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herr_apfelschnitt

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HELP ME!!! Local Network (windows) won't work!


I recently bought and installed the Draytek Vigor 2200E Broadband router (with integrated 100BaseT switch). Two pc's are currently connected: one running on Win98 the other on WinME. Internet access works fine on both pc's, but they can't find eachother in Network Neighbourhood. Both have correctly configured tcp/ip protocols (i guess), Client for Microsoft Networks and Ethernet Cards installed. Both pc's can ping eachother, but they can't seem to find eachother. I tried network mapping, searching for computers...nothing. I also tried using WinME's home network wizard, but the program it writes on the disk crashes on the other pc, followed by something like "Operation cancelled due to restrictions blah blah. Contact your network administrator" or something. I also deleted the VPN protocols on both pc's that were needed to connect directly to the DSL modem. Both pc's show the microsoft networks login-dialog at startup and i entered a different name on both pc's. Still nothing. I also tried activating DHCP for WINS or something on both pc's but to no use. NetBios over TCP/IP is checked (and can't be unchecked) on both pc's TCP/IP settings.

I tried to give as much information as possible... Hope it's enough.

Please help me! I spent a lot of money on the router!
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herr_apfelschnitt

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Forgot to mention: yes both pc's have File/printer sharing installed and enabled. On both pc's at least one folder is shared.
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malraid

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What you need is an LMHOSTS file on each PC with the IPaddress/name of the other PC with the #PRE tag:

In this format, save the file as text only, no .txt extension:

<ip address of other PC>  <tab>  PCNAME  <tab>  #PRE

Save file as C:\windows\lmhosts
If notepad insists on saving it as lmhosts.txt:
c:\windows> mv lmhosts.txt lmhosts.

Once you have the file on the system:
c:\>nbtstat -R
Note, case sensitive, use Capital R..

Win ME seems to be possesed with the idea of messing up simple things...
This *should* be easy. Define a common workgroup name and individual computer names. Install NETBEUI protocol (as suggested). Since sharing is enabled, and something is shared on each box, this should work. Make sure that none of the boxes thinks it should logon to a domain. (Network Client Properties).

Regards
/RID
The first time i used both proposed solutions: installing NetBEUI and creating an lmhosts file. The network works fine, but of course i didn't know which solution was the right one. I deleted the lmhosts on one of the pc's and rebooted, and it could still find the other pc, so i'm *guessing* malraid had the real solution. If i'm wrong -> i'm sorry

Thanks to everyone!
Netbeui is a solution, however it just adds more overhead to the network and is basically useless for anything else.
To use TCP/IP only, the lmhosts file is the answer.