[RESOLVED] Home Network with XP Pro Problem

[davidgsmith]

Hi Everyone,
In my office we have 3 computers set up in a simple home network, for the purpose of sharing 1 printer and two of us working on the same spreadsheet during the day.
Here's the problem if you even want to call it that.....
At the end of the day my two co-workers are to save a copy of the spread sheet that they are working on, onto my computer as a daily backup. Now when they go to the Save As dialogue box and then click on My Network Places, sometimes my computer will appear and sometimes it will not. It could be in the morning they can see it and in the afternoon it is gone or vice versa. Same on my computer, if I want to save something or look at something on one of their computers, most of the time I can see both of theirs, but sometimes they are not there in My Network Places. Just yesterday this happened, that I could not see their computers, but today they were both there... And sometimes I can only see one of them.

In the meantime while this is going on, All 3 can use the printer just fine, and the one [shared] sheet that me and another guy both work on, our entries are shared perfectly across the network throughout the day.

So why do we not always see each other in My Network Places? If I rerun the Home Network Wizard they will come back, but maybe within a day or two they are gone, like I said maybe for that day but back the next.
I have made a work around for the document saving problem by putting an icon of the folder from my computer on the other two desktops and they can drop their sheet into there from their My Computer window.

Anyone know why the other computers are not always seen in My Network Places? Is this a known problem of XP?

BTW we are linked up with cables through NIC cards into a Linksys junction box, I said junction box because for right now I can't remember what to call it, but it's not a router, just a simple home network box. And no internet connection.
Thanks as always,
Dave

[Midknyte]

BTW we are linked up with cables through NIC cards into a Linksys junction box

If it's not a router, then it's either a hub or a switch. In either case, there is nothing to provide IP addresses ala DHCP. Your systems would rely on APIPA for IP addressing, which isn't very reliable.

If you just have a small network, it would probably be easier to use NetBEUI instead. Otherwise you can try setting static IPs, but NetBEUI would be easier for a network newb.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q301041

And no internet connection.

I just gotta ask, why no internet at work?

[SuperSparks]

I would definitely advise investing in a router, there are many advantages, and it might well sort this out, as MK suggests. It does have to be said though, that XP networking can be pretty flaky at times, and I have experienced the disappearing computer syndrome myself in the past, on a LAN with a router

[Train]

Usually a reboot is all that is needed to get the others back when they disappear.

[davidgsmith]

Thanks Everyone,

It does have to be said though, that XP networking can be pretty flaky at times, and I have experienced the disappearing computer syndrome myself in the past, on a LAN with a router

Glad to hear that this is a known issue. Yes rebooting will fix it most times.
We don't need any special equipment more than what we have now. This is a very very very small operation with three guys crammed into a 8x16 or so office.
The work we do is nothing much, it could be done on a DOS or a WIN 3.11 network using Lotus 123 v2.4 if I had the old hardware. :-)
Like I said I have made a workaround solution if needed. For us it is no big deal, but I was just wondering....
Thanks gang,
You're the best !!! :0)

P.S. No internet connection because it is not permitted by the administration and besides we're supposed to be working not browsing LOL

[Midknyte]

It has more to do with the way you set up the network, rather than XP itself. Since you don't have a DHCP/DNS server to assign addresses, APIPA uses self-assigned IPs with 169.254.x.x addresses. These addresses can change, thus you break name resolution. NetBEUI goes by the NetBIOS name, which doesn't change.

[davidgsmith]

Thnaks for the info Midknyte,
I'll take it under advisement.
Dave

[davidgsmith]

Mr. Midknyte,
After consideration, if there was some way to provide me with step by step instructions of doing what you suggest, I am willing to give it a shot.
Thanks,
Dave

[Midknyte]

Did you miss the link I posted?
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q301041

[davidgsmith]

Oops ! Sorry ! yes I did

I have read the instructions, and it looks like I can do that.
I am off work today, but I work Saturdays, and it is a slow day, so I will have time to attempt this...
Now... is this all that needs to be done?
Dave

[Midknyte]

Yes. Like I said, NetBEUI is based on the NetBIOS name aka the system name. It is a broadcast protocol, so it doesn't need a centralized name server.

[davidgsmith]

Well as I said, I went to work last Saturday, and installed Netbui on all 3 of the computers. Rebooted everything and looking inside My Network Places on all 3, we could see each other just fine. I did not reply here right away, because I wanted to give it some time, and I was going on vacation.
Sometime last week, I stopped in the office and took a look inside My Network Places on the computer I use. Alas, I could see one computer and not the other. I went home dejected.

Well today I came to work after a nice week vacation, and looked into My Network Places on my computer and all shared folders on all 3 computers appeared. YEAH! but my joy was quickly dashed as all the icons just disappeared ! POOF !

I looked on one other computer and in that My Network Places just 2 folders from my computer could be seen

So in conclusion.... as Supersparks noted above, this just happens, no matter what the protocol or equipment. It's just ..... I know some of you will find this hard to believe.... a Windows glitch! Windows doesn't have glitches? Does it? LOL

I'll just use the work-around I posted above and all is well here in office-land


Thanks everyone,
Dave

[SuperSparks]

I've had some real hair-pullers with XP when it comes to networking, and ion fact the only XP computer still on our LAN has refused to be seen by any other PC for the last 3 years The good news is, that when you do eventually move to Win 7 (or even Vista), all these problems seem to have been fixed and networking is a breeze.

[davidgsmith]

Thanks Supersparks
I work for The Salvation Army. I expect in the next few months we will start getting computers with Vista being donated, and then we can upgrade the office.
Thanks,
Dave
P.S. I'd say technically this thread has been RESOLVED !

[SuperSparks]

You can mark your own thread Resolved under "Thread Tools" at the top. I've done it for you