unable to see xp computer on network from vista comp

[DrunkenLizard]

In the process of setting up small lan. I have a old xp machine being used as a file server and for running some background apps, an xbox 360, ps3, and two vista laptops. I can see the 360, ps3, and both laptops from each other. but one of the vista laptops won't bring up the xp box when i click on network under the start menu. I can see it just fine from the other vista laptop. However from the troubled laptop if I go under norton and look at the network map it shows the xp comp. Tried uninstalling norton and disabling all firewalls but no luck. Tried wired and wireless. I am able to ping the xp comp.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should try next?

 

[scotty]

Personally, I avoid Vista and XP's network "browsing" capabilities like the plague. Whenever possible, I go right to the machine via. the ip address (i.e. start - run - \\192.168.1.140). f the XP machine is acting as a server of sorts, it should probably have a static address anyway, making an even better case for the direct access method.

Otherwise, make sure to turn on file and print sharing in XP (or run the network setup wizard) and make the sure the appropriate exceptions have been made in XP's firewall (or have the firewall off completely). Make sure any additional security or firewall programs (if any) are configured appropriately. With that done, you should be able to directly go to the machine, browsing be damned.

 

[DrunkenLizard]

Thanks Scotty,
I'll see what I can do after work. That didn't even enter into my mind while I was working on this, probably shouldn't be playing drinking games while setting up a network from scratch. Setting this network up at a friends house who doesn't have internet so for sake of simplicity I've disabled all the firewalls.

 

[DKane]

this sounds weird but I had the dame problem, but I uninstalled norton and it worked, just google it. may be other AV`s also. But I agree Vista and Xp dont play well together

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

On peer to peer networks...I find it helps browsing to go into advanced TCP/IP properties, the WINS tab, and flip the radio button choice to "Enable netbios over TCP/IP".

On all computers, ensure file and print sharing is enabled in the exceptions of the firewall. If any 3rd party software firewalls....there's usually some wizard to setup local networking on the IP range behind your router.

Some computers get a screwy TCP/IP stack from years of use, occasional light malware infections...or other things that mess with the winsock. For computers that seems stubborn with this....running a TCP/Winsock repair utility can help.
http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/WinSock_XP_Fix/winsockxpfix.html
I've found the above utility to help in some cases where 3rd party software firewalls have messed things up. Some Norton ones, and especially ZoneAlarm, are well known for messing it up.

With peer to peer networks....the computers have to communicate with each other for a period of time...and perform a "master browser election". One computer will become the master browser to the others. This is automatically done when you have a real server OS..but with desktop OS's, it can become stubborn. So when you setup a peer to peer network..sometimes it takes several hours or more of having them running...til network browsing becomes more stable. It's usually fairly quick when you setup a bunch of brand new PCs that you just took out of the box and unbuckled..but when you gather a bunch of computers that have been in use for a while, various different OSs, service pack levels, etc...this period can take longer. Sometimes going in and manually editing this IsMasterBrowser registry key is needed.

Sometimes whatever router you run can affect this as well. Some will have some impact on immediate DNS resolution. Some more biz grade routers have a feature for a local DNS table.