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xp pro/ xp home networking problems (used to work!) Please help!!

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4 replies

by rand1m

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I'm tearing my hair out- spent hours!!!

Machine 1/Laptop= win xp pro; Machine 2/Desktop= win xp home; Wireless dlink G604T.

They used to be able to share everything ............ but NOW for some reason only the Desktop can see and access files on Laptop; Laptop can see the Desktop but won't show anything except the Desktop's name.

Have tried numerous reboots for each machine. Pings between are fine. I can also ping using the pc names as opposed to their ip addresses.

Whenever (Laptop) I try to add a network printer (connected to the Desktop) it asks for guest (greyed out) password and refuses. Guest is disabled on both. When enabled briefly (with passwords set) it made no difference. How did the guest account become flavour of the month?- it's disabled on both machines.....

reading some recent threads, xp home has no option to uncheck "Use simple file sharing " in Folders>View. (Does not make a difference when unchecking this in xp pro machine).

Both are on the same workgroup (no domain).

Been through microsoft help guides- everything as it should be er according to microsoft.

When the printer is connected to the laptop, the desktop sees i t and shares it.

Anyone have any advice??....apart from buying a mac.- really would appreciate it.

4 replies

by ted

do you still have this problem - if you have a good resolution, please let me know.
If not : I have just experienced a similar problem - I have 1 desktop (XP Home) and 2 laptops (XP Pro, one connected through wireless LAN. These ALL used to talk happily to each other (took some getting there, but once established ran for ages just as you would want) but then I changed DSL supply and this required a new router/modem/wireless base (now a single unit).
After change to new unit, desktop talked to laptops, but laptops refused to talk to desktop or each other.
After multiple PC reboots, reconstruction of home networks etc, no improvement.
However, after switching off router unit and turning back on again (I hate to call that RE-BOOTING it !!) suddenly the laptops can talk to each other as well as the desktop can talk to the laptops. BUT the laptops still refuse to talk to the desktop (although they can ping it, and the desktop is listed on the Network Places).
So the resolution could be to reboot your router device, ensuring all desktops and laptops are on at the time.
I am faced with the dilema of a further reboot in the hope that this will embrace the desktop - but the worst case is that maybe all connections will now disappear !!

A techie from the DSL supplier had a similar problem with mixed Home / Pro environments and "lost" the problem by moving all kit to XP Home !!

Hope this is of some use !!
Ted

by cg it

sounds as if the workgroup status of one or the other somehow got changed.

the prompt for credentials says that the user account your using doesn't have permission to access the shared resources on the other computer OR that the everyone group has been removed from permissions on the shared resource.

by rand1m

thanks guys for the 2 replies...I think will get that mac.

The problem was solved- not sure exactly what it was but remedy included fine tuning the firewall, updating the wireless router firmware, lots of tweaking registry, user accounts, and a 'gazillion' other windows 'things'.

So not quite sure what did it but it sure was not pleasant and sorely tested my temper!

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