need help with wireless pc

WhiteWashMan

I have 2 pc's both with wireless cards in them. i have a wireless router which i plan to have my cable modem connected to (when it arrives), but in the mean time, i am having trouble connecting my two systems together.

i can get both of my systems to see the router (i can open the settings page for the router, and both can ping it).
however, for some reason, the systems cannot connect to each other. ocassionally, after some playing around, i can get one to see the other but cannot actually connect to it. in network neighbourhood, it comes up under the workgroup, but when i try to access it, i get an error telling me either that the system is unavilable, or that the server list is not present (or something like that)

these two systems will talk to each other when i have them on a wired network, but i suspect the problem actually lies with the second system.

previously, when i had cable in another house, my first pc could connect straight to the internet by cable. the second one for some reason would not.
both systems are relatively the same, and the network settings are both identical.

now, both systems are picking up ip address from the router. both systems can ping the router. the first can ping the second system, but the second cannot ping the first, and i think this is where the problem is.

is there anyone with any suggestions as to why one of my systems will not communicate with tcp/ip?
i suspect that when these systems are cabled througha hub, they talk using NetBeui, however, now that they are communicating througha router, they need to use tcp/ip, and for the second system, its not happening.
i recall trying to fix this about 6 months ago, and i think i even reinstalled the OS, and it still wont work, so im really bloody foxed about it now!

any suggestions, no matter how absured are very welcome
(unless they involve marigolds and honey)

zAbbo

what kinda wireless router is it, some have a build in firewall to block smb access.

Most likely your router has 4 lan ports, and one wan port(for cable)

Easiest way is to setup dhcp on the router,

set the router ip to 192.168.1.1 (or whatever) and use this ip as the default gateway and dns server.

Both pc's should be set as dhcp clients, it will be easier to explain knowing the wireless router

WhiteWashMan

here you go


dhcp is set up on both clients, and they are both receiving an ip address from the router.

the problem is the same no matter if i have encryption on or off, firewall on or off, or a mac address security on or off.

i have also added my laptop to the network, and it can also see both systems, but cannot access them either for some reason.

WhiteWashMan

im thinking it may be something to do with host files on the second system, but i really dont know too much about such things.
where is the host file kept?

seamus

Usually

%WINDIR%\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS

WhiteWashMan

am usung win2k on both systems by the way.
d'oh!

Dingatron

What service pack?

WhiteWashMan

no idea. probably the latest. 3 is it?

WhiteWashMan

make that 4

RicardoSmith

I'd be inclined to think its a domain/workgroup/username/pemissions issues rather than a router problem.

Dingatron

Check out this W2k services guide and make sure all the relevent network services are set correctly. Check Computer Browser,Remote Procedure Call (RPC) etc.

WhiteWashMan

RicardoSmith wrote:

I'd be inclined to think its a domain/workgroup/username/pemissions issues rather than a router problem.

nope.
absolutely not.

there is no domain.
the workgroup is the same, and even if it wasnt, id still see it, and there is no problem with permissions, because all of my systems are set up so there is no need for passwords etc.
besides, i know all the passwords, and can log in if needs be.

anyway, i wouldnt be able to access them on a wired lan if that was the case. no, i think its got to do with tcp/ip on a single machine, because netbeui\bios cannot be routed through a router, but will go through ahub (when wired)
or am i completely off the mark here?

i will look through the services when i get home, and i will add the pc to the hosts file and see if that helps
/me shrugs

any other suggestions?

by the way, a while ago i did find a long post on some board somewhere that dealt with something similar about systems not being seen on the network, or not being able to access the network, and it had to do with deleting values in the local hosts thingy (you can tell ive been out of support for a number of years no cant you. it all gets fogotten so easily )
i must try and look it up again as well!

WhiteWashMan

ok, ive had time over new year to play a bit more.
one thing i have noticed is that the system that worked on teh cable modem has boradcast as the node type under ipconfig /all.
the other systemt hat wouldnt work witht he cable modem, just has a status of unknown.

i havent had a chance to check it out (because i currently dont have internet access at home) but if anyone has any input, please post away

by the way, i upgraded to winxp, and it still says exactly the same. i still have the same problems. i am completely frustrated!