Vista and XP won't talk

[Gene45]

I posted this question earlier and it seemed to explode and disappear, so I am trying again. I apologize if it ended up as a duplicate..

I set up a home network by adding a Vista Laptop to a XPHome SP2 Desktop via a D-Link Router.
The XP Desktop is connected via an ethernet cable and the Vista machine is wireless.

In the early days of setting it up I got access to the internet on both machines, could share files on the XP from the Vista. The biggest achievement was to send an e-mail from the Vista machine with an attachment from the XP. I managed to even get the Vista machine access to the LPT1 printer attached to the XP Machine.

In my effort to share files on the Vista machine with the XP machine, I went backwards.

Now I cannot share files either way, and and cannot share the printer.

The Vista Computer still shows the shared files on the XP but they cannot be accessed because it says they cannot be connected, BUT if you go to connect the two machines (start-connect to) it is already connected, with good signal strength.

I have downloaded the (LLTD) file from Microsoft and confirmed that it is active on the XP machine.

The Vista machine shows the proper network map, with the correct names of both machines, including URL's.

I tried to ping each machine based on the URL's and get a response, both ways.

I tried to ping each machine based on their NAMES and it works both ways.

On the Vista Sharing center, every possible share item is checked yes.

I must be missing something....

Help!

[Dököll]

Hi there!

Start here:

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.vista.networking_sharing/browse_thread/thread/3514ceed816996e3/2a1f9a725149cb67?hl=en&lnk=st&q=Vista+and+XP+won%27t+talk#2a1f9a725149cb67

Let us know if link helped!

[Gene45]

Well, after an hour on it I have achieved absolutely nothing.

The link says to run ipconfig on both computers and to redirect them to a notepad file.

I can run the ipconfig Ok but when i try to redirect it, I am told Access denied.

The instructions say to direct it to wherever the cmd window opened. Access Denied

I tried directing it to a directiory that I have already written to.
Access Denied.

The instruction suggest it will open to
c:\documents and settings, which it does in XP. In Vista it does not.

I CAN change the directory in vista to documents and settings, and it actually changes, but when I look at "my Computer" directory there is no such thing.

ip config runs in both machines, but in vista produces far more stuff than I can transcribe by hand to be useful

[Scotter]

Hi,
so as of right now, both your computers can connect to the internet? and you can ping both of your computers from the other? Are you running any anti-virus on your computers? and just to ask, whats your windows firewall set to?

Scotter

[Gene45]

Both computers are running the up to date version of McAfee.

On the XP machine, McAfee can see the entire network map.
Likewise on the Vista Machine..


On the XP machine. Windows firewall is set to "On" with exceptions"

Likewise on the Vista Machine.

I am not clear on what exceptions SHOULD be allowed.

[Scotter]

For the firewalls look at

http://www.michael-thomas.com/tech/microsoft/microsoft_networking.htm

also, when you run "ipconfig" from a command prompt(start>ru n>type "cmd")what address, subnet and gateway do you get?

and for vista look at

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

also can you "ping" both computers from the other(start>run >type "cmd">hit enter>type "ipconfig">writ e down address 'eg. 192.168.1.1' >type "ping 'your ip address' ")?

[Gene45]

I tried the Michael Thomas instructions to turn off the firewall and I still can't see through from the Vista machine to XP.

I also tried the printer sharing instruction, and it appears that it says to turn the firewall back on, i.e the same one I turned off in the file sharing instruction.

If I try to map a network drive on the Vista machine, it knows the names of the files (on the XP machine) it used to be able share but tells me that.

"Xp Machine" is not set up to establish a connection on port for printer and file sharing (SMB) with this computer.

I tried the technet.microso ft site for vista and can't tell where to start.

To answer the easy questions:

On XP Machine

IP Address 192.168.0.100
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway 192.168.0.1

On the Vista Machine

IP v4 Address 192.168.101 (preferred)
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway 192.168.0.1

[Gene45]

One of the ways this is so frustrating is that the instructions don't really match what the machine and software actually does.

For example, in the Michael Thomas section he talks about McAfee, The instructions says:

"right click on the icon (McAfee System Security) on the system tray,

Choose Personal Firewall, Disable.

There is no such menu item Personal Firewall on either machine.

In the second step he says to launch McAfee and click on Personal Firewall plus on the menu on the left.

Except that there is no such item to click on....