xp network trouble

[acidtechno]

router is Linksys WAG354G V.2, main pc is wired, laptop is wireless.

I'm trying to set up a home network starting with my main machine and laptop, but am having trouble getting any folders to appear on my laptop in my network places.

I used the network wizard on both machines and set up a workgroup.

have simple file sharing disabled.
automatically search for network folders/printers enabled.

running sygate firewall but set to allow all at the moment.
firewall on in linksys router.

machines using static ip addresses not dhcp

I tried to share a music hard drive but it just won't appear in the laptop.

I'm not much of a networking expert so advice is appreciated.

does a network need the dns xp service running?

[wfnuk]

Go into 'My Computer' and right-click on the drive that you wish to share. Left-click 'Properties' then select the 'Sharing' tab and enable sharing. Do this on whichever hard-drive(s) on each machine that you wish to access over your LAN.

[acidtechno]

yes, done that already, thanks.

really not sure what is wrong...

I'm going to link up my laptop via ethernet instead and see if sharing works.

[wfnuk]

Which 'network wizard' did you use? The wireless network one or the 'Set up a home or small office network'?

[acidtechno]

In network connections, Set up a home or small office network.

I used that on both machines.

[aos101]

Have you tried just browsing to \\other_machine_name in explorer? Does that show anything?

[wfnuk]

Ok. Have you tried enabling DHCP? I'm a bit unsure about the static IPs that you've set.

[acidtechno]

Originally Posted by aos101

Have you tried just browsing to \\other_machine_name in explorer? Does that show anything?

says the machine cannot be found.

I can see my workgroup listed, just no machines or folders.

Originally Posted by wfnuk

Ok. Have you tried enabling DHCP? I'm a bit unsure about the static IPs that you've set.

dhcp is enabled but laptop and main machine are assigned static addresses.

[wfnuk]

Also, did you turn on 'File and printer sharing' (Windows Firewall) in the 'Set up a home or small office network' wizard? If you didn't, you won't be able to share.

[wfnuk]

Originally Posted by acidtechno

dhcp is enabled but laptop and main machine are assigned static addresses.

If DHCP is enabled it will be trying to assign LAN IP addresses to your machines. I can't really understand why you have assigned static IP addresses as well.

[aos101]

Does it work by IP address (e.g. \\192.168.0.2 or whatever)? Can you ping the other computer?

Other than that I'm not sure. It's always kind of just worked when I've used it.

[kmount]

Ensure that "File and Printer Sharing" is enabled in the network properties.

If you have static IP's configured on all of your internal PC's, forget DHCP, if you are using a mix and match, it may be worth going all to one or to the other.

As Adam says, try \\192.168.0.x\ and press enter and see if anything shows up or if you get a good error.

Finally, is it both ways or can you see stuff on one but not the other?

Is Sygate on both PC's? ... Make sure if you have a Windows Firewall enabled on the other one that its set to allow File & Printer Sharing.

[acidtechno]

thank you for all of your help guys
it's been very helpful and has given me the enthusiasm to pursue this until leaving it until a later date.

I've now got things working fine!

I think Frank pointed out the problem which is during the wizard turning File and printer sharing on and off - related to windows firewall. I also thought this was related to simple file sharing. When I ran the wizard I selected off on the main machine. I didn't know it would activate the windows firewall (disabled in services). It appears that was the problem all along.. windows firewall running. Something so simple...

pinging machines work fine, so does going to their names and addresses.

I usually have dhcp disabled but have it enabled currently because of a guest using their laptop, and it's easier to enable dhcp in my router so they don't have to mess about with a static ip to connect to my router. They just plug and go then, fast and easy.

I don't appear to get any problems having dhcp enabled and using static ip addresses for my machines.

using static addresses makes it easier to configure ports in the router for specific machines.

[wfnuk]

Glad you finally got it sorted and that I was (possibly!) actually of some help for a change!

I'm unfamiliar with the Linksys as I have a D-Link DI-634M router but I have no problem with DHCP on my router allocating static (rather than Dynamic) LAN IP addresses to each PC (currently 1 wired and 5 wireless) and setting up specific port forwarding to specific PCs via the 'Virtual Server' facility on it is easy too.