file sharing woes

Sam Vimes

i'm trying to set up file sharing between my two computers, both running xp pro and its stressing me. i've followed all the tutorials i can find even though most of them only step you through where to buy the hardware (usually from them) and then leave you on your own.

one is wireless, the other is wired. the internet works on both, only file sharing doesn't.

the steps i've done are:
made them both members of the same workgroup
run the "set up a small home or office network" thing with various options
enabled file and printer sharing (i think)

the upshot is that when i click "view workgroup computers" on the wired pc it shows nothing, but if i do it on the wireless one, the other computer shows up. now that in itself is odd because i've done exactly the same steps on both. the wireless pc can't access the files on the wired one though, it says the network path is not found.

anyone? my head is hurting from it

Pa ElGrande

Follow this and let us know the results of each step (good & bad)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308007

aidan_walsh

Have you ensured that Network Neighbourhood traffic is allowed on your desktop's firewall?

Sam Vimes

i've established that they can't ping each other but i don't know why. that tutorial tells me that i should look for faulty hardware if they cant pgin each other but they're not faulty. i have zone alarm firewall on both but i disabled it before pinging. my router has a firewall built in. is there any way around that? could that be the problem?

EOA_Mushy

Firewall....
Share a directory on each...
(Right click on dir' click share and security, click ominus blue writing, click share check box, apply)

jester77

Perhaps it's your router. I've a similar setup and in my router (Netgear) I have an option to prevent wireless clients from acessing the network. This might be enabled on your router.

srdb20

Ensure your firewall is allowing them through then make sure file and printer sharing is on, to do this:

Right click Network Neighbourhood, select properties
View Network connections - right click your connection and select properties.
There should be an option to tick or untick FILE AND PRINTER SHARING

Make sure its ticked.
Also tick client for microsoft networks.

Once thats done make sure there in the same workgroup, try and change the default name also E.g FileShare1 (or something like that).

Then right click and select properties of the files you want to share - hit the sharing Tab - tick the share this folder option (setup the sharing as you want, permissions etc).

That should work ok then!

Let me know if it does.

Been a while since i set this up, but pretty sure thats all there is too it.

Anybody notice anything i did wrong or left out please feel free to point it out.

Cheers

ShiverinEskimo

Silly but worth checking. Switch off windows firewall too.

Sam Vimes

thanks for the replies lads but i've given up. my computers must be mad at each other becauser they just don't want to talk to each other

Random

Your router firewall shouldn't block inter-network traffic. Close down (don't just disable) Zone Alarm before trying it, I've had some serious problems with it in the past. Alternatively get Zone Alarm Pro which allows you to network a bit better with it

ShiverinEskimo

start -> run -> cmd
type ipconfig

do this for both machines and make sure everything matches up (post results up here if you want)

What workgroup are both machines on?

Would it be possible to get the machines running a crossover cable to do a direct connection to rule out a faulty switch.

(sorry if any of the above is patronising - dunno how comp literate you are)

Sam Vimes

i am what one of my old secondary school teachers used to call a gombeen. i definitely disabled zone alarm on both computers but when i used the network identification wizard it asked to restart the computer, which i of course did. i then forgot that zone alarm is set to start with my computer. i hang my head in shame. i've set each zone alarm to allow the others ip and it all works now. good to know zone alarms doing its job