VISTA.

Workgroup name: WORKGROUP (on both)

When I go to Network and Sharing Center, both Pc's are in Private.
Network discovery ON.
File Sharing ON.
Public folder sharing ON.
Printer sharing ON.
Password protected sharing OFF.
Media sharing OFF.

I want to create network drive on my pc with my PUBLIC folder so my brother can see it and we can both share files.

The ONLY way I can do this is using windows default IP of 127.0.0.1
But this only lets me see my own things. From my bro's pc I cant find it. I see my name ARMANDO, but says path not found. What am I doing wrong?

 

127.0.0.1 is your localhost (or loopback) address. What is your 192.168.x.x address?

 

How are you connecting your computers on the network? Are you using a router that gives out IP addresses, or using a hub? Or are you connecting them directly to each other with a cross-over cable?

Can both computers access the internet?

If so, try this:
Hold the Windows key then the "R" key. A "Run" Dialogue box should open.
In the "Open" box, type two backslashes, then the other computers name ie: \\computername then press "OK"
One of three things should happen.
1) You will get a "Network Error - Windows cannot access \\computername"
2) A pop-up will ask you for a username and password
3) A window will open with the shared folders available on the other computer.

If you get number 1, it means you don't have your network properly setup.
If you get number 2, you must make sure you have accounts with matching credentials on BOTH computers ie: if you log in with username "John" on computer1, you have an account setup with that username and password on computer2.
If you get number 3, you should be ok. If when trying to open a shared folder though, you get a prompt for a username and password, see number 2.

 

Right now I got them through a Linksys router, it assigns IP addresses for each pc. They also both have internet access. I am driving home now, so when I get there I will get IP and try it with that.

But I type computer name and the PUBLIC folder which is already shared and nothing. Lets see what happens. Thanks. I will keep you posted and thanks for the help.

 

ok I got my IP address from linksys config page, and from the command prompt. They are both the same. Excuse me for not posting on here but I am not sure if it will cause me harm.

But I went to MyComputer/MapNetwork Drive/ typed \\000.000.0.000\public and nothing.

Again the only way I get a network drive is to type my local host (or loopback) address.

I dont understand.

 

both machines have the same ip address?

 

Wait, are you checking your ip address on the router config page from each computer? You have to check the ip address for each machine individually, not from the router config page. I honestly have not even used a Vista machine, but I am sure it is the same as XP as far as checking from a command prompt. From your command prompt, on each computer, type ipconfig. That will give you your ip address for each machine. You ip addresses should look like 192.168.1.101 and 192.168.1.102 or something close to that. They will most definitely each have a slightly different address from the other.

 

No they both have different IP's..

 

That is correct. I check both ways. From the router's config page and windows command prompt. I get the same IP address for my pc both ways. Same for my bro's pc. I check his on the routers config page then run the ipconfig and the ip's are the same.

Remember both pc's have different IPs. ok here they are. mine is 192.168.1.102
and my bro's is 192.168.1.100

 

I don't use XP on any of my machines so whatever advice I provide is general advice on how I setup my own computers.

First off, even if you are using DHCP, I would allocate a fixed IP address for each computer so that you always know which computer is which IP.

Second, have you tried pinging the other computer's IP to see if you are even getting a response from it?

Another thing to note, is that even though you may have a public folder, it may be public to only the users on your machine and not over the network. Be sure your sharing settings allow for sharing outside of your machine. I just learned this by reading the sharing folder information on XP folders that lets you choose how to make a folder accessible for all users on the machine only, or to other computers as well.

I can't think of anything else right now but I will think about it.

 

^^^ oops I mean to say I don't use Vista on any machines yet

 

I just tried to ping my bro's pc using cmmd prompt and 4 packets sent 0 received. 100 lost. I tried the same with my own IP and same thing. 100 lost packets.

 

hmmm, firewall issue perhaps?

What antivirus software do you have running?

Something is blocking your connection out.

 

I just tried pinging my own computer and the "Request Timed Out" response was given. Something like that shouldn't happen for your bro's computer though unless there is a firewall blocking access.

 

Well both of our PC are new from dell and are running 30 day trial from Norton.

 

^^ It could very well be that norton is blocking the access hence why the pings aren't going through.

Did you check the folder sharing options I mentioned?

 

We got this Inbound Firewall, but I dont see any options to go and turn it off and seing if it works like that.

 

On vista, the public folder is already in SHARING mode. Suppost to make it easy so I dont have to go through all the folders and make them shared. When I go to map network drive, I can see my pc name and my brothers. I chose mine but it stays loading for ever then it opens, lets me see public file. I chose it then takes forever again and it finally tells me " Windows cannot access \\ARMANDO\Public"
"check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be a problem with your network. To try to identify and resolve the network problems, click Diagnose.

I click Diagnose:
Then tells me this "

 

ohhhh dammit crap norton moh@#$#%. Thanks all. Thanks sly.

This damn inbound firewall. I had to go into all these advanced options, put trusted pc's my ip and my bro's ip. Now it works. I think. At least it recognized my pc and public folder. now let me see from my bro's pc if I can see MY network drive i just created.

 

Has the problem been solved Gunnie?

 

yes it is. I had to put mine and my bro IP address in the trusted pc's section on both pc and now we can connect. It was all this internal inbound firewall we both had on our new pc's.