home network woes

utajoker · 9 May 2009 at 11:24

trying to setup a printer shared through another pc. all pcs are connected through a sky netgear router.

when i try to search for the printer through the other pc it always says it cant access and check the spelling of the computer name. it happens to every pc i try to connect to on the network.

All the other pcs can access my shared files including my 360 but i cant access any of their pcs at all.

all sharing is turned on for all pcs.

2 pcs on vista 1 on xp all connected wireless to router.

any ideas why?

J.B · 9 May 2009 at 11:34

What firewall software are you using?

utajoker · 9 May 2009 at 11:41

all of them have windows firewall disabled and my pc has kaspersky running but the firewall is set to allow all, the only firewall is in the router.

tolien · 9 May 2009 at 16:54

Is it the same if you use the machine's IP in place of its name?

.one. · 9 May 2009 at 17:18

If your not to comfortable with the cmd prompt go too start and type " netsh diag gui " wait a second or 2 and then click " scan system " it will do a bunch of tests for you then just check the results.

Corasik · 9 May 2009 at 17:51

xp -> vista networking can give problem sometimes, one easy solution, is to use a host file, which contains the name and ip address of the machines you cant access.

/windows/system32/drivers/etc/hosts is the correct location, and there is often a sample host file in that folder already.

utajoker · 11 May 2009 at 08:39

i didnt really understand any of that, ive no clue on networking at all, ive got a few more problems so im gonna format and hopefully that will fix.

utajoker · 13 May 2009 at 22:16

running windows 7 and that didnt fix it.

this is the message i get when trying to browse a laptop which is running vista

all sharing setting are enabled on both pcs, i can see the laptop but it cant see me and my xbox running xbmc can connect to my pc no problems to stream video.

firewalls are off on both pcs, only firewall is in router.

both connected wireless to router.

help

Zarf · 13 May 2009 at 22:30

Can you ping between the machines? Using the IP address directly instead of the hostname? If so, check that the "file and print protocol" is running by doing the following (vista, if it's xp go start->run)
Click Start, type ncpa.cpl, right click on the network adaptor and go to properties, check that "file and print sharing for microsoft networks" is checked.

PhillyDee · 13 May 2009 at 23:39

Are they all on the same workgroup?

utajoker · 14 May 2009 at 07:35

Zarf said:
Can you ping between the machines? Using the IP address directly instead of the hostname? If so, check that the "file and print protocol" is running by doing the following (vista, if it's xp go start->run)
Click Start, type ncpa.cpl, right click on the network adaptor and go to properties, check that "file and print sharing for microsoft networks" is checked.

the laptop can ping my pc but i cannot ping the laptop, both have file and printer sharing ticked.

PhillyDee said:
Are they all on the same workgroup?

yes

Mel_P · 14 May 2009 at 13:04

Try Run / Cmd / Net View

What do you see?

utajoker · 14 May 2009 at 13:43

Mel_P said:
Try Run / Cmd / Net View

What do you see?

pc says

\\BRETT-PC
\\MU-LAPPY

laptop says

"system error 6118 has occured

the list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available"

Mel_P · 14 May 2009 at 14:17

loads of hits on a web search - seems to be:

- firewall issue
or
- NetBIOS over TCP/IP is not turned on (enabled) on one or more computers in the workgroup.

look at lapttop connection and see if netbios is there?

errata · 14 May 2009 at 14:35

Its not the most focussed appraoch but the following are at least fairly quick

simplfy the network get at leat 2 computers (both vista ones preferably working) then add the third

do all the pc's have logon passwords (non blank ones)

double check the spelling of all the workgroup and pc names and make sure all the characters your using are valid and consistent between pc's

delete the existing shares, reboot and redo them

reboot the router as well

I had simialr problems one or more of the above cured it i never found out exactly why but I did suspect a windows 'update' at the time for my network card so I also rolled back the network card driver and replaced a possibly dodgy ethernet plug that did not lock in properly.

your eror message is consistent with possible work goup naming issues or the internet connection sharing service being unhappy and theres quite a lot of possible solutons on the net all with quite signficant tech content i am afraid

utajoker · 14 May 2009 at 15:53

woot finaly fixed it, i could scream, its caused me so much agro. i didnt know the laptop had norton on it and it had the personal firwall on.

now my only problem is the laptop cant access my pc.

my pc doesnt show in the network window of the laptop but it does show on the network map, it cant be selected.

any ideas why this could be?

edit** well ive just fixed that aswell

today is a good day.

thanks for the help everyone.