Broadband Tech > Networking > [XP] Trouble seeing HP workgroup computers

[XP] Trouble seeing HP workgroup computers

Can you post the results of a ipconfig /all commmand from the xp desktop that cannot see anything in the workgroup and a computer that can see the workgroup

I certainly could

= = = = = = >>>>>>> Problem PC: (connect via Ethernet)
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XPS410
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 4:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dynex DX-E102 PCI 10/100Mb Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 6C-FD-B9-44-39-EF
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.8
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
71.242.0.12
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, January 29, 2012 12:32:58 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 30, 2012 12:32:57 PM

= = = = = = >>>>>>> Working P (connect Wirelessly)
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : AsusBook
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8132 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 90-E6-BA-6B-4F-C5
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-25-D3-87-0D-AA
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.7
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
71.242.0.12
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, January 29, 2012 3:20:31 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 30, 2012 3:20:31 PM

The ipconfig results look ok to me.....
Is the firewall disabled on the problem pc

It was enabled. It's always been enabled.
I just disabled and no change

Ok....is file and printer sharing enabled

reply to avguser
When you say the problem PC cannot ping the working PC are you pinging by PC name or IP address.

Since you did not mention it I assume all PCs are able to access the Internet. As wayjac posted the IP settings look fine.

If the problem is pinging by machine name the issue is most likely browse master election. In a Windows peer-to-peer environment the browse master collects information about the network. If that machine gets turned off it can take a while for a new election to be held. Under worst case conditions more then one may win and create groups of machines but unfortunately they don't talk to one another.

Do you have one PC that you are using as a server, that you leave on all the time? If so turn everything off. Turn that one one first wait for it to come up then reboot the other PCs.

/tom

Yes, File and Printer sharing is enabled. I'm also back to being able to see problem PC in NW workgroup, but not any other computers

1. I cannot ping the working PC by name or IP.
2. Yes, all devices can access the internet through FIOS router.
3. I do not run any as a server. The Problem PC has a Laser Printer attached to it. The Win7 PC has an InkJEt attached. The other XP PC (aka working PC) is a laptop and has nothing else attached to it.

A few things to check:

You do have all of them set to be part of the same workgroup?

Control Panel>System>Advanced Settings>Computer Name

You do have file and printer sharing enabled on all of them?

You have allowed file and printer traffic to pass the firewalls?

Check your A/V software to see if it is blocking the traffic.

Check the LAN adapter settings for the Microsoft Network Client.

Same workgroup - Yes
File and Print Sharing on - Yes

Firewall set up to allow traffic - Yes

AV - McAfee (yecch) and it's been installed for lonnngggg time. Not sure what to check specifically to see if it is blocking anything.

LAN Adapter settign - what am I looking for specifically. It's "looks" correct, but maybe I am overlooking the obvious?

A clue..but I'm not sure what to do with it.

If I look at the NW Connection and then try a "Repair", it does not work. The ARP cache is cleared first. Then it stalls/aborts when trying to Clear NetBT.
Error Msg "...following action cannot be completed: Clearing NetBT"

I Googled more for this error and tried a fix or two, but they do not work for my specific situation

The problem pc shows that netbios over tcpip is disabled. Try enabling that in the lan connection properties and see if it helps any.

I've set that a few times already and it keeps changing back whent he systems asks to reboot in order for the change to take effect. Grrrr.

I'm at work at the moment, but if memory serves me right, both PC's (problem and working) are set up the same in LAN properties for TCP/IP adapter. Both use DHCP. In the Advanced Properties, in the WINS tab, both are set to the 'Default' for NetBIOS Setting. That is where I tried to force NetBios to be enabled but it is over-ridden after the reboot.

One other 'clue', perhaps. Long story short but I was having problems with DHCP service running on Problem PC. The fix was to copy the NetBT registry key from working PC and import to Problem PC.
Key = HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Service\NetBT

I exported that Key and imported. So far as I could tell, there was nothing in the registry settings from export/import that was machine specific. Maybe there is and I can't see it?