Ghost "My Network Places" in WinME

[justjack]

Hi everyone!

Okay, this is a weird one, I'll try to describe it as best as I can but I am truly at a loss here...

First of all, my friend and I have a 2 computer peer-to-peer network set up in the appartment and everything was working just fine and dandy, and, from the functionnality aspect of it all, still is.

At one point, a few weeks ago, when he clicked on the "My network Places" (used to be network neighbourghood in W98) and then on entire network, he could not see the Workgroup or any of our computers. Blank. 0 Objects...?

But on my computer I still could go to My Network Places->Entire Network->"Workgroup" and see both computers. The rest still works from both computers, we are able to share files and printers back and forth. Just not through the "My network Places" Icon.

But behold!!! yesterday, I went to access his computer from my "My net. places", so I went the usual way, My Net Places->Entire Network-> ???Empty???

This is what I dont understand... we can still access each other's computers by using shortcuts previously created to each other's drives or by typing \\(computer name\c:\my documents (for example)


Any insight on this little oddity would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks


------------------
JustJack!!

[MishY]

Have you made sure both computers have the same workgroup name (and both names are in the same casing) ?

Which protocols are you using to network the 2 PC's please ?

Thanks

MishY

[Mithrilhall]

I know this is probably a given but, did you hit F5 a few times to refresh the screen to see the connection? Just a thought...

[JustJay]

Hi I am JustJack's roomate...and it is still not working....we have tried everything we can think of...

We just both bought new hard drives and started from scratch...he gets to see the network from his computer in the "entire network" however I get...yup you guessed it...nothing....but we can still access each others computers...pull files..and run apps....

So anyone have any further suggestions????

Thanks...

Just...J and J

[MishY]

Hi,

Jack never answered my question which protocols are you using to network the 2 PC's please ?

Are you using any other software for the networking other than Windows itself ?

MishY

[MishY]

Also, make sure both drives on each computer are mapped to the other computer.

Have you tried searching for the other computer using the Find/search function in Start/Search ?

MishY

[justjack]

Mishy, your help is greatly appreciated, I have been very busy with work, school, and my family and haven't been around here for a while, so here it is:

We are not using any 3rd party software for the network, we simply have both computers and an ADSL modem plugged into a hub and ran the home networking wizard in Windows ME.

The installed protocols (required by the ethernet cards) are IPX/SPX, NetBEUI and TCP/IP.

The weird thing is that the network is functional, if we do a search for each other's computers, everything shows up, and we are able to share files, but we can only do it by typing the "url", for example: \\justjack\C\My documents.

That's why it's not really a critical problem but I would like to understand why is doesn't show up in "My network places" at all on Jay's computer and on mine, it sometimes shows up and sometimes it doesn't....

Thanks

Justjack

[2001man]

PLease dont think im cheeky but i noticed that you have a network in ME and i wondered if u can help me.

I have been trying to network two systems together at home. Both use RealTek 8139 network cards and have cat 5 cable. All the drivers went in smoothly.

The only problem is that one of the systems use win98 se and the other system uses windows ME.

I have tried everything in my power to get them to talk but to no avail. I have used the networking wizard on ME to make a disk for the other one but no go. The logon screen comes on (on both systems) i can logon but when i go into Network Neighbourhood the only system that shows up is the one im using and not recognising the other one.

Ive tried all login systems and have rang PCWorld where i bought one of the systems from and they said it should be a breeze. is it something in doing wrong (obviously)

PLEASE HELP ME! Thanks. PS What IP Adresses do i use or or they automtically assigned :confused:

[Tobmello]

I'm no network guru but if I was setting up that type of network (without even knowing much about either Oper System) I would:

1) join both computers to the same workgroup, not DOMAIN (i.e. give the workgroup a common name for both machines)

2) make sure Client for MS Networking is installed thru network neighb. properties tab for each machine

3) make sure both are running TCP/IP (easier to troubleshoot than NetBEUI)

4) make sure both machines are connected to the hub via their NICs

5) Give both machines static IPs (assign them manually, don't let windows assign it for you)

- make sure both IPs are part of the same address class; i.e. make one IP 168.10.1.2 and the other 168.10.1.3, and make the subnet masks for each -> 255.255.0.0 (B class address). Leave the default gateway blank for both configurations.

** The IP addressing is based on the fact I'm assuming you don't need both cmptrs to share an Internet connection, but simply just to communicate and share files with each other. If you need to share an internet connection, I think Windows ME has ICS capabilties in which case MS just assigns both adapters its own IPs for NATting (network address translation). In which case you'd skip the IP setup (step 5) of both machines the way I explained above, and just enable ICS on the machine which has the direct internet connection and configure the other machine's browser to automatically search for the external route. MS makes this idiot proof :) by assigning internal addresses to both machines. The drawback is that these new IPs aren't routable (at least in any easy way that I know)

Feel free to jump in here guys and correct any mistakes I may have made ;)