Another shared printer nightmare...

[Mini-Me]

Hi all.

Feeling confident I could share a printer on my neighbor's home network so she can print to the printer in the other room, I tried a repeat of what I did in this (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=59641) thread, which worked a treat on my own home network, but I am getting unexpected problems...
:(

Both machines are Dell - one is a mini-tower, the other is a laptop.
Both are running Win XP Home w/SP2.
Both are connected via an ADSL router.
Both can happily access the broadband, and I can ping the router from each machine, so the physical connections must be OK and talking.

I used the NETWORK SETUP WIZARD under Control Panel on each machine, to give each machine a name, and put them on the same workgroup: HOME.
I turned on file and printer sharing during the wizard, and also right-click-shared the printed on the mini-tower Dell so that it should be visible on the network to the laptop in the other room.

Both machines then rebooted.

Each machine can see the HOME workgroup in Network Neighborhood, but when you click on it, it says that access is denied(after a short delay).

Next, I tried another trick, which is to SEARCH FOR COMPUTERS, and used the other computer's name, and this also resulted in neither machine able to be found.
:(

Trying the \\PC1 and \\PC2 idea from the other thread(which worked so well for my own network), results in the message that the specified network path does not exist.(substituting PC1 and PC2 for the two computer names, naturally...)

Bizarre...

Next, I thought perhaps you have to specify the workgroup name in the path, so: START/RUN: \\HOME\PC1 and \\HOME\PC2, but this too returned a message saying that the workgroup was invalid.

Huh?! :confused:
Both are set to be on the HOME workgroup, and I double checked this, and they are.

I must be doing something wrong, but I can't work out what.

Kinda puzzled.

[classicsoftware]

You have to enable the Guest account on each PC and make sure simple file sharing is on.

[Paul Komski]

With WinXP Home, "Simple File Sharing" is the only option.

Maybe read through the MS Article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040) - in particular.
Known issues
For remote users to access files from the network (Levels 4 and 5), the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) must be disabled on the network interface that the remote users connect through.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
298804 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298804/) Internet firewalls can prevent browsing and file sharing
When Simple File Sharing is turned on, remote administration and remote registry editing does not work as expected from a remote computer, and connections to administrative shares (such as C$) do not work because all remote users authenticate as Guest. Guest accounts do not have administrative rights. When Simple File Sharing is turned on, if you configure specific user ACEs, remote users are not affected when Simple File Sharing is turned on because all remote users authenticate as Guest when Simple File Sharing is turned on.

Remote users may receive an "Access Denied" message on a share that they had connected to successfully before. This behavior occurs after the hard disk is converted to NTFS. This behavior occurs on Windows XP-based computers that have Simple File Sharing turned on that were upgraded from Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition. This behavior occurs because the default permissions of a hard disk that is converted to NTFS do not contain the Everyone group. The Everyone group is required for remote users who are using the Guest account to access the files To reset the permissions, stop sharing, and reshare the affected folders.

Unsharing and then resharing have often helped me overcome otherwise inexplicable denied access as well as disabling all firewalls until access is obtained. The article also points out the five different levels of accessed folders - in particular whether they are within or outside the "Documents and Settings" area.

Then reboot the relevant PCs and wait for two minutes before attempting to access the shares.

[Mini-Me]

Thank you both.
I will try and post back...

[Mini-Me]

I would love to report that this worked, but it does not.
:(

Both machines had their guest accounts off, so I turned them on by clicking the "Turn on guest account" button under USER ACCOUNTS on both machines, then re-booted.

I could not tick the USE SIMPLE FILE SHARING check box under MY DOCUMENTS/TOOLS/VIEW, as the check box does not exist - on either machine.

I followed the MS instructions in the link provided by Paul, but there is no such option to tick.
:(

This check-box does exist on my machines though, so what gives with that?

Attempting to find the other machine results in exactly the same errors as in the first post on this thread.

I waited about 5 minutes, then tried again, thinking it might take a few minutes for the permissions to come across the network, but nope.

What else can I try?

[Paul Komski]

I could not tick the USE SIMPLE FILE SHARING check box under MY DOCUMENTS/TOOLS/VIEW, as the check box does not exist - on either machine.
It was originally reported that "Both are running Win XP Home w/SP2", which is why I tried to point out that, Simple File Sharing is always on if using Home editions. The option to turn it on or off is only there for Pro editions.

Another quite good troubleshooting article (http://www.crn.com/white-box/59200376).

The fact that you cannot see or access the workgroup itself or any PCs on it implies an inherent malconfiguration, a domain as opposed to a workgroup based network or something physically (or by firewall) blocking access. It is one thing to not be able to access a LAN PC; it is another to not even be able to "see" it - and yet we know that physical access should be able to be ruled out since both PCs can surf.

Have a particularly close look at the IP addresses of the two PCs (enter ipconfig /all from a command prompt) and for starters see if the machines can then ping each other by IP address and also to ping themselves with ping 127.0.0.1

There's little point in trying to get specific folder or printer access if the PCs themselves have communication problems and it looks as if that needs sorting out first of all. In particular are there any static IP addresses and are both PCs getting their addresses automatically from the router's DHCP. At the expense of repetition: "are ALL firewalls (Windows, 3rd Party, Router) turned off till you get PC to PC communication established.

PS Take windows temporarily out of the loop, if you want to, by loading Ubuntu CDs on both boxes.

[Mini-Me]

It was originally reported that "Both are running Win XP Home w/SP2", which is why I tried to point out that, Simple File Sharing is always on if using Home editions. The option to turn it on or off is only there for Pro editions.

Oh.
OK.
I read that both in your comment and in the MS article, as that the check-box would be there, but already ticked.

Thanks for clarifying that.

Have a particularly close look at the IP addresses of the two PCs (enter ipconfig /all from a command prompt) and for starters see if the machines can then ping each other by IP address and also to ping themselves with ping 127.0.0.1

Good idea.
I wrote down the two IP's of the two machines, and neither can ping the other. I looked in the ADSL modem(which BOTH machines can log into no problems), thinking there might be something in there, but I can find nothing obvious.

I can ping the ADSL modem's gateway address no problems from both machines.

I have not yet tried the ipconfig /all, but will do this today, and also the ping of IP 127...

The mini-tower Dell is about 3 years old, but the laptop is brand new, she only having bought it about a month ago, so in theroy, the laptop at least should not have any malware etc, as it is essentially new, but perhaps the mini-tower has something lurking - I might run a malware scan.

This problem really has my interest, as it should not be this painful.
:)

There's little point in trying to get specific folder or printer access if the PCs themselves have communication problems and it looks as if that needs sorting out first of all. In particular are there any static IP addresses and are both PCs getting their addresses automatically from the router's DHCP. At the expense of repetition: "are ALL firewalls (Windows, 3rd Party, Router) turned off till you get PC to PC communication established.

Thanks for the reminder - no I forgot to disable the Windows firewalls on these machines - I WAS TOLD EARLIER but forgot, so thanks for the reminder - I will do this today also. Also will check for firewall settings in the ADSL and disable these too for the moment, as you suggest.

Thank you for continuing to post suggestions - I appreciate anyone's help.
:)

[Mini-Me]

I'VE FIXED IT! I'VE FIXED IT! I'VE FIXED IT!

Before I tell you what the problem was, a little more info on the testing process:

- Ping 127.0.0.1 resulted in replies from BOTH ends.
- Ping of xxx.xxx.1.2(the laptop) from the big PC resulted in a "Request timed out." response.
- Ping of xxx.xxx.1.3(the big pc) from the laptop resulted in a reply for all 32-byte packets.

Confusing, eh?
In other words, you can ping in one direction, but not the other, but can also ping 127 from BOTH ends...
:confused:

Anyhoo, the root of the problem was: ZONEALARM.

I disabled ZA on both machines, and hey presto!
The shared printer showed up almost immediately, and I was able to print to it from the laptop.(the printer is on the big PC).

I was also then able to ping in both directions.

ZA has therefore been uninstalled on both machines for the moment.

Perhaps ZA did not like being active while trying to share a printer on the network?

I got a kiss and a cuddle for this effort(from my female neighbour), as it has been on-going for a few weeks now...

Thanks to all who responded, but especially Paul.
:)

[Paul Komski]

Well done - as you've gathered I've got that T-shirt - and know only too well how frustrating networking can be. Sometimes its easy peasy; sometimes it can be all but unsolvable.

I haven't used ZA in an age. You need to, at a minimum, enable the Trusted Zone (http://www.zonelab.com/store/support/zasc/faqs.jsp#2) (i.e. the LAN in question) to be allowed on the computer(s) on which ZA has been installed. I think it allows File and Printer sharing (which is the relevant protocol here) by default.

[Mini-Me]

Well done - as you've gathered I've got that T-shirt - and know only too well how frustrating networking can be. Sometimes its easy peasy; sometimes it can be all but unsolvable.

I haven't used ZA in an age. You need to, at a minimum, enable the Trusted Zone (http://www.zonelab.com/store/support/zasc/faqs.jsp#2) (i.e. the LAN in question) to be allowed on the computer(s) on which ZA has been installed. I think it allows File and Printer sharing (which is the relevant protocol here) by default.

Yes, that was the problem - should have elaborated a bit more - TRUSTED ZONE slider was set to STEALTH MODE on both machines - this prevents all sharing between machines on a network...
:(

Now, WHY did I not think to check that before I did??????
:mad:

Oh well - It's good for my brain to work it out, and I won't be caught QUITE so easy again:

Shared printer problem:

1) Does machine have ZoneAlarm?
2) If so, what is the TRUSTED ZONE setting?

That could save me a lot of time with any future sharing problems!
:D

[Mini-Me]

Hi all.
:)

This is just a very quick note:

- Installed another shared printer on another client's home network today, and it took about 10 minutes, and it was all up and running and happily printing.

I won't forget that ZoneAlarm thing anytime soon!
:mad:

Still, I should have thought to check it - I will automatically every time from now on!
:D