Vista - Local Area Networking Issue

Hi Experts,

I'd like your help in solving a problem I have with Vista and an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wired network.

When I run the wizard to connect to a network, it does not show the add ad-hoc network option, only four others for wireles, internet and vpn connection.

Also, although I have networked two PC's both running Vista, I cannot ping the second machine from the first and vice versa despite having added routes to both machines.

nslookup recognises the ip address of each machine, as does tracert

(I should point out that both machines obtain their iP addresses from a router which also allows access to the internet. Both machines can see the internet).



I would be grateful if someone could point me in the right direction

I am unfamiliar with what you mean by "ad-hoc peer-to-peer wired network".

Could you describe it?

When you use the wizard to create a network using the network and connections sharing wizard found in Vista , the user should be presented with 5 options

to create an internet connection
to create a wireless network connection
to create a dial up connection
to create a dial or vpn connection to a local network
to create an ad-hoc network


The fifth option is missing when I try to add a new network connection. I can access the internet but not ping the other machine on the small network I've setup.
an ad-hoc network is simple peer to peer networking of desktops/laptops enabling filesharing and so on without having the full capablities of a full network with a fileserver or network server.

In earlier versions of Windows and in Linux /Unix a simple network is easy and straightforward to implement, but with Vista Microsoft have turned what is a simple task into a near impossible task. Even simple error messages have been totally re-written as to be meaningless with in a Sys Admin environment. As a unix sys admin I find that Vista is a huge step backwards.

Any help in setting up a simple peer to peer network would be most gratefully received.

Basically,

1.) All computers in same subnet, use ipconfig/all to verify.
2.) Same workgroup on each computer
3.) Use same user account and password on each computer
4.) Setup the drive shares and use the account from #3
5.) Verify file and print sharing is enabled
6.) Make sure you router allows file and print sharing

Hi ignominius,

Just to clarify the AD-HOC network option in vista is only applicable to Wireless connections, If you have a wireless access point or hub the points that SCSIraidGURU would apply.
if you need to construct a wired ad-hoc network you would need either a hub and cables or a crossover cable

hope this assists