i need some help please

[JBuk]

i have been asked by a colleague to fix his laptop
i want to back up some of his stuff onto my pc, so i have set up his wireless and i can connect to my network ok, and i have a pretty good signal
but...... i cannot for the life of me get his lappy to find any other pc on the network, or vice versa , so i`m now getting very frustrated and ive exhausted everything i can think of

so far i have tried re-installing clients/services etc, assigning it an IP, reinstalling drivers.....the list goes on...to be honest i`m not 100% sure if i`m going about things the right way, i`m no expert

this is the setup i have

adsl goes into dg814 router, then i have a wireless access point attached -with my dads laptop connecting via this with XPhome (all fine & dandy) , i also have 2 wired connections into the router with mine & my dads main pcs running XPpro (wether any of this makes a difference i dont know)

my colleagues laptop is running XPhome

please can somebdy help?.... (preferably before my head explodes)

 

[JBuk]

Define "find any other PC on the network" - appear in My Network Places or View Workgroup Computers or whatever?

none of the networked pcs show in `my network`it doesnt have the usual icons for mshome - although i have assigned it as part of that group,entire network, etc, its just blank. , if i try to add a network place i still cannot find any networked pcs

i was able to get the internet at the start, but still had all of the above problems, now i cannot even get on the net with it

Does it work if you use start, run, \\[machine's ip]?

i will have to try that tommorrow evening, need to sleep now, up at 5:00am

 

[JBuk]

Define "find any other PC on the network" - appear in My Network Places or View Workgroup Computers or whatever?
Does it work if you use start, run, \\[machine's ip]?

ok, i tried the \\[machines ip], it comes up an error - path not found

 

[JBuk]

You did plug in the machine's IP in place of [machine's IP]?

bit late to reply (been working long hours )

yeah, the machines ip was 192.168.0.6 and i typed in \\192.168.0.6
doing the same on the other machines (with their ip) opens up the shared folders on them systems

i cant even log into the router using this laptop, i think i may have to just ask my workmate if i can go ahead and format, and start again

 

[JBuk]

JBuk - check you father's laptop settings and replicate them. Check for Workgroup Name and whether it has a fixed IP or not. If fixed, note the DHCP address that it's using and use that on your friend's lappy. Does your fiend's laptop have a firewall in place? And how does your friend normally use his laptop's wireless capabilities?

i have tried to replicate my dads laptop settings but have had no luck, there is no firewall in place but there was norton internet security installed, so i got rid, but i still cannot get it going

my workmate doesnt use the wireless anymore as his router kept playing up, also someone else had a play about with the laptop a while ago and re-installed win xp, but only done half a job and installed loads of carp that is no use to my workmate, hence why i have it

i have a few more things to try before i see how far i can hurl it

 

[JBuk]

well, i have just this minute figured it out and got it working, and i cannot believe it was something so simple i wish there was an emoticon for slapping my forehead and saying "DOH!"


it was a simple case of me having the wep key my dad gave me wrote down incorrectly

yet the network was still saying i was connected to it? i dont understand why this was- if anyone can shed some light...


well guys, thanks for all your help..much appreciated , even though the problem was my own stupid fault (i`m going to blame my dad though )

 

[JBuk]

It's usually the case with these frustrating network problems.

Please tell us you didn't use a bridge

nope, no bridges here, well theres one behind my house for getting over the river but thats irrelevant


the network now has, adsl to router , one pc wired direct to router , a switch upstairs wired to the router with my pc on that , the wireless AP also to the router with 2 laptops now both connected & another pc using the wireless

so alls well, until my dad gets his electicity bill

 

[JBuk]

Windows always does that. Though you should've found you got the "limited or no connectivity" message when the machine was set to get an IP automatically (or wound up with a 169.x.x.x IP).

i probably did get that message but i never noticed it , thats me all over

ahh well, ive learned a hell of a lot about wireless this last week, infact i`m even thinking of getting a laptop , the freedom is great, surf the web and sunbath at the same time, mint