home networking help, please

[ddavtian]

Hi guys.

I need your help to get my computers connected. I don't know much about the networking, so I'll try to expain things as I see.

I have wifi at home (netgear router), two laptops (A and B) and an ipaq 3955 (with smc cf card).

All three computers can browse the web, no problem here. But my main laptop (A) doesn't see any other computer and others don't see it.

I have Win2K on both laptops. "A" is my personal one. Under "System Properties" it shows as a part of worgroup. IP address: 192.168.0.2
The other laptop is from my company, part of "company" domain. IP address: 192.168.0.3.

My ipaq gets 192.168.0.4 and is able to connect to the second laptop, but not the first one. I just need the opposite :| When I ping from ipat to the laptop I get: transit failed, error code 11010. The same error happens when I use the laptop name.

The laptop A can ping the ipaq (both by name and ip).

Also, laptops A and B don't "see" each other. I can ping using the ip address, but they just don't show up in the explorer (uncer computers near me).

Is this related to domains and workgroups?
I don't know what to do and any advise is welcome.

And I'm able to sync with the laptop A wirelessly, no problem here. Only thing I need, is to be able to browse this laptop from the ipaq, to play music files.
Thanks,
David

[dhettel]

Interesting error I have never seen that error before. What are you using to ping your Laptop A?

If you go into the Network TcpIp properties for laptop A, do you have NetBIOS enabled?

Do all laptops have the same SubnetMask? 255.255.255.0?

David

[ddavtian]

David, on laptop A I see "Use NetBIOS setting from the DHCP server", under "Advanced TCP/IP Settings"/WINS.

Other two options are Enable NetBios over TCP/IP and Disable NetBios.

Both laptops have the same settings here. Difference is under "WINS addresses". My office laptop has two addresses listed, personal one is empty.

To ping from ipaq I use PocketCMD. When I ping from ipaq: "ping boxA" it shows:
Pinging Host boxA [192.168.0.2]
PING: transit failed, error code 11010

Using Resco explorer, I go to Networks and it sees only the second laptop under "computers near me".

And both laptops show the same subnet mask: 255.255.255.0.

Thanks for your time.
David

[dhettel]

I would suggest that you change Notebook A to enable NetBIOS, and then download and install this free program "vxUtil" from www.cam.com. It will take a bit for the enable NetBIOS to work, then see if you can ping Notebook A by name with the vxUtil.

Look at the IP address it returns for Notebook A is it the correct one? If notebook A has more than one IP address is it the one that connects to the router (192.168.0.2)

If notebook A will ping with the correct address, you should be able to sync.

David

[ddavtian]

David, I did as you said. The same result. "ping boxA" on ipaq gives back "pinging boxA (192.168.0.2)" and then the same error message. This is the right ip address. So I`m able to connect to boxB without any problems from ipaq, sync wirelessly with boxA, but ipaq doesn`t see boxA. As I said earlier, boxes A and B can ping each other but they don`t "see" each other from the windows explorer.

Thanks for your help.

[Oliver Mitchell]

i think your problem is that the "computers near me" function only shows the computers in your workgroup so to remedy this, when you click that, click the up folder button and you should either see an icon called Microsoft windows network or you'll see the seperate workgroups on your network if you see the former open it and you'll see the latter, then you can open an browse these workgroups

[ddavtian]

Even when I go to My Network Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network, I can only see Workgroup listed there. And only my boxA is in this group.

I just got used to not having these pieces connected :? May be next time, with next computers I'll be lucky.
Thanks for your help, guys.

[Bladefree21]

Hints:

If you are seeking to browse computers from one to the other, or from your PPC (via Resco Explorer) ...

Being that your computers are running a proffesional OS, it is essntial that you have these settings :

1. Computers must have identical Profile (usernames and passwords). You don't nessasarily have to log in with the same profile on both computers. Though you do need to use the profile that is on both computers when loging in to view files on the other computer though the network. If your work computer is part of a domain there would be some additional configuration.

(Not Esstential, but Useful)
1. NetBeui is a great simple speedy proticol for under 10 computers if you are having trouble viewing the other computer.

2. Having same workgroup (since you are running Pier to Pier) makes it much simpler.

? Are those IP's dynamic?

This was typed from my PPC, I wonder how it will turn out!