LAN Problem

[Guyver]

I've got a peer-to-peer (p2p) network setup among four computers in my house. Two of them are laptops and access the network via a wireless connection and the other two computers are desktops and access the same network via a wired connection. Last night a strange thing happened to my network. two of the computers on my network can see all four of the computers on the network and whatever resources are being shared but the other two cannot see any of the other computers within the workgroup. I've run the home or small office setup wizard on all of the computes multiple times with the same outcome each time and I cannot figure out why.

All of the computers still have an active internet connection. Two of the computers are running Windows XP Media Center Edition and the other two are running Windows XP Home Edition. Here's the breakup of which computers have access to the shared resources and which ones don't

One desktop and one laptop have access to the shared resources and folders on the network. The other laptop and desktop don't despite the networking wizard being run several times and the computers being restarted after each running.

I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions that could lead to fixing this issue. (switching the OS isn't an option).

[quikfind_jerry]

Hello there

Your all systems IP addressess are configured or not? If yes then check the system setting abt sharing and if there is no IP address then try to assign some IP address. Try this.......

regards
Jerry

[Guyver]

That doesn't appear to be the problem there. All the computers on the network have a DHCP assigned IP yet only two of the computers can see the other computers on the network while the other two can't see any of the shared resources.

[Enterprise2002]

Are all the computers in the same workgroup? Have you tried turning off the firewalls and trying again?

[Revenge]

Windows XP Home Edition can only network with two other computers, which is most likely the problem here. Any more and XP shows a maximum of two of them.

XP Professional doesn't have this problem, and I guess Media Centre doesn't either. This is all on purpose, so that large organisations buy the more expensive Professional licences for workstations rather than Home ones.

If the computers which can't see the whole network are the Home Edition ones, then I guess you'll need to find some software which tries to override this or uses a computer on the network which can see all the others as an intermediate for the Home Edition ones.

[Guyver]

Originally Posted by Revenge

Windows XP Home Edition can only network with two other computers, which is most likely the problem here. Any more and XP shows a maximum of two of them.

XP Professional doesn't have this problem, and I guess Media Centre doesn't either. This is all on purpose, so that large organisations buy the more expensive Professional licences for workstations rather than Home ones.

If the computers which can't see the whole network are the Home Edition ones, then I guess you'll need to find some software which tries to override this or uses a computer on the network which can see all the others as an intermediate for the Home Edition ones.

While I do see what your saying I don't believe thats what the problem is here. Reason being is that I've had this LAN going for well over a year with all four computers able to see each other. This problem only came up this past weekend. Almost forgot to mention that the computers that cannot see the other computers within the workgroup are a windows xp media center PC and a windows xp home edition laptop.

@Enterprise2002 - Yes I've made sure that all the computers are in the same workgroup but still only two of the computers can see all four of the computers. The other two cannot.

[Revenge]

Have you tried disabling firewalls on all of them?

[yorniloc]

make all of them have the same version of Xp or upgrade to vista

[Guyver]

Originally Posted by Revenge

Have you tried disabling firewalls on all of them?

Haven't tried that as of yet but I will and get back to you on that aspect of it.

Originally Posted by yorniloc

make all of them have the same version of Xp or upgrade to vista

While I do appreciate the suggestion that has nothing to do with it because this LAN was in full operation for over 3 years until this past weekend. The only thing I've done differently was to install a network printer but I haven't seen anything that would indicate that the printer is the cause of this.