Computers very flaky on Windows network

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 12:25:12 -0400, daytripper
<day_trippr RemoveThis @REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote:

>On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:20:53 -0600, Rich Strader <rstrader RemoveThis @hughes.net> wrote:
>
>>I've had a problem develop over the last few months. I have two XP
>>computers with GB cards, one Intel the other Realtec wired into a
>>Netgear hub. The client comp has slowly lost it ability to reach any
>>resources on the host, it can't see the shared printers or the shared
>>drives.
>>
>>I'm on Direcway satellite and the client can use the internet and
>>email with no problems.
>>
>>Both machines have static addresses and are listed in the host file.
>>I've tried netBui to no avail. I'm wondering if it could be the hub as
>>other computers are unable to see any resources on the host.
>>
>>Most likely it's Windows, but damned if I can figure out how to fix
>>the problem. It's getting to be a PIA to have to email everything that
>>has to be printed.
>>
>>Help!
>>
>>Rich
>
>Can either computer reach the internet - or just one of them?

Both can reach the internet.
>
>You call the netgear device a "hub" - is it actually a "router"?

It's a 10/100 Mb Netgear hub

>Have you tried resetting the netgear box yet?

Yes, resets don't help.
>
>Do an 'ipconfig/all' on each machine and compare the output. Do both machines'
>ip addresses actually appear correct? Are the netmasks correct? Do the gateway
>addresses match that of the router?

All appears good. The hub doesn't have an address

>Then try pinging each system by ip address? Do they respond? If not, are you
>sure you don't have a firewall application that has to be told to allow the
>other node to connect?
>
Pings work going both ways.

>Otoh, if the systems respond to pings by address, then try using their names.

They respond by name as well.

>If that doesn't work, recheck your lmhosts files, that you've enabled netbios
>over tcpip on the correct adapter(s) and enabled using the lmhosts file as
>well.

Check.

>If all that checks out - you can ping each system by name - the rest of your
>problems are likely related to user credentials...

These have not ever changed. I'm Stumped. I have a crossover cable
ordered. I'll connect the two computers together directly and see if
it's the hub or not. That's all I can figure out to try.

Thanks for the help.
 >> Stay informed about: Computers very flaky on Windows network 

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 11:30:05 -0600, Wolfie <rstrader.DeleteThis@hughes.net> wrote:

>On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 12:25:12 -0400, daytripper
><day_trippr.DeleteThis@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:20:53 -0600, Rich Strader <rstrader.DeleteThis@hughes.net> wrote:
>>
>>>I've had a problem develop over the last few months. I have two XP
>>>computers with GB cards, one Intel the other Realtec wired into a
>>>Netgear hub. The client comp has slowly lost it ability to reach any
>>>resources on the host, it can't see the shared printers or the shared
>>>drives.
>>>
>>>I'm on Direcway satellite and the client can use the internet and
>>>email with no problems.
>>>
>>>Both machines have static addresses and are listed in the host file.
>>>I've tried netBui to no avail. I'm wondering if it could be the hub as
>>>other computers are unable to see any resources on the host.
>>>
>>>Most likely it's Windows, but damned if I can figure out how to fix
>>>the problem. It's getting to be a PIA to have to email everything that
>>>has to be printed.
>>>
>>>Help!
>>>
>>>Rich
>>
>>Can either computer reach the internet - or just one of them?
>
>Both can reach the internet.
>>
>>You call the netgear device a "hub" - is it actually a "router"?
>
>It's a 10/100 Mb Netgear hub
>
>>Have you tried resetting the netgear box yet?
>
>Yes, resets don't help.
>>
>>Do an 'ipconfig/all' on each machine and compare the output. Do both machines'
>>ip addresses actually appear correct? Are the netmasks correct? Do the gateway
>>addresses match that of the router?
>
>All appears good. The hub doesn't have an address
>
>>Then try pinging each system by ip address? Do they respond? If not, are you
>>sure you don't have a firewall application that has to be told to allow the
>>other node to connect?
>>
>Pings work going both ways.
>
>>Otoh, if the systems respond to pings by address, then try using their names.
>
>They respond by name as well.
>
>>If that doesn't work, recheck your lmhosts files, that you've enabled netbios
>>over tcpip on the correct adapter(s) and enabled using the lmhosts file as
>>well.
>
>Check.
>
>>If all that checks out - you can ping each system by name - the rest of your
>>problems are likely related to user credentials...
>
>These have not ever changed. I'm Stumped. I have a crossover cable
>ordered. I'll connect the two computers together directly and see if
>it's the hub or not. That's all I can figure out to try.
>
>Thanks for the help.

Ok, take a deep breath, before you throw time and money in the wrong
direction. With few exceptions, if you can ping each machine from the other,
your electrical connectivity is fine.

Back to the ipconfig results: what node is acting as the gateway device for
these systems to get to the satellite modem? And can both systems access the
internet via the satellite modem simultaneously?

I guess I should have asked: how do you know there is a problem? Be specific
on what you have tried.

Do you log into these systems with a username and password? Do you have
matching credentials on both systems (sure makes sharing easier)? Are you
certain you have valid shares on at least one of the systems with the group in
which your login account appears allowed to access the share?

Do you have the browser service enabled on both systems?
 >> Stay informed about: Computers very flaky on Windows network 

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 18:10:18 -0400, daytripper
<day_trippr RemoveThis @REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 11:30:05 -0600, Wolfie <rstrader RemoveThis @hughes.net> wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 12:25:12 -0400, daytripper
>><day_trippr RemoveThis @REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:20:53 -0600, Rich Strader <rstrader RemoveThis @hughes.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I've had a problem develop over the last few months. I have two XP
>>>>computers with GB cards, one Intel the other Realtec wired into a
>>>>Netgear hub. The client comp has slowly lost it ability to reach any
>>>>resources on the host, it can't see the shared printers or the shared
>>>>drives.
>>>>
>>>>I'm on Direcway satellite and the client can use the internet and
>>>>email with no problems.
>>>>
>>>>Both machines have static addresses and are listed in the host file.
>>>>I've tried netBui to no avail. I'm wondering if it could be the hub as
>>>>other computers are unable to see any resources on the host.
>>>>
>>>>Most likely it's Windows, but damned if I can figure out how to fix
>>>>the problem. It's getting to be a PIA to have to email everything that
>>>>has to be printed.
>>>>
>>>>Help!
>>>>
>>>>Rich
>>>
>>>Can either computer reach the internet - or just one of them?
>>
>>Both can reach the internet.
>>>
>>>You call the netgear device a "hub" - is it actually a "router"?
>>
>>It's a 10/100 Mb Netgear hub
>>
>>>Have you tried resetting the netgear box yet?
>>
>>Yes, resets don't help.
>>>
>>>Do an 'ipconfig/all' on each machine and compare the output. Do both machines'
>>>ip addresses actually appear correct? Are the netmasks correct? Do the gateway
>>>addresses match that of the router?
>>
>>All appears good. The hub doesn't have an address
>>
>>>Then try pinging each system by ip address? Do they respond? If not, are you
>>>sure you don't have a firewall application that has to be told to allow the
>>>other node to connect?
>>>
>>Pings work going both ways.
>>
>>>Otoh, if the systems respond to pings by address, then try using their names.
>>
>>They respond by name as well.
>>
>>>If that doesn't work, recheck your lmhosts files, that you've enabled netbios
>>>over tcpip on the correct adapter(s) and enabled using the lmhosts file as
>>>well.
>>
>>Check.
>>
>>>If all that checks out - you can ping each system by name - the rest of your
>>>problems are likely related to user credentials...
>>
>>These have not ever changed. I'm Stumped. I have a crossover cable
>>ordered. I'll connect the two computers together directly and see if
>>it's the hub or not. That's all I can figure out to try.
>>
>>Thanks for the help.
>
>Ok, take a deep breath, before you throw time and money in the wrong
>direction. With few exceptions, if you can ping each machine from the other,
>your electrical connectivity is fine.

I CAN ping in both directions.

>Back to the ipconfig results: what node is acting as the gateway device for
>these systems to get to the satellite modem? And can both systems access the
>internet via the satellite modem simultaneously?

The node type is listed as unknown in IPCONFIG.

The satellite modem is connected through a USB port on the host
machine and acts as the gateway to the internet. Both machines can
access the internet at the same time.

>I guess I should have asked: how do you know there is a problem? Be specific
>on what you have tried.

In the past the client could access the hosts resources. I have two
external harddrives that are shared and two printers that are shared.
These have become unavailable over the past two months. Early on the
printer would connect and print, later it became intermittent and now
printing is impossible from the client. What is perhaps telling, is
that on the host machine, if you go into the workgroup and try to
access the shared harddrives (which are on the host) it says I don't
have permission!? I have no permissions set on these drives.

>Do you log into these systems with a username and password?
Client only.

Do you have
>matching credentials on both systems (sure makes sharing easier)?

OK, no you've lost me.
Are you
>certain you have valid shares on at least one of the systems with the group in
>which your login account appears allowed to access the share?

I have valid shares on the host and the client. I can access the
shared pictures on the client from the host, but-t-t the thumbnails
come up ver-r-ry slowly (several seconds) and if you double click for
a preview it can take a couple of minutes to display. However when it
does load the bandwidth consumed is normal (8Mb or so).
>
>Do you have the browser service enabled on both systems?

Sorry, you've lost me again. I'm not a network genius. I know hardware
but am shakey in networking.

Thanks again,
Wolfie (Rich)
 >> Stay informed about: Computers very flaky on Windows network