Laptop can access network computers, but network computers can't access laptop.

Question

I have a wireless router with cable modem connected to it. My original setup consisted of two desktops connected to the router by cable, and one desktop connected via a wireless card. My workgroup is called OFFICE. All three computers were working fine on my OFFICE network. They can all 'see' and access each other. Two are using Windows 98 and my main desktop uses Windows XP SP1.   I have added an Inspiron 8600 using Windows XP SP2. It has both a wireless adapter and a cable adapter (not sure of the terminology, but I can plug in a network cable from my laptop to the router, or connect with the wireless adapter...when I'm connected wireless, my router lists my laptop with a different IP address than when it is connected by cable, not sure if this is normal). I have configured the Inspiron to use the computer name 'Laptop' on the OFFICE workgroup.   The problem I'm having is that, regardless of whether I'm connected wireless or by cable to the network, I can access all of the other OFFICE workgroup computers (the three desktops) from my Inspiron 8600, but none of them can access the Inspiron 8600 (named Laptop).   If I look in View Workgroup Computers on my main desktop, all four computers are listed (desktop 1, desktop 2, desktop 3, and the laptop). If I try clicking on the Laptop name in the View Workgroup Computers list, I get the following message: \Laptop is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The network path was not found.   Any ideas what is happening?   Thanks in advance.   Murkatz

volcano11 · Answer

You need to configure any third party firewalls running on the laptop to allow local network traffic and you need to make sure that File and Printer Sharing is checked on the Exceptions tab of the Windows XP firewall.

Steve

jwatt · Answer

when I'm connected wireless, my router lists my laptop with a different IP address than when it is connected by cable, not sure if this is normal).

Murkatz,

Yes, that's normal. The MAC (Media Access Control) address of the wireless adapter is different from the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter, so the DHCP server will treat it as a different device.

Do the user accounts on the new 8600 match those on the SP1 machine? Is there anything logged in the Security Event Log on the SP2 system when the other machines can't connect to it? Is NetBIOS over TCP enabled on the SP2 machine? It sounds like you have the XP SP2 firewall set up to allow LAN file and printer sharing as an exception to the firewall rules. I suspect you'd not even see the laptop in the list of computers in the workgroup if that hadn't been done.

It's remotely possible that the other machines aren't picking up the IP address changes resulting from switching between the wireless and wired interfaces. You should be able to check out that possibility with "nbtstat" from the SP1 machine as follows:

Open a cmd.exe window (Start/Run cmd.exe). In the window that opens, type nbtstat -a laptop. Substitute the laptop's real name for laptop. That should return the list of NetBIOS names from the laptop. Note the MAC address listed for the laptop. Then, type arp -a. That will list the currently known MAC and IP addresses for other machines that have been contacted recently. One of them shoud be the laptop. Is it the IP address you were expecting? If "nbtstat" times out, can you "ping" the laptop ("ping laptop" from a cmd.exe window)?

Jim

murkatz · Answer

Thanks, Steve.

I was focusing on the firewall in XP SP2...disabling it and making sure the File and Sharing checkbox was enabled...I totally forgot about MacAfee running it's own firewall (it's a trial version and I have Norton on my desktops and have never used that product's firewall features).

I'm a bit embarrassed...thanks for your help.

Murkatz

jwatt · Answer

Murkatz, You're welcome! Two firewalls can indeed be a trial! :smileyvery-happy: Jim

murkatz · Answer

Thanks Jim,

I forgot that I had a trial version of MacAfee running a firewall. I've configured it so there is access now.

Thanks for your explanation on the MAC addresses, though. I really didn't know much about what that was whenever I accessed my router setup. All your info I'll be able to file away and use.

Again, thanks!

Cheers,

Murkatz

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Laptop can access network computers, but network computers can't access laptop.

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