Network setup (WXP-Pro)

[absonic]

I have two wireless systems connected to a Netgear wireless modem/router.

A Dell laptop (WinXP Pro SP2) using an Intel Wireless 2200BG 54Mbps adapter and an old PC (WinXP Home SP2) using a Netgear wireless USB WG111v2 54 Mbps Adapter (with a Dell printer attached by USB).

The internet works well throughout the system and without problems.

However, after succesfully setting up a home network last week to share files and printers - with both file and printer sharing working well a few days ago - the network has now stopped working, ie: i cannot access files from 1 system to the other nor vice versus, nor print from the Laptop. The printer still works fine from the PC using the cable connection. (NO settings were changed to my knowledge).

Both systems still have the same network name and both systems have different unique names, eg: pc1 on mshome, pc2 on mshome.

I am wondering if Norton Internet Security (N.I.S.) may have something to do with the problem (installed only on the Laptop). Norton Anti Virus 2006 is on the PC. However, I did have some initial setup problems when I first setup the network, which seems to be caused -initally- by N.I.S.

Can you guys please suggest some steps I might try to remedy this situation.

ie: can i delete a current network completely and start again? or do you just have to use the network setup wizard to overwrite any current serttings?

Thank you in advance for any help.

[texanit]

I would begin by uninstalling Norton. Just for fun.

Next, I would try to set up static IP addresses on each of the network devices. i.e. Your network cards or usb networking devices.
Click Start.
Click Run.
Type in cmd.
At the c:\ prompt type in ipconfig /all
Write down the Physical address of each of your connected adapters.

Next, Go into your netgear router and assign a static IP to each of your address you wrote down in the step above.
ie. 00:00:00:00:00:00 = 192.168.0.2
00:00:00:00:00:01 =192.168.0.3
Note: Your MAC or physical addresses will be different from the ones above but they will be in this format.

Finally, I would check your permissions.
Are you logged in with the a user account that has permission to access these files on your network?

Make sure you are logging in as the computers administrator or someone with proper rights on each machine. Make sure your user profile has the proper permissions to access the folders or printers. Also, make sure that these folders are set up to be shared.

Good Luck,
Texan IT
http://www.texanit.com/

[absonic]

texanit, thank you for your reply.

I have now managed to get the internet and network - file and printer sharing - working on the problem system and it turned out to be something simple - UPnP was turned on, turning it off solved the disconnection problem.

However, there is one final odd problem:

I have internet but cannot send or receive email on the problem Dell laptop (Win XP Pro / Intel Pro Wireless 2200bg adapter / latest drivers / Outlook Express).

Again, my router is a DG834GT with the latest firmware, connected to BT Broadband. The channel is the same for both the router and the adapter, I have created rules on the router to permanently allow smtp (port 25) both in and out bound and have disabled both my firewall and anti virus to test if their settings were causing the issue.

The annoying thing is, the second PC connected to the router with a Netgear WG111v2 usb adapter, works fine - network, internet and email.

Incidentally, I have uninstalled N.I.S.2006 completely from the laptop and replaced it with Bit Defender and Sygate Personal Firewall. ;)

Any advice appreciated.
Thank you.

[selice]

What is the error message you get from OEXP?

[absonic]

Server timeout message.

But the sever is fine as it connects from a second pc.