Cannot share files and printer

[DementedDS]

I recently set-up, or tried to set-up a home network for my family. I have a Belkin Wireless G Router (54 Mbps 2.4GHz), which is connected to the cable modem. I then have our main PC along with our XBox(that's probably irrelavent) connected directly to the router, with the printer connected to the PC. We have a laptop which has access to the network and can access the internet. From the PC when I choose to view My Network Places it will not show any folders or files that are on the laptop and designated as to be shared. When I click view workgroup computers it will not show the laptop, but only the PC (itself). When I'm on the Laptop I cannot see/access and shared files, folders, or the printer that are on the PC. When I view workgroup computers only the laptop shows up.

The PC is running Windows XP Professional and is a Dell XPS Gen 2 Pentium 4, 3.00 GHz 512 MB of RAM (Not sure if this is at all relevant.)

The Laptop is running Windows XP Home Edition. It's a Dell Latitude X200 and is has Pentium 3, 800 MHz, 248 MB or RAM with Dell TrueMobile 1150 Series Wireless LAN Mini PCI Card.

IP Address: 192.168.2.3
Default Gateway: 192.168.2.1

I pinged my default gateway and it responded all 4 times.

[the360band]

well i know xp home does not have the networking capabilities but ive never used xp home so i dont know that, that is our answer but did you set it up under the same workgroup name? but i think your going to find that windows xp home edition is your problem. you might try to install windows xp professional if you have it...sry

[DementedDS]

I guess I'll have to scrounge up a copy of it under my massive piles of disks. I'm just wondering if Home Edition doesn't support networking why does it give me the ability to set up a home or small-office network?

[the360band]

lol im not really sure but from what i've heardxp home just dosnt have the netorking xp pro does but i guess if you had 2 xp home computers it might work but i dont know
wish you the best of luck
,the360band

[DementedDS]

Oh, alright. I guess I'll look around for some info on that. Thanks for the help.

[bAdWaYz]

You can network XP home and Pro all day long. I have done it so many times I can't remember and it works fine. If neither computer can see each other then I'd say the best bet first off is to run the network setup wiz on both computers. First run it on the desktop then the laptop. Make sure both computers have the same workgroup name, and that if any firewalls are running they are allowing local network traffic. After doing that if it still doesn't work post back and we will go from there.

[DementedDS]

Using the basic windows firewall how do I choose to allow local network traffic? Would i have to add an exception?

[bAdWaYz]

Well just for testing I would turn it off then see if I could access network shares. Seeing as you run a router with a built in hardware firewall the windows firewall isn't going to cause you much trouble if you turn it off. If you go to control panel and open the firewall settings up you should see a tab for exceptions and it should have "file and printer shring" in that list. As long as that is checked it shouldn't be an issue.

[DementedDS]

I figured out that the PC's firewall wasn't allowing the laptop to access the PC, or at least that is what I think. I have the firewall turned off on the PC downstairs and now I can access the files and the printer. It was the windows firewall that I turned off even though it had file and printer sharing enabled. I've still got a McAfee firewall running so I'll just leave it like that. Thanks for the help.

[z1p]

Thanks for the update.

I just want to mention (for you and others that may read this ;) ) that running two software firewalls on the same machine at the same time is asking for problems. If you have another firewall installed and running on an XP machine, you want to be absolutely sure that the XP firewall is turned off.