it is that is
> > > timing out, as does the server when ping'ing a workstation.
> > >
> > > The Acatel box has DNS enabled and DHCP disabled, the server has both
> > > enabled but I'm using static IP addresses so DHCP is not required.
> > >
> > > I don't know if it is wise to post network configerations here so I
will
> > > attempt to describe the settings:-
> > >
> > > Server, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = 127.0.0.1, 2& forwards to
ISP's
> > name
> > > servers
> > > Workstations, Gateway = Acatel IP, Pref DNS = Server IP, ALT DNS =
> Acatel
> > IP
> > >
> > > Can anybody please point me in the right direction with this one?
> > >
> > > Many thanks,
> > > Paul
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>