Workgroup computer names not visible/accessible

In article <u1#0cldZDHA.2620@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>, "Jay"
<jay@aleka.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>I have 2 xp machines in a workgroup. Using the ip addresses (found from
>ipconfig) I can access all the shared folders etc. and transfer files ok.
>However, neither computer can access the other using the computer names.
>Computer A cannot find the work group 'WORKGROUP is inaccessible ... The
>list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available'. Computer B
>can see the workgroup and lists A and B but when I try accessing A, it says
>'A is inaccessible'. DHCP is enabled on both computers.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jay.

Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers:

1. Open the Network Connections folder.
2. Right click the local area network connection and click Properties.
3. Double click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
4. Click Advanced.
5. Click WINS.
6. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.

Run "ipconfig /all" at a command prompt on both computers and look at
the "Node Type" at the beginning of the output. If it says
"Peer-to-Peer" (which should be "Point-to-Point", but XP gets it
wrong) that's the problem. It means that the computer only uses a
WINS server, which isn't available on a peer-to-peer network for
NetBIOS name resolution.

If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:

HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parame ters

and delete these values if they're present:

NodeType
DhcpNodeType

Reboot, then try network access again.

If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".

For details, see the section on "NodeType" in this Microsoft Knowledge
Base article:

TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314053
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <winograd@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:fmo2kvo20im3dm98pls7na0rqdltnt1fl1@4ax.com...

> In article <u1#0cldZDHA.2620@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>, "Jay"
> <jay@aleka.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

B

says

>
> Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers:
>
> 1. Open the Network Connections folder.
> 2. Right click the local area network connection and click Properties.
> 3. Double click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
> 4. Click Advanced.
> 5. Click WINS.
> 6. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.
>
> Run "ipconfig /all" at a command prompt on both computers and look at
> the "Node Type" at the beginning of the output. If it says
> "Peer-to-Peer" (which should be "Point-to-Point", but XP gets it
> wrong) that's the problem. It means that the computer only uses a
> WINS server, which isn't available on a peer-to-peer network for
> NetBIOS name resolution.
>
> If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:
>
> HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parame ters
>
> and delete these values if they're present:
>
> NodeType
> DhcpNodeType
>
> Reboot, then try network access again.
>
> If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
> value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
> "Mixed".
>
> For details, see the section on "NodeType" in this Microsoft Knowledge
> Base article:
>
> TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314053
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve,

Thanks for responding. Unfortunately this has made the problem worse. The
original configuration had use NetBios setting from DHCP. I assume this
would result in NetBios being enabled since there is no DHCP but I set it to
'Enabled' in both computers and rebooted. The same error occured when I
tried to use the computer names. Also, it is now impossible to access the
other PC in either direction using the IP address. Worse, ping now no longer
responds in one direction, although it reliably works in the other. I tried
disabling NetBios and also resetting it to its initial value, rebooting each
time. Even a complete power down/power up makes no difference. I've tried
some obvious things, like replacing the cable and reseating the network
card. Ping works ok with the machine's own address in both cases.

Well any help would be appreciated, even to get me back to where I was
before.

Thanks,

Jay.

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <winograd@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:fmo2kvo20im3dm98pls7na0rqdltnt1fl1@4ax.com...

> In article <u1#0cldZDHA.2620@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>, "Jay"
> <jay@aleka.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

B

says

>
> Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers:
>
> 1. Open the Network Connections folder.
> 2. Right click the local area network connection and click Properties.
> 3. Double click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
> 4. Click Advanced.
> 5. Click WINS.
> 6. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.
>
> Run "ipconfig /all" at a command prompt on both computers and look at
> the "Node Type" at the beginning of the output. If it says
> "Peer-to-Peer" (which should be "Point-to-Point", but XP gets it
> wrong) that's the problem. It means that the computer only uses a
> WINS server, which isn't available on a peer-to-peer network for
> NetBIOS name resolution.
>
> If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:
>
> HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parame ters
>
> and delete these values if they're present:
>
> NodeType
> DhcpNodeType
>
> Reboot, then try network access again.
>
> If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
> value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
> "Mixed".
>
> For details, see the section on "NodeType" in this Microsoft Knowledge
> Base article:
>
> TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314053
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve,

Thanks for responding. Unfortunately this has made the problem worse. The
original configuration had use NetBios setting from DHCP. I assume this
would result in NetBios being enabled since there is no DHCP but I set it to
'Enabled' in both computers and rebooted. The same error occured when I
tried to use the computer names. Also, it is now impossible to access the
other PC in either direction using the IP address. Worse, ping now no longer
responds in one direction, although it reliably works in the other. I tried
disabling NetBios and also resetting it to its initial value, rebooting each
time. Even a complete power down/power up makes no difference. I've tried
some obvious things, like replacing the cable and reseating the network
card. Ping works ok with the machine's own address in both cases.

I'm not sure I fully understood the node type issue. I've ended up with one
PC in 'broadcast' mode and the other 'unknown'. Is this ok?

Well any help would be appreciated, even to get me back to where I was
before.

Thanks,

Jay.

OK, problem solved. It seems the firewall I'm using is causing intermittent
problems. I must confess I don't understand why, and I've never had problems
pinging a machine with it running. Anyway, a combination of what you
suggested and shutting down the firewall means everything works ok.

Thanks!!

Jay.


"Jay" <jay@aleka.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:OEC7MHoZDHA.1280@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

>
> "Steve Winograd [MVP]" <winograd@pobox.com> wrote in message
> news:fmo2kvo20im3dm98pls7na0rqdltnt1fl1@4ax.com...

ok.

names.

The

Computer

> B

> says

>
> Steve,
>
> Thanks for responding. Unfortunately this has made the problem worse. The
> original configuration had use NetBios setting from DHCP. I assume this
> would result in NetBios being enabled since there is no DHCP but I set it

to

> 'Enabled' in both computers and rebooted. The same error occured when I
> tried to use the computer names. Also, it is now impossible to access the
> other PC in either direction using the IP address. Worse, ping now no

longer

> responds in one direction, although it reliably works in the other. I

tried

> disabling NetBios and also resetting it to its initial value, rebooting

each

> time. Even a complete power down/power up makes no difference. I've tried
> some obvious things, like replacing the cable and reseating the network
> card. Ping works ok with the machine's own address in both cases.
>
> I'm not sure I fully understood the node type issue. I've ended up with

one

> PC in 'broadcast' mode and the other 'unknown'. Is this ok?
>
> Well any help would be appreciated, even to get me back to where I was
> before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jay.
>
>
>
>
>