Unable to see networked computers in Network places
gayjaybird
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Joined: 07 Jan 2005
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I've recently installed a linksys combo wireless-g/wired router. I've got my other computer connecting through a wireless adapter. Anyhow, After running the setup wizards, both computers can use the internet. However, I cannot share my printer in XP. I've got file and printer sharing turned on on both boxes. When I look at the box to add a networked printer, it only gives me the printer connected to the local resources. (The Wireless connection would be using the wired box as a print server.) I've tried to ping their IPs and the wireless connection tells me that the request timed out and the wired box says "Destination host unreachable."

Any help?

(I had this in another forum and reailzed it needed to be moved)
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jeffd
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Joined: 04 Oct 2003
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Not quite enough information here.

Is this your setup:

:: Code ::

computer1---printer
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router--- computer 2

That's the easiest way, or do you have your printer network attached, which I doubt, that means that you have your printer directly connected via an RJ45 connector to the router, not to a computer.

Or is the printer connected to the router which is also a print server?

The easiest way to setup shared printing is to attach the printer to the computer that will always be on, then install the drivers etc, test the printer, then share the printer. When you create a new printer on the second computer, using the ad printer wizard, you simply type in the path to the share path, say:

\\mainbox\printer1

That assumes your main computer's name is 'mainbox' and that the printer share is called 'printer1'

If you use the network browsing to try to locate the printer, it probably won't work, usually doesn't unless you've fixed some other annoying Window's networking issues first.
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Network Setup
gayjaybird
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Main box--printer
|
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wireless/wired router
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computer 2 w/ wireless adapter

When I use the Add a Printer Wizard on computer 2, I pick the option for "A network printer or a printer attached to another computer." Then I browse for a printer and I cannot even see the other computer in the list of connections. When I specify a path I get a message that says "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the name was typed incorrectly or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server." When I click help it brings up the troubleshooter, which has no information on my problem.

I double checked that I have file and printer sharing on, and that my firewalls allow shared resources, and that the network is in the "trusted" zone.

I have user accounts specified without passwords (since this is a p2p or "workgroup" network) on both computers. However, the second box does have passwords on its accounts since my mom accidentally locked herself out and couldn't unlock the computer without one. (That's a whole other post.) Could that be causing the problem?

Any other ideas?
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erikZ
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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Have you shared the printer? Can you see the two computers on your network? If you can see the two computers and you have shared the printer it's harder to figure out the problem.
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Printer Probs
gayjaybird
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The Printer is shared. However, I cannot see the other computer on the network. Each computer can access the internet, but they cannot see each other.

I had to re-install zone alarm + antivirus because my evaluation ran out (had to break down and buy it. LOL) I wonder if I didn't accidentally turn something off. The settings say that I should be able to share resources on my private network, and I listed my private IP scope in my "trusted sites."

Where else should I look?

Jason
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erikZ
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First remove the machine that is on a wireless card from the wireless part of the router then plug it in to the wired part of the network.

Reboot it to be on the safe side, then see if you can see your network. If you can see your network, see if you can access the shared printer.

If you can't you have some weird issue, but my guess is you will be able to. My guess is that the wireless network is blocking some ports, which it should do, probably 135, if I remember right, which is I think what Windows uses for its proprietary networking protocols.

To double check, first try and turn off the firewall on both machines, Windows xp has a built in firewall that is real junk, that should be turned off if you are running xp, then just use zonealarm. You didn't need to buy zonealarm pro, it's a waste of money if you already have a router, which is a hardware firewall. Zonealarm free is fine, I've used it for years, works great.

There may be a setting in the router to allow these ports to be passed, I don't know them offhand.

Personally, I avoid wireless networking except to just access the web because I don't like headaches.
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Well, It's a wierd issue
gayjaybird
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Connecting to the wired port didn't make a difference. I still couldn't see the network. Both computers can communicate with the internet fine, they just can't communicate internally.

I'm pretty sure a port is being blocked somewhere, but I'm not sure which one. Both computers have File and print Sharing enabled, the firewall is off, and their connections claim to be working properly. I've even tried unplugging and re-connecting my router. The computers are members of the same workgroup but they only see themselves as members of the group.

Where would I look in XP to check my port settings?

Also would XP home on one box and XP Pro on the other make a difference?

Thanks,

Jason
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erikZ
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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If the following have been done:

Turn off XP firewalls permanently
Turn off Zonealarm for testing
Have all machines on wired network.

And it still doesn't show you your workgroup, I think you need to install a network protocol, NETBUI

Open up your network component of control panel, can't remember what XP calls it.

Locate your LAN connection, right click it, select properties. In the General tab, scroll down and see if Netbui is installed. If it isn't installed, install it, that's found by clicking install button, selecting protocol, then selecting netbui if it's available.

Once installed, if it wasn't installed, reboot computers and see if you can now see the network.

There are other factors too, the mix of XP home and pro may be causing issues, mixing os'es on a network is generally the key to future problems.

Let me know if that solves the problem.
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Problem Resolution
Usagi
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Joined: 05 May 2006
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Jason,
I'm currently having what I think to be an identical problem. I have one wired desktop and one wireless laptop on my D-Link DI-624 Combo router. My printer is connected directly to the desktop, standard LPT1 connection. Both computers get online to the internet, but they cannot see each other, and the laptop cannot find the printer. Did installing NETBUI solve your problem? Did you ever get it to see all computers on the net? I'd like to know as this thread just died with no final resolution. I could use the help!
Thanks,
Chris
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Unusual solution
trickyt
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Joined: 03 Nov 2007
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I had the same problem after installing a new router.

I solved it by logging on to my router (on mine you type 192.168.1.1 into the internet explorer window). Then I put in the user name and password (on mine the default was "admin" and "1234"), then go into expert mode, and find the section which reads: Configure, IP Passthtough.

On mine it was "Enabled". By setting it to "disabled" the computer suddenly became visible to the network (after re-starting the router and the PC).

Why does this work? All my computers except the invisible one had IP addresses like 192.168.1.33 or 192.168.1.34 or 192.168.1.35 etc. However the invisible computer had an IP address starting 85.5.134....... (You can see the IP address by loading the command prompt from accessories and tyoing in "ipconfig".

According to my router "If "User Configured PC" is selected, a local PC must be manually configured to have the public IP address."

Thus when the PC had an address outside the Local range of IP numbers starting with 192.168..... it will not be found as part of the network.
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