Networking Issues

[Denholm]

Hello everyone,

Just a few months ago we began encountering some networking issues. First it started off with the occasional lockout from network shares, then one of the computers could no longer be found on the network, now none of the network shares can be accessed at any time. I really have no idea how this happened and what caused it. Here's my network configuration:

Internet -> Modem/Firewall -> Computers

Here's the list of networked computers:
Windows XP SP2 Home (x2)
Windows XP SP3 Professional
Linux Mint Gloria

My initial guess is that a service critical to networking was disabled or turned off. However, every service I can think of that has anything to do with local networking is enabled. My next guess was that permissions were changed preventing computers on the network from accessing shares. After using Windows' reset configuration for the registry and files, that theory was smashed. My last (and distant) guess is that some of my security policy settings on Windows XP Professional SP3 were set incorrectly. However, I'm not very certain about this because both our Windows XP Home SP2 computers can't see each other's shares and neither of those two computers have options for changing their security policies.

Before the network went offline, the configuration mentioned above worked flawlessly. I've tried basically everything from re-naming the workgroups to checking our modem's LAN settings and nothing has budged so far. Just to notify those of you who favor the idea of malicious software, I've used NOD32 v4, Spyware Doctor, Malwarebytes, and Spybot to confirm there is no malicious software on the Windows Systems. Any ideas on how to restore our network to the state of, "operational?"

[BaldEagl]

Can you see your shares using Map Network Drives?

[TilDeath]

I would assign each system an IP address (192.168.0.xxx or 192.168.1.xxx), if you happen to have two lan ports on one or all of the system you only need to assign one if you like.  Then in your router configuration first turn off DHCP,  apply the information need for your ISP (gateways etc).  If you have the option within your router to assign a DEVICE NAME and LOCAL DOMAIN NAME do so.  Limit the range of IPs available in your router for the number of systems and devices that need IP address, then make reservations for each system and or device.  Make sure that the systems are all in the same workgroup.  It also helps to have a user name and password common on each system (User name: USER Password: PASSWORD) this makes the shared directories accessible.  As stated above can you see the share if your map directly to the share ( \\MySystem\share1 ).  Just a few thoughts.

TD

[Denholm]

When attempting to use the "Map Network Drive" feature I'm still not able to locate network shares. I haven't tried disabling DHCP, mainly because of the possibility of losing Internet connectivity.

I failed to mention this earlier, I can see networked computers using the, "View Workgroup Computers" feature. However, when I try to open a networked computer other than the one I'm using to perform the operation, I receive the following error.

"\\(computer name) 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.

Access is denied."

The error is one of my reasons for believing an existing security policy might be causing the trouble. Yet after resetting the permissions I still encounter the same error.

[Auger]

Is every PC in the same workgroup?

Do all the PCs have Windows File and Print Sharing enabled in the Network Properties?

Can you ping each PC from each other PC?

Is there a software firewall on any of the PCs?

[Denholm]

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Some use Windows Firewall (enabled automatically for some reason, regardless of my disabling it via services.msc) while one of the systems use ESET Smart Security. None of these applications ever interfered with networking.

[Ghastly]

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Some use Windows Firewall (enabled automatically for some reason, regardless of my disabling it via services.msc) while one of the systems use ESET Smart Security. None of these applications ever interfered with networking.

So very very untrue. ESET Smart Security sometimes does - even with the firewall disabled.  I'm not saying that's your problem, but we have a corporate license for ESS, and after a couple of month's of hassling with it causing all sorts of inexplicable problems after we implemented (even when configured for minimal protection and even if disabled) we elected to downgrade all the systems to EAV.  This eliminated the networking problems.

If the system with ESET is being elected to be the Master Browser and then a portion of the traffic is being blocked, all kinds of oddities could happen.

<S>

[TilDeath]

Ahhh ESET are your sharing within Eset and the Network connections set properly.  To check, double click your ESET icon in the tray,  In the lower left corner is shows the display mode change to "Advanced Mode".  Once in advanced mode Click on the "Setup" icon on the left side. On the right the last entry will be "Enter entire advanced setup tree..." click this then scroll down to Personal Firewall, choose "rules and zones" then choose "setup" make sure the radio button "Allow sharing" is enabled.  Still in personal firewall choose IDS and advanced options.  Make sure that the "Allow file and printer sharing in the Trusted zone" is checked.  Once this is checked on each system, again make sure that all the systems are members of the same work group and that there is a user name and password common on each system.  Reboot all and see if you can map to a drive.

TD

[Denholm]

The only computer using ESS is my personal laptop. Even with the laptop removed from the network for days at a time the network shares remain inaccessible. Yes, sharing is enabled via ESS and because my laptop is rarely ever on our network I highly doubt it was marked as the Browse Master. Is there a particular way to enable authentication of users attempting to access Windows XP Home shares? Since XP home doesn't give you the option of altering the security policy, I never tried.

[TilDeath]

Maybe I missed it but is there a common user account with the same password on all the systems?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Have you tried if you can ping the individual computers? That's the first test you should do to figure out if they have any link together in network. If no ping then you can troubleshoot in right direction.

[Auger]

You really need to turn off all of the firewalls while you are trying to get this working.  Unplug from the Internet if turning the FW off makes you nervous.  It's not that you can't do file sharing with a FW on, but it makes it so much easier to troubleshoot.  If you can't even see shares on other PCs, it is most likely the firewall.

[1701E]

Typically when I can't get the computers to show each-other on the network there are a few things I check....(Using 2x XPs and a Vista):

-Check firewall: Is "Windows File and Printer sharing" checked as allowed.
-Check Adapter Priority settings: Is Ethernet/LAN set as 'First'.
-Check Protocols: Are all PCs up-to-date and using the same ones. (TCP/IPv6, etc.)
-Computer names: Are there any duplicate names (or IPs, annoying when that happens)
-File sharing: Is the 'File sharing' set as 'On' and on 'MSHOME' (or whatever name).
-Router: Are all PCs connected to the right Router (have 2) and showing as connected.

If it doesn't work after that for me I just give up and wait a few days and it randomly starts to work again.

[cattb]

Denholm when you get the problem solved can you post the answer please.

[Denholm]

Maybe I missed it but is there a common user account with the same password on all the systems?

No, not at this time. I'll see about doing that right now.

Have you tried if you can ping the individual computers? That's the first test you should do to figure out if they have any link together in network. If no ping then you can troubleshoot in right direction.

Yes, all responded in less than 5ms.

You really need to turn off all of the firewalls while you are trying to get this working.  Unplug from the Internet if turning the FW off makes you nervous.  It's not that you can't do file sharing with a FW on, but it makes it so much easier to troubleshoot.  If you can't even see shares on other PCs, it is most likely the firewall.

There's only one computer behind a software firewall, XP Pro SP3. It's rarely ever connected to the network. Windows firewall is the only other firewall available on the systems (except for Linux, naturally). However, it's disabled. Therefore there are no firewalls interfering.

Typically when I can't get the computers to show each-other on the network there are a few things I check....(Using 2x XPs and a Vista):

-Check firewall: Is "Windows File and Printer sharing" checked as allowed.
-Check Adapter Priority settings: Is Ethernet/LAN set as 'First'.
-Check Protocols: Are all PCs up-to-date and using the same ones. (TCP/IPv6, etc.)
-Computer names: Are there any duplicate names (or IPs, annoying when that happens)
-File sharing: Is the 'File sharing' set as 'On' and on 'MSHOME' (or whatever name).
-Router: Are all PCs connected to the right Router (have 2) and showing as connected.

If it doesn't work after that for me I just give up and wait a few days and it randomly starts to work again.

I'm going to look into that right now, some of those items I've already confirmed.

Denholm when you get the problem solved can you post the answer please.

I most certainly will!



EDIT:
For whatever reason, upon connecting a Vista/W7 Laptop to the network suddenly all the trouble-computers can access the Vista/W7's shares. However, the trouble-computers still fail to connect to each other.