Need Home Networking Help

[melly]

Hi- I've read thru numerous network problems similar to mine in these forums and have tried the great suggestions given by others. I still need help desperately.

I setup a network using a Linksys Wired BEFSR41 router to 2 Dell’s both with XP. Both computers use the internet through my router connection using my cable service. I get email and can surf the internet on both. HOWEVER, I can't get them to file share or see the printer on the one PC.

I set up share level access, turned off the built-in firewall in XP, used the right names for the computers and workgroup, both have file sharing enabled, gone thru ‘set up home network wizard’ about 6 times, everything seems right, but they cannot see each other’s shared folders and they don't show up in network Neighborhood.

One goofy thing does happen….on the one Dell without the Router directly hooked to it,,,,,in the LAN connection properties box, it won’t hold the check mark in the FILE AND PRINTER SHARING FOR MICROSOFT NETWORKS. It tells me it will disable that function and unchecks it next time I go into view properties.

I tied to hit install and it takes me to the NETWORK COMPONENT TYPE box and I hit ADD, but it tells me I need some driver disk??? I put all the CD’s that came with the PC in and browse but it never finds what it needs. I don’t know if this is necessary or not.

Does anyone have any suggestions.
Thanks! I’m beginning to think this is hopeless.

melly

[mysterywolf]

"Both computers use the internet through my router connection using my cable service".

not so. in fact only one does! the other uses the internet through the first which in turn accesses the web on its behalf. it is very unwise from a security issue to 'share' directly with the internet. a machine with 2 'doorways' can allow sharing through one (lan) whilst not allowing shares to be visible/accessed through the other (dial-out).
a machine with one comms device can have sharing - if its a lan connection- but not if it believes it is a ras connection!
despite the fact that you seem to be working it suggests that the basics are not configured properly.

[7ate9]

In addition to computer/workgroup names, check the ip address and subnet you are using. I too have the same rouer. Either use a static ip of 192.168.1.x with a subnet of 255.255.255.0, or just use DHCP on both computers and let the router assign the ip's.

<font color=green>7ate9</font color=green>
WinGuides Driver Guide</font color=blue> (http://www.winguides.com/drivers/><font)

[POBrien]

"Both computers use the internet through my router connection using my cable service."

Can certainly be true. Many ISP's offer a package where you can have your own static ip assignment for each node on your Lan. They usually offer them in blocks of 4 or 6.

Install the NWlink network protocol and enable the guest account on both machines. reboot.

POBrien

[mysterywolf]

"One goofy thing does happen….on the one Dell without the Router directly hooked to it"

i took this to mean that one machine (say pc A) accesses the net through the router and the other (say pc B) accesses the net through pc A.

There are many possible variations for configuring networking but to find a solution for this problem it is best to stick to the way this user has it set up.