Home Network Dramas

[swindorski46]

All I wanted to do was connect my PC to my Laptop so that I could transfer files directly from one to the other. I ended up buying a home network kit that isn't quite working properly.:(

From my PC all is well. I have internet access and can access files from the laptop.

From the laptop I have internet access (via the PC) but cannot access any files from the PC. It recognizes the PC in my workgroup but says that access is denied as it cannot find the network path.

I have the internet going into the PC via a USB/ethernet converter, from the PC to the switch via ethernet and ethernet from the switch to the laptop.

I've run the stupid 'wizard' thing a million times on both computers and followed all of the advice that windows can muster.

Any ideas on here?

Thanks,

Joe.

[Plotloss]

I take it that they both have pukka IP addresses that dont conflict, you have the same user name and password on each machine and ICS is up and running on the PC?

[swindorski46]

Plotloss said:

I take it that they both have pukka IP addresses that dont conflict, you have the same user name and password on each machine and ICS is up and running on the PC?

Hmmm,

Don't think the IP addresses are an issue, both computers can go on the internet at the same time (?) don't know how to check/change that anyway.

Different user names, no passwords. Why would the user name affect it?

Don't know what ICS is I'm afraid.



Thanks!

[Plotloss]

Your external IP address (Internet Connection>Properties) is set by your ISP (probably) and attached to your modem

Your internal IP address is defined by you (Network Connections>Properties>TCPIP) or automatically given to the laptop if ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) is active.

Windows user and passwords are important because without them Windows will not allow a remote computer to browse its drive contents.

The easiest solution:

Go and buy a Netgear DG834G all in one box

The limitation you have currently with ICS is that if you want to surf on the laptop, the PC has to be on.

[lonny]

A few suggestions having grappled with this in the past...

try 'ipconfig /all' from a cmd tool on one of the machines. Then 'ping xx.yy.zz.aa' from the other machine (where xx....aa is the ip address of the other machine you just found) to see if the machines can at least see each other.

Try shutting down any fire walls etc temporarily and see if it lets you through

[whoozit]

I've found the network wizard can fool you into switching on the Windows firewall . . check that is disabled on the machine you can't see. Also, if you're running a separate firewall, add the other machine to the safe zone.

[swindorski46]

whoozit said:

if you're running a separate firewall, add the other machine to the safe zone.

That's the one!!!

Amazing as both machines have the same firewall (McAfee) installed at the same time, yet one blocked and the other didn't. Odd.

All squared now,

Thanks!