A little networking trouble.

[biff]

OK here's what I have:

"Main" PC running windos7 64bit hard wired to router
"HTPC" PC running Vista 32bit hard wired to router
"Netbook" laptop running WinXP wireless networking

I'm trying to fileshare from the HTPC to the Netbook and am having some issues or well one issue - it doesn't work. I've done all the usual stuff setting up shares, set workgroup name the same etc.. Now, the Main PC and HTPC can see the Netbook no problem and transfer files fine but the Netbook can't see either of the other computers. When I try to 'explore' the workgroup I get the "workgroup is not accessible. you might not have permission to use this network resource" error. From the netbook I can ping the other computers with no problem and I can also find them searching for "files and computers" and typing the name of the computer I'm looking for I just can't do anything beyond that.

So I'm almost there! I'm hoping it's just a little something I missed. Any help would be appreciated.

[misterd]

Do they have the same user account on all machines? I find that makes things easier. Can you access them by doing \\aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd\C$ to get on to the admin share?

[biff]

Originally Posted by misterd

Do they have the same user account on all machines? I find that makes things easier. Can you access them by doing \\aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd\C$ to get on to the admin share?

No I don't think they do have the same user account on all machines. For the later part of your post, you're suggesting I type \\ip address\C$ in the command prompt on the netbook to see if I can access the drives of the main pc and htpc that way? Never seen that before - I'll have to do some reading. If it works where do I go from there? and what if it doesn't?

Thanks.

[edit]NM I figured out where I'm supposed to type that[/edit]

[misterd]

Originally Posted by biff

No I don't think they do have the same user account on all machines. For the later part of your post, you're suggesting I type \\ip address\C$ in the command prompt on the netbook to see if I can access the drives of the main pc and htpc that way? Never seen that before - I'll have to do some reading. If it works where do I go from there? and what if it doesn't?

Thanks.

Yes i meant the ip address. too many ways to illustrate it. Do it from the run menu, doesn't even need to be a cmd prompt. If it works, it could just be a user accounts issue.

[Perineum]

It'll be a permissions issue.... seems to be on the Vista/Win 7 stuff I've done

[biff]

Alright I'll give it a go but just trying it here in the office where file sharing works fine, that command brings up an error "The Specified network name is no longer available.".

[Perineum]

Originally Posted by biff

OK here's what I have:

"Main" PC running windos7 64bit hard wired to router
"HTPC" PC running Vista 32bit hard wired to router
"Netbook" laptop running WinXP wireless networking

....

So I'm almost there! I'm hoping it's just a little something I missed. Any help would be appreciated.

You have to use a combination of the "share" tab, and the "advanced share" tab that you find when you right click on a folder and select "properties".

I forget exactly how I do it but you need to add "everyone" to the permissions list, and make sure they have at least read ability.

It looks like MS decided to make sharing "easy" and.... of course, made it more difficult.

When I set up the share using the "share" tab and allow "everyone" access to it but then go to "advanced share" it doesn't reflect the settings I changed on "share".

So whatever.

If I gave you enough to figure it out, cool... if not then I'll try my luck again. I've only done it like 15 times, it's just really not intuitive anymore.

[DukeN]

Make sure your Windows Firewall (or 3rd party firewall software) is also turned off.
Could also be a DNS thing, you can try to browse to your shares by typing \\<IP Address> instead of <<ComputerName>>

Good luck.

[Perineum]

My firewall was on and no problems.

Also, lowering it because he's on wireless is not a good idea.

[Nodscene]

The only real issue I've had with sharing and Win7/Vista is when trying to share the root of a drive. Just won't let me do it. But when I add a folder and share that it took care of the problem. It doesn't sound like that's your issue though. Sometimes when sharing a folder or changing permissions you have to log out and log back in again on the computer you are doing the sharing from.