Wireless Network

[hkspike]

I am having a few problems setting up my Linksys home wireless network. Just installed a Linksys WRT54G router but cannot get the local network to set up. What have I missed? The wireless router does not appear in Network Connections; is this correct? http://www.andytracy.net/network2.jpg 1394 FireWire is built into the mobo and (as far as I know) has nothing to do with either the Internet or wireless network, just there for my camcorder. The network wizard cannot complete a set up; below is one of the final screens. My laptop can "see" the wireless network and connect to the Internet but not to this PC. The set up wizard does not work as it tries to use 1394 as the connection to the network. The final screen says that an error has occured and the network has not been set up. I thought that this would be the easy bit compared to convulted router set up. Thanks, AndyEDIT: Andy: I changed the first image to a URL because it is wider than the 480 max width for images in posts and creates a situation where folks need to scroll left to right to read posts. You may either leave it as is or resize and repost the image. Thanks.

Edited December 29, 2003 by LilBambi

[Peachy]

Andy,Do you have a wireless NIC installed? I don't see it in that screen shot. Or are you trying to use the router function of the wireless router? Yes, you are correct, you won't see the wireless router as an object in your Network Connections folder, UNLESS, you enable UPnP. If you have UPnP enabled it should have detected the Linksys. Can you ping the Linksys' IP address?

[Ed_P]

Somehow you need to connect your pc to the router. That can occur via a cable connecting your pc directly to the router, or a wireless NIC connected to your pc via a USB port, or a wireless NIC installed inside your pc. Which do you have?

[hkspike]

Thanks for your thoughts and a lesson in how to set up a home network. No, I do not have a wireless NIC installed on this PC. I thought - perhaps wrongly - that the Linksys WRT54G would provide the wireless function and allow this PC to "talk" to others around the house. Currently the broadband cable comes out of the broadband modem into the WRT54G, out of that into the LAN port on this PC. Hence I can reach this page on the Internet. My laptop, which can "see" the wireless connection to the Internet, can also browse the Internet but not see this PC. So this PC can at least talk through the WRT54G router to the Internet.My plan and understanding were that I could use the router to set up a home wireless network; this PC being wired, the rest being wireless.I recall seeing UPnP in the set-up and recall it as being disabled - could be an avenue to explore?I haven't tried to ping the router but the set up used the address http://192.168.1.1 and I had no trouble reaching that address.I trust that gives you guys a few more ideas with which to point me in the right direction?Thanks, Andy

[nlinecomputers]

It sounds like your connected correctly. But I'm not sure that I follow what you want or are able to do. Both PCs can see the internet and browse websites? If so then they are both networked they just need to be setup for proper rights and permissions. You need the same workgroup name on both and you have to have the same user name on both computers. IE if you have a user named BOB on the laptop you have to have a user named BOB on the desktop as well.

[hkspike]

I'd like to be able to move files electronically from PC to PC and allow my daughter to print homework on the printer attached to this PC rather than on the printer attached to her PC. If both/all PCs have to have the same user name, that could be an issue - why is that required? Yes, all PCs have the same workgroup name. As for the "proper rights and permissions", I guess that's where most PC set-up issues usually come unstuck! Me too.Thanks for your thoughts.Andy

[siebkens]

Andy,Sorry to jump in here, but I think that you & Nathan have different ideas of user names. Nathan (I believe) is talking about the users of the computer, while you are talking about the name of your computer on the network. You are right that you don't want your computers to have the same name on the network.Nathan - we need you! :'(

[nlinecomputers]

Let me clarify. You don't need to have the same SINGLE user name but any user on a computer, Running Windows NT, 2000, or XP must be setup on all the computers that you want that user to access.For example say you have a 3 computer office that has files and printers connected to the front desk. You have three users Sam, Bob, And Tom. Sam's computer is the Front desk so he logs in as Sam. Front desk will need a Bob user and a Tom user in order for either of them to use the files and printers on their front desk. But Bob and Tom both have files they keep private so they don't create users for any one else but themselves on their computers.In your home setup just create users of the same names on both machines. When you share a printer or a directory you give rights to the users.

[Ed_P]

any user on a computer, Running Windows NT, 2000, or XP must be setup on all the computers that you want that user to access.

Well that isn't true on my network. My daughter and I both run Win XP Home, we both auto bootup to our user ids, ie no signon screen. Her Id is Michelle, mine is Dad. I have access to her Shared Docs folder and she has access to mine. We also both have access to my son's Win 98 shared folder and he has access to ours. He is the only signon on his machine also.

[hkspike]

Ed, as a network pygmy, that's what I thought. However, I must have missed something - I just need you guys to correct the error of my ways. Or tell me that I need more hardware. Or something. I'll even wrap the answer for Xmas!Andy

[Ed_P]

hkspike, from what you've described, you don't need any more hardware. Nor do I think you need more software. You probably just need some settings changed.You're running XP, is your daughter's pc also? Regardless can she see your Shared Documents folder from her pc? Are you running a firewall? When she tries to connect to you does it allow her to connect?BTW Can you shrink or crop that 1st image? I have to keep scrolling left and right to view this thread.PS Check out the links given by yellowpike and JackR in the Desktop can talk to laptop thread.

[hkspike]

Ed/GuysI haven't given up on your help; just been out of town for a few days. Thanks for the links; I'll get to them tonight.Resized the image: better now, I think!My daughter's PC is not yet connected to anything! Thought I'd figure this out with my laptop first. Yes, my laptop sees the wireless network and connects to the Internet. No, my laptop cannot see this PC that is physically connected to the wireless router.The wireless router firewall is enabled. Norton Internet Securities firewall is enabled.Andy

[nlinecomputers]

any user on a computer, Running Windows NT, 2000, or XP must be setup on all the computers that you want that user to access.

Well that isn't true on my network. My daughter and I both run Win XP Home, we both auto bootup to our user ids, ie no signon screen. Her Id is Michelle, mine is Dad. I have access to her Shared Docs folder and she has access to mine. We also both have access to my son's Win 98 shared folder and he has access to ours. He is the only signon on his machine also.

Ed that means that your guest account is enabled. That why that is working the way it does for you. Enabling the guest account is a security risk but the Windows XP Wizard's will enable it by default.

[hkspike]

NathanTime out; sort Ed out later!If I want to set up a home network, there must be a moment in time when only ONE computer is told to set up a network, simply because I cannot work on both PCs at the same time. At that moment it cannot matter if there is another PC connected physically or by wireless so the names cannot matter. I'm back at that moment.If this MS wizard is - well - wizard, surely it should advise me of my system failings as I go? At the first pass, all it has to do is set up a network and say that this PC may be connected, wirelessly, to other PCs in the future. That may be in 1 minute or after Xmas.I can't do that first bit. I have a PC that happily talked to the web via a broadband modem last week. I connected a wireless router. The PC still connects to the web. My laptop "sees" the wireless network and connects to the web. The laptop is happy to create a network. This PC is not. Neither computer sees each other.Millions have done it before me. I've missed something stupid and simple but I don't know what.I tried a bridge between the LAC and 1394 and the wizard broke it.When I get it, it will be sooooooooooo obvious - but I'm not there yet!Merry Christmas, Guys!!And thanks,Andy

[nlinecomputers]

NathanTime out; sort Ed out later!If I want to set up a home network, there must be a moment in time when only ONE computer is told to set up a network, simply because I cannot work on both PCs at the same time.  At that moment it cannot matter if there is another PC connected physically or by wireless so the names cannot matter.  I'm back at that moment.If this MS wizard is - well - wizard, surely it should advise me of my system failings as I go?  At the first pass, all it has to do is set up a network and say that this PC may be connected, wirelessly, to other PCs in the future.  That may be in 1 minute or after Xmas.I can't do that first bit.  I have a PC that happily talked to the web via a broadband modem last week.  I connected a wireless router.  The PC still connects to the web.  My laptop "sees" the wireless network and connects to the web.  The laptop is happy to create a network.  This PC is not.  Neither computer sees each other.Millions have done it before me.  I've missed something stupid and simple but I don't know what.I tried a bridge between the LAC and 1394 and the wizard broke it.When I get it, it will be sooooooooooo obvious - but I'm not there yet!Merry Christmas, Guys!!And thanks,Andy

Andy,Your not going to be able to use the wizard with your wireless card. For what ever reason the XP wizard(which sucks btw) isn't going to see it. You can set this up manually and be just fine..1. Set the workgroup to the same name. MSHOME or WORKGROUP are fine.2. Create the same list of users on both machines with the same passwords. I.E. both machines need a BOB, SAM, and TOM or whatever.3. On the computer that you want to share file and printers you must SET sharing on. To share all of Drive C for example you would right click on Drive C. Click on Sharing. Click on the warning note, Click on the checkbox "Share this folder on the Network" Give the folder a name. And click on "allow users to create and change files"Sharing a printer is similar.That is it!

[jimupnord]

Do you think the protocols bound to file and printer sharing on the network adapter could have something to do with the problem?I ended up having to use IPX/SPX to share over wireless. (Win98 wired <=> XP Home wireless)NetBUI didn't work over wireless for me. I don't think I have TCP/IP bound to file and printer sharing on the Win98 end.Jim

[JackR]

May be this can Help.Log to the following page.You will find info. and links to setup and sharing instructions.Link to: Installing & Sharing Windows Networks.Link to: Wireless - Basic Configuration..

[Peachy]

One thing you might want to try is to disable Simple File Sharing. Go into Windows Explorer -> Tools -> Folder Options. Select the View tab and then scroll to the bottom and uncheck it. This will force you to supply a username/password for any network shares you try to access. Again, you might want to try the Map Network Drive tool in Windows Explorer to access the share. Also, try the ping of the other machine to make sure TCP/IP is working. Make sure File sharing is enabled in the networking properties of your LAN card.Taking a look at your screenshot again, I see the wired NIC listed as LAN Connection 3. Check Device Manager to see that the drivers for your NIC are loaded properly and that the appropriate protocols are loaded.You should also do a ipconfig /all from the command line to list your TCP/IP settings. Maybe post them here. Redirect the output to a file and copy that here.

ipconfig /all > network.txt

. Open network.txt in Notepad and cut and paste the output. The other thing to do is to list your routing table with the

route print

command from the command line.

[hkspike]

Just tried disabling all PC based firewalls and - hey presto - all is revealed! So all I now need to do is understand how to configure Norton's and XP's firewall to allow this network's addresses through. Seem to recall seeing Norton had a few options but don't recall seeing any configurability for XP's. Any ideas.Happy 2004 if I'm not back by then!Andy

[JackR]

The WinXP is a useless better than nothing Firewall (there is nothing to configure in it) Switch it Off and forget about it.In Norton go to Personal Firewall click on Internet Zone Control choose the Trusted Tab and define a range of address that include all you LAN internal IPs.

[Ed_P]

how to configure Norton's and XP's firewall

Run one or the other, not both. The XP firewall is perfect for the majority of Windows pc users with single pcs connected directly to the 'net. Since you have the Norton firewall I would recommend it for your situation.

[JackR]

[quote name='EdP' date='Dec 29 2003, 12:37 AM']Run one or the other, not both.  The XP firewall is perfect for the majority of Windows pc users with single pcs connected directly to the 'net.  Since you have the Norton firewall I would recommend it for your situation.[/quote][b]This is grossly over reaching statement.[/b]Unfortunately WinXP internal Firewall (ICF) is a "Basic Firewall" [b]It is a one way Firewall. It blocks only Incoming. [/b]Communication initiated from your computer will go out to the Internet, and will be answered. [b] As a result programs calling home, spywares, “zombies” etc. can communicate freely in lieu of ICF. [/b] If you use ICF you will not be aware of these activities unless you monitor the communication locally with traffic monitoring capable softwareWhen you are connected to a Website or downloading files, a lot of junk can get to your Hard Drive. Since you requested the pages for the site ICF will not block what comes in from this page. If the “Site Keeper” loaded the page with “Junk” it will get to your computer.[b]So you have ICF On but you can end up with Viruses, Zombies, Trojan etc. "Dished" to you by sites that you visited on your own volition.[/b]If using fund is an issue there are decent Firewall program that are Free.

[Ed_P]

This is grossly over reaching statement.

hmmmmmm so you think a better firewall might be ZoneAlarm? Well I agree ZA is a better firewall than the XP default but it is not for the typical Windows user. With ZA installed they find the constant prompts annoying as they reply Yes to everything or they are constantly on the phone calling and complaining that they can't reach sites they need, which of course is because ZA is blocking them.I'll stand by my statement.

[JackR]

I'll stand by my statement.  

Yeah God forbid that people will learn something newLeaving them in ignorance make us "Geeks" look better.

[Ed_P]

I'll stand by my statement.

Yeah God forbid that people will learn something newLeaving them in ignorance make us "Geeks" look better.

Ever been to a house with a 42" plasma tv, speakers the size of small cars, every electronic gadget made and see the VCR flashing 12:00? I have a relative who's an electronic engineer and who can't program his VCR, granted it is an older model. Many people want to surf the web the same way they channel surf and that's the direction PCs are going but they aren't there yet. "Leaving them in ignorance make us "Geeks" look better. " Kinda like car mechanics. BTW I run ZA on all the pcs here. I like it and can quickly respond to any questions the kids have with it.