Simple network problems

[J2733]

Just got a laptop and am wanting to create a simple network between my main pc and laptop

Ive got it setup as follows

Main pc connected to router via ethernet + printers connected to this

Laptop connected to router via Wifi

Ive setup the simple network with a guide ive found:

rename both computers and ensure they have the same "workgroup name"

do this by right click my computer properties "computer name" tab

at the bottom it says "to rename this computer or join a domain click change" - click change ensure workgroup is selected and both computers have the same name.

restart both when prompted to

then right click on the items you want to share ie c drive and printer and choose "sharing and security" click share this folder allow users to change my files.

once you have done that go in my computer , along the top click "tools" and "map network drive" choose a drive letter and explore to your other computers shared drive or folder

also share printers in the same way by adding printer > add network printer etc

I've done all of that on both machines and they can see each other..

On the main Pc when i go and map a network drive it sees the lappy and when i click the + sign i can see the folders im sharing on the lappy and once selected i can browse them

But when i go and do the same over on the lappy and map a network drive i can see the main pc but when i click the + sign next to it there's no folders or drives shown even though im sharing some files on the main machine.

Dont know if you understand that but cant seem to work it out.....Im using sygate on both and have the printer and file sharing option checked so i know that's OK

Anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be at all?

Thanks in advance

[J2733]

  J2733 said:

Just got a laptop and am wanting to create a simple network between my main pc and laptop

Ive got it setup as follows

Main pc connected to router via ethernet + printers connected to this

Laptop connected to router via Wifi

Ive setup the simple network with a guide ive found:

rename both computers and ensure they have the same "workgroup name"

do this by right click my computer properties "computer name" tab

at the bottom it says "to rename this computer or join a domain click change" - click change ensure workgroup is selected and both computers have the same name.

restart both when prompted to

then right click on the items you want to share ie c drive and printer and choose "sharing and security" click share this folder allow users to change my files.

once you have done that go in my computer , along the top click "tools" and "map network drive" choose a drive letter and explore to your other computers shared drive or folder

also share printers in the same way by adding printer > add network printer etc

I've done all of that on both machines and they can see each other..

On the main Pc when i go and map a network drive it sees the lappy and when i click the + sign i can see the folders im sharing on the lappy and once selected i can browse them

But when i go and do the same over on the lappy and map a network drive i can see the main pc but when i click the + sign next to it there's no folders or drives shown even though im sharing some files on the main machine.

Dont know if you understand that but cant seem to work it out.....Im using sygate on both and have the printer and file sharing option checked so i know that's OK

Anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be at all?

Thanks in advance

Any ideas guys......cant seem to figure it out

Could it be somthing to do with services do you think.....As long ago i may of disabled a few on the main pc to speed things up

Thanks

[TurboTuna]

Firstly: Wait atleast 24 hours to bump your thread.

If you browse your Main PC from your Main pc (i.e on your computer goto \\mainpc\ or whatever your computer is called) do you see the shared folders there?

[J2733]

  TurboTuna said:

Firstly: Wait atleast 24 hours to bump your thread.

If you browse your Main PC from your Main pc (i.e on your computer goto \\mainpc\ or whatever your computer is called) do you see the shared folders there?

Woops sorry about that....Just desperate to get it working

Yea when i type \\main i can see my shared files and printers

[TurboTuna]

Then its a problem with the laptop, agreed?

Make sure you have the same services running on that as you do on your main pc.

Maybe run the network wizard on your laptop and get that to setup File sharing for you?

[J2733]

Just tried that still get the same

same services running on both machines.....Just redone the network wizard on both machines and disabled the firewalls on both machines but still get the same.

I haven't touched the router do you think it could have something to do with that...I'm running a Netgear DG384G router.

Thanks

[J2733]

Just tried in IE

on the main pc if i type \\laptop\Test i can see my test folder i have setup on the laptop

But if i go on the lappy and type \\Main\Test it comes up with the error 'windows cannot find \\main\test' check the spelling.....this pops up after a good few mins

[velkymx]

Try running a login script when the computers load the will un-map then re-map the network share. I find that Windows does a terrible job of remembering the passwords on network computers. Same goes with Printers.

Try: http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Logon...rive_rename.htm

or

Try: http://www.hftonline.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-4703.html