problems when trying to view my network

[Slacker]

I have a two computer 100 network with a hub/broadband router between them. Both machines run WinXP Pro and use TCP/IP, NetBIOS and IPX/SPX for protocols.

Whenever I try to browse the contents of a shared folder on another computer the explorer window freezes. If I go into the task manager and end explorer and then restart explorer I can view the contents of shared folders with ease, but it's a pain to have to do this all the time.

Does anyone have any ideas of what my problem is? Even better, does anyone know how someone in my position might go about fixing this problem?

Any help would be appreciated...

[Vlad]

Yeah, uninstall ipx/spx and netbeui. Dont use them unless you need them. I seriously doubt you do.

[liar2]

i had that problem at one point. then i found out, it was the cable.

[Slacker]

I have tested the cable... tha'ts not it... but I am goin to try removing IPX/SPX...

[liar2]

how long is your cable? this seems to occur a lot over long distances.

[mtgriffith]

Try removing the registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerRemoteComputerNameSpace{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} "Scheduled Tasks"

Every time you browse another computer it looks for scheduled tasks on that computer. Removing that key will make it stop.

[Slacker]

Removing IPX/SPX did not work, my cable legnth is only about 6 meters, so the legnth is alright, I'm trying that registry thing now...

[Slacker]

I changed that registry setting, rebooted and tried viewing remote folders again to still find the same problem. I'm completely puzzled as to how to fix thing problem, any why forceing explorer to restart seems to temporaly fix it.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

[Slacker]

Has anyone else got suggestions?

[Xahid]

Originally posted by Slacker

Whenever I try to browse the contents of a shared folder on another computer the explorer window freezes.

Does it happen with both computers, or just ur's 1 ???

[Slacker]

The problem exsists for both computers, I tried eliminating that option first... Like I said, this is quite puzzeling...

[ElGato]

Make sure your using private IP addresses

[Slacker]

This thing about private IP addresses... would this be the same as making the ip addresses really close to the same, like this: Computer 1 = 123.456.0.106 Computer 2 = 123.456.0.107 DCHP server = 123.456.0.1?

I use a DL-704 router and am using the DCHP server, so the IP addresses are pretty close. Is there anything else that I can do. Perhaps I don't understand this private IP address thing.

[Vlad]

Are you using any firewall software? that could be forcing explorer into a "timeout" period of sorts. Perhaps your winxp installation is damaged.

[Ice Blue]

I had a similar prob... without the freeze... just huge lag until it told me I couldn't access the workgroup.

After uninstalling XP... it worked fine.

[ElGato]

Originally posted by Slacker

This thing about private IP addresses... would this be the same as making the ip addresses really close to the same, like this: Computer 1 = 123.456.0.106 Computer 2 = 123.456.0.107 DCHP server = 123.456.0.1?

I use a DL-704 router and am using the DCHP server, so the IP addresses are pretty close. Is there anything else that I can do. Perhaps I don't understand this private IP address thing.

A Private IP is non-routable, i.e. can't directly access the Internet (Public Block), without the aid of a Router/Gateway. If your using addresses outside the private range it might be that its trying to route through the Internet and there for appearing to "freeze".

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has reserved the following three blocks of the IP address space for private internets:

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 (10/8 prefix)

172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 (172.16/12 prefix)

192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 (192.168/16 prefix)

We will refer to the first block as "24-bit block", the second as "20-bit block", and to the third as "16-bit" block. Note that (in pre-CIDR notation) the first block is nothing but a single class A network number, while the second block is a set of 16 contiguous class B network numbers, and third block is a set of 256 contiguous class C network numbers.

An enterprise that decides to use IP addresses out of the address space defined in this document can do so without any coordination with IANA or an Internet registry. The address space can thus be used by many enterprises. Addresses within this private address space will only be unique within the enterprise, or the set of enterprises which choose to cooperate over this space so they may communicate with each other in their own private internet.

As before, any enterprise that needs globally unique address space is required to obtain such addresses from an Internet registry. An enterprise that requests IP addresses for its external connectivity will never be assigned addresses from the blocks defined above.

In order to use private address space, an enterprise needs to determine which hosts do not need to have network layer connectivity outside the enterprise in the foreseeable future and thus could be classified as private. Such hosts will use the private address space defined above. Private hosts can communicate with all other hosts inside the enterprise, both public and private. However, they cannot have IP connectivity to any host outside of the enterprise. While not having external (outside of the enterprise) IP connectivity private hosts can still have access to external services via mediating gateways (e.g., application layer gateways).

[Slacker]

OK, now I have all of my IP addresses inside of those ranges, (they always were). But I still have that problem on both computers. I am wondering if there is an installation problem on them, but on both!?!

Any other suggestions...?

[Slacker]

Alright, I have decided that my Windows installations are not at fault for my network viewing problems. Time for a quick recap...

I had a network with a hub and two WinXP computers. I have all good connections and a working hub. However, I discovered that I could not read the shared contents of another computer unless I forced explorer to end, and then restarted (A pain to have to do). My IP# are all in the 10.0.0.0 - 10.0.0.0 range and both computers have the same workgroup name.

I concluded that my windows installations must be faulty untill today. Today I hooked up a third computer with a fresh copy of WinXP which was bought, not *borrowed*. This third computer seems to suffer from the same ailment as the other two.

I don't understand this!!! What is going on!!! When I try to view shared content on my other computers explorer and ctfmon.exe lock up. I don't get it.

What I am getting at now is a plea for any kind of help I can get to solve this thing. I would be oh so happy if someone could aid me in finding a solution... Could you be the one I have been looking for?

Thanks in advance...

[Redmak]

Can you post the info you get from ipconfig /all (run in cmd)?

[Slacker]

My dl-704 router/hub/DCHP server has been given the address 10.0.0.0 and will allow connected computers to take addresses from 10.0.0.100 through 10.0.0.110. So, one computer has ip# 10.0.0.101 and the other has IP# 10.0.0.106.

So, my gateway address is 10.0.0.0 and the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 which I believe is all good. As for the connection-specific DNS suffix there is no number.

Does this information help you in helping me?

[ElGato]

Originally posted by Slacker

My dl-704 router/hub/DCHP server has been given the address 10.0.0.0 and will allow connected computers to take addresses from 10.0.0.100 through 10.0.0.110. So, one computer has ip# 10.0.0.101 and the other has IP# 10.0.0.106.

So, my gateway address is 10.0.0.0 and the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 which I believe is all good. As for the connection-specific DNS suffix there is no number.

Does this information help you in helping me?

You must not use x.x.x.0, that denotes the whole network range, that could be the problem, make the LAN side of yer Router 10.0.0.1

[PeteA_UK]

I would also ensure that you have the same usernames and passwords setup on all the computers.

I found that I was having problems when running Zone Alarm on two machines (at this point only connected with a cross-over cable), I resolved it by going through the Network ID wizard and resetting the workgroup name.

Finally, (and I'm sure that you have treble checked this) make sure that all the machines are setup to use the LAN as a workgroup and not a domain.

pete a

ps ElGato is right, all x.x.x.0 numbers ought not to be used for things like switches/dhcp servers.

[Slacker]

I changed the address on my DCHP server and it still diddint change anything. It is so wierd, I can see the shared folders on the other computer, but the shell freezes when I try accessing one of these shared folders.

I discovered another thing, if I disable my network connection and then re-enable it, I have no problem seeing any shared material on the network unless I let my computer sit idle for 30 min. The same thing happens with the other computer trying to see mine. Because I can see the contents of the other computer after disabling and enabeling the network connection I have concluded that I have all my permissions set correctly. As for user names and passwords, I don't believe that they are necessary since the shared folders are set so that everyone in the LAN can access them. The workgroup name is the same on both, and I have tried changing the name without success.

I don't think that the DCHP server is the problem, whenever I change anything on it it makes no difference, and I don't believe that setting a domain (which is an option only) would change anything...

Any other suggestions?

[simonallison]

I had a similiar problem with my network, sometimes it came up ok and sometimes it didnt, was puzzled myself...

all I did was turn off my firewall, winxp comes with its own and adds it to a network connection whether it be a dial-up or network.

so check this out in your properties for your connections, if it happens on your third computer then this could be the problem!

looking around the net in this moment in time so if i come across anything unusual i will post it here!

[simonallison]

here u go, check your settings with this article..

http://www.tweaktown.com/document.phpdType...e=guide&dId=178

found this also :

http://www.tweaktown.com/vbulletin/showthr...php?threadid=70

hope this helps!

[OrangesOfCourse]

do u use a firewall? if so.. which one? sorry if you have answered it.. i am at school and bored..

laterz ;)