I have a problem almost identical (W2K-Win XP Pro home LAN, only
seeing local machine, pinging OK) to the one described in
(http://groups.google.com/groups?q=w2K+windows+2000+xp+home+lan+workgroup+group:comp.*&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=comp.*&selm=PSgz8.90096%24HH5.5395%40rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net&rnum=2).
My situation is further complicated by the fact that I also use my
work domain from home. I achieved this by naming my home workgroup the
same as the name of my work domain. My idea is to log on to my work
domain when VPN is running (my workgroup masquerading as domain) and
do file/printer sharing among my home machines when VPN is off. The
first part works fine: I can get on my work domain when VPN is running
(this way I see all the office PCs under my workgroup). But when VPN
is off, I only see the local machine under the workgroup, not the
other home machine. This is true for both of home machines (one
running XP Prof, the other W2K). I pretty much ran the same circles as
the user in the above cited article. It is not really necessary to be
able to access my work domain from both machines (although currently
VPN is installed on both machines), only from the XP machine. It also
not necessary to be able to see both home PCs from the other: it would
be sufficient just to see the XP machine from the W2K.

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 18 Nov 2003 13:15 PST

Hi,

How about creating a shortcut to that machine when you can see it i.e.
when the VPN is running? Just right click on the computer icon and
drag it to your desktop and create a shortcut. Does that shortcut
still work once the VPN is off and you don't *see* the machine
anymore?

Thanks.
endo

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 23 Nov 2003 07:26 PST

I am sorry, I think I did not explain it well. I ONLY see the local
machine, which I am on, not the other one, under network neighborhood.
Zoltan

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 23 Nov 2003 11:54 PST

Hi,

Have you set the printer to be shared? Because if you can see the
machine and browse it using another machine, you should be able to see
any shared ressources.
Do you have file and printer sharing enabled for the connection?

Thanks.
endo

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 23 Nov 2003 16:02 PST

Hi,
Now the situation has changed in that I now see both computers (and
their shared resources, including printers) from each other. So the
printer is visible in Windows Explorer, but does not show up during
the browse step of the "Add printer" process.
Zoltan

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 23 Nov 2003 16:09 PST

Hi,

Have you tried specifying the printer address manually?
This would of the form:
\\computername\printername
Or
\\IP address\printername

Or you can browse to the computer using Windows explorer e.g.
\\computername or \\IP address then double clicking on the printer as
it appears, this should then prompt you to configure the printer for
use on the remote computer.

Thanks.
endo

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 23 Nov 2003 17:36 PST

OK, I am able to see the printer in windows explorer. I right click
then chose connect. This prompts me to install the printer as network
printer. It looks for the driver and comes up saying that the .inf
file is not good. This happens both ways (1. when from the W2K machine
I am trying to install the printer on the XP machine; and 2. when from
the XP machine trying to install the printer on the W2K machine).
Zoltan

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 23 Nov 2003 17:48 PST

Hi,

Please try and add the printer as a local printer first from within
the Printers folder, you will need the drivers downloaded from the
site of the printer manufacturer:
Add printer->Local Printer(uncheck the "automatically..."
box)->next->next->have disk->browse to the location of the downloaded
printer drivers and choose ok.

Once you have the printer installed as local, try and add the printer
as a network printer.

Thanks.
endo

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 26 Nov 2003 06:17 PST

Hi,

Have you had the chance to try any of the suggestions?

Thanks.
endo

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 26 Nov 2003 07:55 PST

No, I did not have a chance to try to install the printers as local
printer yet, but I will try today. Thanks, Zozika

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 01 Dec 2003 20:24 PST

I tried adding the printers this way. I was able to do it w/o any
problem on my W2K machine. So my printer connected to my WinXP machine
is now installed and functioning on my W2K machine.
Unfortunately, I not only could not do the same thing the other way
around, but actually I am no longer able to see the W2K machine from
the WinWP machine. This is despite the fact that I completely removed
the VPN software from the W2K machine. I previously created a shortcut
on the WinXP machine under network placed pointing to the W2K machine
(back when I could see it), but even this does not take me there. When
I try typing //192.168.1.4 I get an error message that the site is
under construction. Pinging is OK, though. I noticed one thing,
however, which may or may not have anything to do w/ this. That is
that the W2K machine's IP address has changed from 192.168.1.3 ro
192.168.1.4 (the WinXP machine stayed at 192.168.1.2 and the router is
192.168.1.1).
I tried restarting everything several times in various orders, but same results.

---

Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 01 Dec 2003 21:01 PST

Hi,

Can you please confirm that the IP address you are using for the W2K
machine is correct?
Please do the following on the W2K machine:
start->run->cmd->ok->type ipconfig then enter.

What is the IP address that is reported there?

Do you remember what you did or what you changed prior to the IP
address of the W2K machine changing?

Thanks.
endo

---

Clarification of Question by zozika-ga on 02 Dec 2003 04:26 PST

Yes, the IP address is confirmed. I am not sure if I did this at the
same time when the W2K machine's IP address changed, but I upgraded
the network adapter on this machine (the W2K machine is a laptop) to a
wireless one.
By the way, after another restart, I was able to find the W2K machine
from the WinXP machine by typing it's IP address in the windows
explorer bar (it took forever to connect, though). The funny thing is
that now the W2K machine shows up w/ its IP address as being its name
(rather than its real name, as it used to be). Besides, it is under a
different workgroup called "unknown" rather than the workgroup it used
to show up under. So when I look at the network neighborhood on my
WinXP machine, I see my original workgroup (I called it "ninds") and
only the WinXP machine is seen there, then I see another workgroup
("unknown") and the 192.168.1.4 is listed under that. Nevertheless,
from the WinXP machine I was able to connect the W2K machine's printer
and it is now working. So after all, I think I have it all: (1) I can
see and use either printer from either machine; (2) I can see and use
each machine's shared drives from one another. The only concerning
issues are: (1) Apparent instability. This might be related to the
fact that I have to run VPN from time to time that might disturb the
system. Looks like a few reboots and long wait can help reconnect the
machines. (2) Apparently I don't have my 2 machines under the same
workgroup.
One more thing, which I am not sure I mentioned, I use a different
username to log on to the 2 machines. This is necessary, because in
order to connect to my work network I have to use my work domain login
and password from the WinXP machine as local login and then start VPN.
The W2K machine is mainly used by my wife w/ her own login and pw.
So after all, I am pretty OK w/ what I have now.

Hi again zozika!

I'm happy to see that you finally got your network working.

A few more remarks.
1-) I don't know what this is due to, but I'm suspecting the wireless
signal. What type of signal quality are you getting? Also try setting
the speed lower rather than "full (auto)". I've found that the
connection works better at 5.5Mbits/s than 11Mbits/s auto adjust.

2-) You should definitely put both machines in the same workgroup,
this will make things easier. In W2K: right click My
Computer->Properties->Network Identification->Properties->change
workgroup name there, then ok.

3-) The different usernames shouldn't really matter much. But what you
could do is create accounts on both machines for the respective login
of the other machine. In W2K: Control Panel->Users & Passwords->Add
then Ok.

I hope this helps.

If you need any more assistance or clarifications please do not
hesitate to ask. I would be more than glad to help.

Thanks.
endo

---

Request for Answer Clarification by zozika-ga on 02 Dec 2003 05:34 PST

Thank you. Both machines ARE under a workgroup called "ninds". I will
try to re-assign them. I will make sure both users exist on both
machines. I will try the lower speed, although the signal quality is
already maximal.

---

Clarification of Answer by endo-ga on 02 Dec 2003 16:24 PST

Hi,

Sometimes the signal quality appears to be good, but when transfers
occur it degrades badly and performance isn't as good. Any luck
setting the speed lower?

Thanks.
endo

This researcher was certainly helpful. The problem could not be 100%
solved, but it is overall satisfactory now, so this problem can be
closed.

what happens when you enter \\<ip address> in a Windows Explorer
address bar? Can you see the shared resources on the other machine?

Also, check the firewall settings on the XP Local Area Network
Connection Properties' Advanced tab. Under Internet Connection
Firewall, uncheck 'Protect my computer...". The linksys router should
already be protecting your network.

Hope this helps.

To: splacky-ga
The firewall is already off on my XP machine.
Thank you,
Zoltan

To: splacky-ga
Yes, I tried the, \\<IP address> from both machines.
When the VPN is off on both machines, this way I am able to see XP
machine from the W2K one. Not vice versa, though. Also, even though I
now do see the shared resources on the XP (including its printer), the
shared printer does not seem to be available from applications running
on the W2K machine. I have a printer connected to each machine (one is
a cheap for draft on W2K and a more expensive photo printer on the XP
machine so my dream is to be able to use either printer from either
machine).
So again the problems in summary:
1. I still can't access the W2K machine from the XP machine, even by
typing \\<ip address>.
2. I can't get the printer that is shared on the XP machine work from
the W2K machine.
Thank you,
Zoltan
Thank you,
Zoltan

Hi,

1. What error message do you get if you type the IP address straight
away? If you do a search for the machine with the IP address is it
found?

2. Have you added the XP printer to the W2K machine as a shared printer?
In which case if you have, then it should appear when you choose to
print from an application.

Thanks.
endo