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STi_Striker

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Networking problems, Computers not on network? + Router Firewall Question.

Hi, my roommate and I have a link sys 4 port 10/100 router hooked up to a cable modem. With the router we can both access the internet, but we have tried to set up a network to share files and nothing will work. I am running xp pro and my roommate is running xp home. in the network we have set up we can each see ourselves in the network, but we can't see the other person. We both are on the same workgroup too. We also cant play any network games or anything.  We have tried so many different things that people have told us, so many that dont work or we just dont know what they all do.  We also wanted to know how to enable and disable the routers firewall.  There are just so many settings and things we know some basic stuff but not enough to get this working it seems.  Im not sure what else I need to say but if im missing information then just ask for it.  

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Edit:
Forgot to say the model number on our router is NR041
Avatar of The--Captain
The--Captain
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I don't think (but am not certain) that that the linksys will block you from sharing files by default.  I'm guessing the documentation for the linksys will mention how to access it's management interface (probably by using your web browser), which is also where you would disable any firewalling that might be running (maybe not a bad idea until you get things running smoothly, as long as it's still running NAT).

On both windows machines, can you go to Start->Run and type "cmd" (without the quotes) and then "ipconfig /all" (once again, no quotes) and post the results back here?

BTW, I'm not an xp master, but I think if you've been keeping up with your service packs that it might have turned on the firewalling function of XP, which might be a problem here - perhaps someone else could chime in and mention how to check that?

Cheers,
-Jon

Avatar of pjargon
pjargon

You're kinda stuck with some sort of firewall on your router because of the network address translation (it assigns you a private ip address).  You can put one computer in the DMZ (demilitarized zone) and it'll act like it isn't firewalled, for the most part.  Other than that you'll have to poke holes in your firewall for each application, pretty much.

For file print sharing and gaming, try installing the ipx/spx protocol.
control panel -> network and internet connections -> network connections -> right click-> properties (on your connection)
click install, select protocol, install the one with ipx/spx in it.  Some lan games will need this for sure.  Do it on both comps.

Good luck
after you right click and select properties above click the advanced tab, that'll show you if ICS and firewall are on.  You probably want both off (definitely want ICS off)
I agree with pjargon.......your firewall is definately on..........
Ditto to the last comment but you definitely want XP Internet Connection Firewall OFF...definitely.  Unless you have XPSP2, which you can enable file sharing through the XP firewall.  The router's firewall will NOT prevent file sharing between computers on your LAN.
-DF
Avatar of STi_Striker

ASKER

Alright, Here is the information from the ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : sti-2100
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Network Bridge (Network Bridge) 5:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 52-1A-75-A2-B7-7A
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.161.65
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Rogers:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : msns.haz.ptd.net
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI For Com
plete PC Management NIC (3C905C-TX)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-04-75-7D-B6-14
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, August 25, 2004 12:07:51
AM
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, August 28, 2004 12:07:51 A
M

Now for the DMZ thing, do you just add in the IP address and that turns off that firewall to one computer only?  
Were still messing around with settings.  We did something, now I can see all my roomates shared folders and stuff, but he still cant see mine.  And were even having trouble connecting to our net through our router, not sure if its the router or the cable company.....

As for the  ipx/spx protocol, we both had that installed to begin with.  

We also have a hub, if there is any way to use this with the net instead of a router then that might be easier I dont know... Anyways thanks for the help so far, were still workin!

Oh and yes the internet connection firewall is off
you could buy another ip from the cable company and use the hub instead of the router
Or, if you're feeling kinda funky, you could hang one computer off the other one using internet connection sharing.  I think that'd only create more problems though.

Hmm.. having trouble going through the router?  How much trouble?

Yeah, DMZ is to one computer only.  It just forwards all "unrecognized" incoming traffic to that one computer instead of dropping it at the router.
or.. if you wanna try something original, you could put the computers on the hub and uplink the hub to the router.
Well we tried what you said last, it was working good, we were both connected, then we got disconnected again... Were thinkin its the cable company.... I guess we will have to call them and see whats up.  
Were  also still having the sharing problems though.  I can see his shared folers and acces them but he cant access my computer.
Windows Network browsing problems are pretty tricky to troubleshoot. Often stuff doesnt work for no apparent reason. I would reccomend the following.

From your ipconfig /all output it looks like you are trying to Bridge a network connection. This can cause LAN browsing errors.

Right Click on Network Connections and Goto Properties
Remove any network bridges.

Also i would take the following steps:

1) Remove any Network Protocols other than TCP/IP  (No modern games use IPX/SPX and Windows Filesharing in XP is done over TCP/IP)

2) Dont use DHCP - Give each PC an IP Address yourself    192.168.1.101 and 192.168.1.102   and make sure the Gateway and DNS server is 192.168.1.1 (the ip of your router)

Then try rebooting and browsing the LAN again.   One thing to try is typing into the Start > Run box      \\192.168.1.101  or  \\192.168.1.102   even if you cant browse to the other PCs Shares going direct like this often brings up the shared files.
Ok, we removed the network bridge and removed the network protocols other than tcp/ip, we tried assigning each pc an IP but all we were getting was problems with our intenet still.... so we just went back to the normal dhcp thing.  Now my computer is connection to the internet through a gateway at only 8.0 Mbps or something now... Usually i was connecting at 100.  
Basically all we want to do here is just get our computers recognizing each other so we can do filesharing and so we can play network games... Ive never had this much trouble before, usually its just a plug in an go type thing....
How about:


On both PCs

Try first (on both PCs):
a.  Open a windows folder (any folder)
b.  Go to 'Tools' menu 'Folder Options', 'View' tab
c.  Uncheck 'Use simple file sharing'
d.  Reboot

i.  Go to Control Panel/ Network Connections
ii. Run the Network Connection Wizard
iii. It's relatively easy to follow (just don't elect to enable firewall, since you have the router already).

XP is a bit different from previous OSs that way.

Let us know how it goes.
Well, Im running XP pro and my room mate has XP home, that option is not available on home... But I turned it off on mine anyways.  He is still not able to access my computer and/or shared files
Can you ping him?
Can he ping you?

Start/run/cmd [enter]

at the prompt type: ping 'ip for other PC' (in the 192.168.1.x format)

If you don't know the IP, from the same command prompt type: ipconfig /all (from your machine and his).  Make note of each other's IPs, then try pinging each other.

Post the result...
We'll take it one step at a time.
We can ping each other fine, unless he has his zone alarm firewall on then I cannot ping him.  Here are the results of the Ipconfig/all and me pinging him.  

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

D:\>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : sti-2100
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Rogers:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : lndn.phub.net.cable.rogers.com
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com EtherLink XL 10/100 PCI For Com
plete PC Management NIC (3C905C-TX)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-04-75-7D-B6-14
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.153.22.67
                                            24.153.22.195
        Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, August 26, 2004 12:48:00 P
M
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, August 27, 2004 12:48:00 PM

D:\>ping 192.168.1.100

Pinging 192.168.1.100 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.100: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.100: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.100: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.100: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.100:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

Oh by the way we picked up a new router because our other one was giving us lots of disconnecting problems, we now have a linksys BEFSR4.  
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JohnItem

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That is really weird, we tried doing that so many times...
Now it just decides it wants to work.

Well thanks a lot, finnaly got it working.