Network Issues

[FrizzleFried]

Alright,  I have 3 MAME cabs,  my wifes computer and my computer networked (wired,  not wireless).  From my main computer I can see the wifes, the horizontal MAME and the veritcal MAME.  I can not see or access the Cocktail MAME even though it is shared,  on the same workgroup, etc.  Now,  on the cocktail MAME I see all the other computers including the main computer...and I can access them as normal.

Any idea why I can see and access the main computer from the cocktail but I can't see nor access the cocktail computer from the main computer?

[leapinlew]

Alright,  I have 3 MAME cabs,  my wifes computer and my computer networked (wired,  not wireless).  From my main computer I can see the wifes, the horizontal MAME and the veritcal MAME.  I can not see or access the Cocktail MAME even though it is shared,  on the same workgroup, etc.  Now,  on the cocktail MAME I see all the other computers including the main computer...and I can access them as normal.

Any idea why I can see and access the main computer from the cocktail but I can't see nor access the cocktail computer from the main computer?

When you say you can't access the cocktail - you've tried accessing it by clicking Start>Run and typing

\\computername
or
\\IP Address

From my experience, networks without servers that rely on a browse master to populate the network neighborhood are flaky. I would imagine you can access it from the main computer with the \\IP address. Let me know if that works.

[ahofle]

LOL welcome to windows networking.  I especially enjoy the 30-60 second timeouts which lock up the entire explorer while trying to connect.
One thing I've found which helps is to connect by IP address instead of computer name.  So instead of \\someCompName\c connect to \\192.168.0.15\c
 

EDIT: leapinlew beat me

[leapinlew]

leapinlew beat me

Worth preserving. Forever. 

[ahofle]

 

[FrizzleFried]

I'm just using "My Network Places"... I guess it's time to dust off the old command prompt...now where was that again?

[leapinlew]

I'm just using "My Network Places"... I guess it's time to dust off the old command prompt...now where was that again?

It's not that bad. Just click Start, select run and type \\computername or \\IP. If you use \\IP, you'll be bypassing all those name pesky name resolution issues.

I've given up trying to fix naming issues in workgroups.

[saint]

Alright,  I have 3 MAME cabs,  my wifes computer and my computer networked (wired,  not wireless).  From my main computer I can see the wifes, the horizontal MAME and the veritcal MAME.  I can not see or access the Cocktail MAME even though it is shared,  on the same workgroup, etc.  Now,  on the cocktail MAME I see all the other computers including the main computer...and I can access them as normal.

Any idea why I can see and access the main computer from the cocktail but I can't see nor access the cocktail computer from the main computer?

Turn off the Windows firewall on the cocktail computer.

[FrizzleFried]

\\COCKTAIL doesn't work.

\\192.168.1.105 doesn't work.

That is the computer name and IP address.  Error reads:  The Network Path Was Not Found.

Windows Firewall is not active...as a matter of fact,  the service is disabled.

[Kevin Mullins]

I constantly have problems between one computer or another like that.
Sometimes to the point of having to reset the network shares back up again on the one that can't be seen or accessed.

Go to the properties of C: (or whatever your main drive is) under Sharing and Security like you normally would and  unshare it and then re-share it.
And I check the "Allow users to change my files."
And then a usual re-boot of the PC.

Just a suggestion to try.

Windows Wonky Networking.

[ahofle]

Are all these computers running XP? 

[saint]

\\COCKTAIL doesn't work.

\\192.168.1.105 doesn't work.

That is the computer name and IP address.  Error reads:  The Network Path Was Not Found.

Windows Firewall is not active...as a matter of fact,  the service is disabled.

Any other firewalls or security programs?

Can you ping 192.168.1.105 by the IP address?

Are you getting DHCP or static addresses? If static, are your subnet masks the same on all systems? Mismatched subnet masks and firewalls are common reasons for the problems you're having.

[FrizzleFried]

It uses DHCP.  I just checked and I can ping my main computer (192.168.1.103) from the cocktail without issue but I can not ping the cocktail (192.168.1.105) from the main computer or ANY of the other computers hooked up to the network.  Essentially,  the cocktail can see and access every computer in the net but none of the other computers can even see or PING the cocktail cab.

That got me thinking.  I do remember going thorough the cocktail and removing services based on the WIKI and/or some other "speed up XP" post here... does anyone know of a service that if disabled,  would prevent other computers from seeing this one on the net?!

BTW: I checked and the subnet masks are the same as well.  Everything matches?!?!!

[ahofle]

Check the 'server', 'network connections', and 'computer browser' services?

[SavannahLion]

That got me thinking.  I do remember going thorough the cocktail and removing services based on the WIKI and/or some other "speed up XP" post here... does anyone know of a service that if disabled,  would prevent other computers from seeing this one on the net?!

Yeah there is. Don't ask me what. Many moons ago, I made the grave mistake of reading Steve Gibson's article on XP and following his "advice." This was back when my network was  predominantly Linux based. So most remote PC access was done via Telnet or FTP. Samba was too damn fussy to set up.

Now, my network is dominated by Windows boxes and configuring any sharing of any sort is a ---smurfing--- nightmare from somewhere beyond Hell thanks to that cock sucker Steve Gibson and his utterly useless doomsday advice. If I go to Hell, I'm going to take the ---uvula---(s) who designed the MS Windows sharing framework and Steve Gibson with me and stuff their pee holes with huge chunks of brimstone and burning coal. I have wasted more hours configuring Windows print and file sharing than I ever have configuring serial devices.

Compiling and configuring LAMP, LAPP, or WAMP from scratch is 1k times more appealing.

Anyways, enough with the ranting. If you ever figure out how to get it working, let me know. It might be something I haven't tried.

[SavannahLion]

And the troubleshooting guides are somewhere between useless and moronic. Someone really needs to hunker down and create a comprehensive troubleshooting book on the topic.

[Hoopz]

If I go to Hell, I'm going to take the ---uvula---(s) who designed the MS Windows sharing framework and Steve Gibson with me and stuff their pee holes with huge chunks of brimstone and burning coal. I have wasted more hours configuring Windows print and file sharing than I ever have configuring serial devices.

Now that's passion. 

 

[saint]

If you do not have the "server" service running, no workstation can access the resources on that box. 


Server service is what allows someone to browse what you have.
Workstation service is what allows you to browse what someone else has.

(Did I mention I'm an MCSE? Pity me.)

[FrizzleFried]

If you do not have the "server" service running, no workstation can access the resources on that box. 


Server service is what allows someone to browse what you have.
Workstation service is what allows you to browse what someone else has.

(Did I mention I'm an MCSE? Pity me.)

Yup...checked and all services listed above are there... I will double check the server service but I am pretty sure it's there.  Some aren't running,  but they are checkmarked so they are available.

[saint]

Server service has to be running, not just there

[FrizzleFried]

How do you make it "run"... I don't see an option to turn a service on or off from within MSCONFIG.

[SavannahLion]

How do you make it "run"... I don't see an option to turn a service on or off from within MSCONFIG.

Start\Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Services

or

Run services.msc

While you're at it. Download and install nmap for Windows on a computer different than the problematic one. A simple port scan (eg nmap xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) will reveal whether the correct ports are open.

[FrizzleFried]

I dunno... server service is up and running... all services related to networking that I can see are up and running.

[saint]

Three thoughts next:

1. Run "msconfig" and make note of every line's status in both the 'services' and 'startup' tabs as to whether they're set to run or not. Then turn them all on and reboot and see if that fixes it. Make sure you note which ones were on/off so you can put them back the way they were. This is just an experiment to see if you've got something important turned off. If so we can start troubleshooting from there.

2. Reboot the cocktail in "safe mode with networking" mode, and see if you can ping it from your main computer then.

3. Is the main computer on DHCP as well, or static?  From both computers, run a CMD prompt and then do an "ipconfig /all" -- capture the results and post them here.

[CCM]

What firewall software are you running?  I use Zone Alarm and have added my home network (range of IPs) to the trusted zone.  Is it possible you have a similar setup and your cocktail is somehow getting an IP assigned to it that is outside your trusted zone? 

[_Iz-]

Are you using simple file sharing? (All computers should have the same setting for this)

I personally turn simple filesharing off but you need to have passwords for all the accounts you're trying to access or windows will block them.

[SavannahLion]

I personally turn simple filesharing off but you need to have passwords for all the accounts you're trying to access or windows will block them.

Did someone figure out hw to disable SFS in any other version other than XP Pro? From what I recall, the work arounds and hacks I've seen only gives access to the Admin panel, but doesn't actually disable SFS.

[FrizzleFried]

Three thoughts next:

1. Run "msconfig" and make note of every line's status in both the 'services' and 'startup' tabs as to whether they're set to run or not. Then turn them all on and reboot and see if that fixes it. Make sure you note which ones were on/off so you can put them back the way they were. This is just an experiment to see if you've got something important turned off. If so we can start troubleshooting from there.

2. Reboot the cocktail in "safe mode with networking" mode, and see if you can ping it from your main computer then.

3. Is the main computer on DHCP as well, or static?  From both computers, run a CMD prompt and then do an "ipconfig /all" -- capture the results and post them here.

John,

Unless I absolutely have to,  I'd rather not "shotgun" enable all services.  I re-went through them and only a few are unchecked in MSCONFIG...and none have anything to do with networking,  unless messenger is "networking".

I did try to ping COCKTAIL when it was loaded in to savemode w/networking and got the same result.  I could not ping it from the office PC but I could ping the office PC from it.  It will also ping itself.

Attached is the IPCONFIG /all output from the COCKTAIL.  I can't do the OFFICE PC as I am using a MAC keyboard on it (I'm using 3 macs and a pc all from the same keyboard) and the PRTSCRN button is non-existent.   That said,  I compared the output to the COCKTAIL output and it's identical minus the NAME and the network adaptor type (one is a Nvidia the other is a RealTek I believe).  All addresses match save for the .103 vs .105.

[FrizzleFried]

Looking at my router settings... I notice that under DHCP Active IP Table only IP's .104 and .105 are appearing.  I THINK my wifes PC is .104,  but .103 the office PC isn't showing up there.  There is an option to delete and that is it.

Should I?

[_Iz-]

Do you have a switch or something else in there besides the router? I'm counting more computers than a standard router has ports...

[FrizzleFried]

I do think it's an 8 port router... I have 3 MAME cabs, the wifes PC,  the office PC, a Mac server and 2 mac clients.

[leapinlew]

I dunno frizz....

not being able to connect to the cocktail via \\IPAddress implies a firewall or service not running. When you use the IP address instead of the name, you bypass all the naming resolution services and your trying to connect 1 computer to the other computer.

You could look at the event logs on the cocktail. In the control panel, go into administrative tools, and double click event viewer. Check out the log files and see if you see anything in there that might provide a clue.

[saint]

Another thought - I have seen Realtek NICs do some funky things. Do you have another NIC you can put in the cocktail machine to try? Even if just as a test.

[Kevin Mullins]

Not that I have pinpointed the exact problem, but like I mentioned earlier that I have constant on and off again networking issues. Sometimes one pc or another just doesn't see eachother and vice versa. And after reading this thread again I played with mine half the friggin' day trying to find the cause, because the pc I'm on right now would not see the other pc's. I could surf the net, all network settings were dead on, yada, yada.
And just like his issue, the other pc's could see and access this one just fine.

Just now I unplugged the router power, let it set a second or two, plugged it back in..... linked right up with the other pc's just fine.

So maybe he needs to look at the router side of things. (just an idea)

BTW - I have a Linksys WRT54G router.

EDIT: Just noticed it took a reboot and a little time for everything to show up on each computer correctly. So there may be a time delay depending on if one of the PC's has been elected as the master browser server and it's waiting for basically a ping from each of the pc's type thing. (or something to that effect)

[SavannahLion]

BTW - I have a Linksys WRT54G router.

That's interesting... I had an unmodded one I switched from my modified Barricade when I moved. Basically when my Windows file sharing hell started.

[Kevin Mullins]

Well damn, there is still something a bit wonky like FrizzleFried situation going on with mine.
Because now one of the pc's that had been able to see this one all day long can't see it.
But now this one see's and can access all the others. (three others, four total)
No settings have been changed in between, just simple re-boots.

I do understand his frustration.   

[FrizzleFried]

Not that I have pinpointed the exact problem, but like I mentioned earlier that I have constant on and off again networking issues. Sometimes one pc or another just doesn't see eachother and vice versa. And after reading this thread again I played with mine half the friggin' day trying to find the cause, because the pc I'm on right now would not see the other pc's. I could surf the net, all network settings were dead on, yada, yada.
And just like his issue, the other pc's could see and access this one just fine.

Just now I unplugged the router power, let it set a second or two, plugged it back in..... linked right up with the other pc's just fine.

So maybe he needs to look at the router side of things. (just an idea)

BTW - I have a Linksys WRT54G router.

EDIT: Just noticed it took a reboot and a little time for everything to show up on each computer correctly. So there may be a time delay depending on if one of the PC's has been elected as the master browser server and it's waiting for basically a ping from each of the pc's type thing. (or something to that effect)

Hi Kevin, 

Thanks for the suggestion,  but it's a No-Go.  This problem has plagued me for over a year now... through many "recycles" of the power to the NIC... but for shits and giggles I did it again... no go.

[Kevin Mullins]

Yeah, I feel your pain.
I thought I was onto something, but after getting mine to connect and just leaving it set overnight I'm back to square one again as well.
The one I'm on now won't connect to the "network" but the others can see it just fine.
And that's all I did was leave them all running when I went to bed, no changes, no re-boots, nothing.

PIA 

They're all running XP Pro if that's any help.

[saint]

In addition to trying a different NIC, if you can try a crossover cable directly between the cocktail and the main machine. If it works with a crossover cable then you may have some sort of router issue, though I doubt it since communication works one way.  You try swapping the NIC yet?

[leapinlew]

In addition to trying a different NIC, if you can try a crossover cable directly between the cocktail and the main machine. If it works with a crossover cable then you may have some sort of router issue, though I doubt it since communication works one way.  You try swapping the NIC yet?

Thats a decent suggestion, as it removes the router from the equation. I wanted to add to it. If you do try a crossover, make sure to assign the machines a static IP address.