Vista - Home Network

Ok - this is getting really frustrating! I have a network set up at my home.
The 'base' computer is a desktop and runs on windows XP and is connected to
a wireless router. I have a laptop using Windows XP set up on this network.
I recently purchased a new laptop (giving the old one to my daughter). The
new laptop has VISTA on it. I know it is networked because I can use the
networked printer from this laptop but I cannot see the VISTA shared files on
my Windows XP Base computer and vise versa I cannot see my Windows XP files
on my VISTA. I'm getting really frustrated with this as I have checked the
posts and tried everything and nothing seems to work. I don't even really
know what files are 'shareable' on the VISTA. On the Windows XP you simply
'clicked' and said share folder. Please HELP!

Hope this helps...I had the somewhat the same problem. After reading various
posts here, I combined two and it's working so far. First, I turned off
Norton Firewall. Yes, I know, but.....Then I went to the network page and
after it displayed the Vista Machine as the sole member of the network, I
went to the top where it says "Network" with the arrow and typed in the IP
number of each computer on the network (found on the Router "Ping " settings
page). I clicked go, and it connected.

This is, of course, assuming that the name of the WORKGROUP and Network for
each computer matches. Double check this under rename computer.

FYI, I have connected with an HP Printer on one XP machine, but haven't yet
managed to connect to a Samsung on another. Another work in progress.

This all may sound simple, but we here missed the obvious, as Vista AIN't
XP. (;-)

"Barbaramae" wrote:

> Ok - this is getting really frustrating! I have a network set up at my home.
> The 'base' computer is a desktop and runs on windows XP and is connected to
> a wireless router. I have a laptop using Windows XP set up on this network.
> I recently purchased a new laptop (giving the old one to my daughter). The
> new laptop has VISTA on it. I know it is networked because I can use the
> networked printer from this laptop but I cannot see the VISTA shared files on
> my Windows XP Base computer and vise versa I cannot see my Windows XP files
> on my VISTA. I'm getting really frustrated with this as I have checked the
> posts and tried everything and nothing seems to work. I don't even really
> know what files are 'shareable' on the VISTA. On the Windows XP you simply
> 'clicked' and said share folder. Please HELP!
>

One thing you might do is change the workgroup name for your new Vista
machine to MSHOME, which is the default workgroup name for XP computers.
Microsoft thoughtlessly (there can be no other way of describing it) decided
to use WORKGROUP as the default workgroup name for Vista machines. As you
probably know, all computers in a home network should have the same
workgroup name.

Thank you for the tip.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Schlepr" <Schlepr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:678FAAEB-EFDD-49F1-8DA1-6FEF7B046121@microsoft.com...
Hope this helps...I had the somewhat the same problem. After reading various
posts here, I combined two and it's working so far. First, I turned off
Norton Firewall. Yes, I know, but.....Then I went to the network page and
after it displayed the Vista Machine as the sole member of the network, I
went to the top where it says "Network" with the arrow and typed in the IP
number of each computer on the network (found on the Router "Ping " settings
page). I clicked go, and it connected.

This is, of course, assuming that the name of the WORKGROUP and Network for
each computer matches. Double check this under rename computer.

FYI, I have connected with an HP Printer on one XP machine, but haven't yet
managed to connect to a Samsung on another. Another work in progress.

This all may sound simple, but we here missed the obvious, as Vista AIN't
XP. (;-)

"Barbaramae" wrote:

> Ok - this is getting really frustrating! I have a network set up at my home.
> The 'base' computer is a desktop and runs on windows XP and is connected to
> a wireless router. I have a laptop using Windows XP set up on this network.
> I recently purchased a new laptop (giving the old one to my daughter). The
> new laptop has VISTA on it. I know it is networked because I can use the
> networked printer from this laptop but I cannot see the VISTA shared files on
> my Windows XP Base computer and vise versa I cannot see my Windows XP files
> on my VISTA. I'm getting really frustrated with this as I have checked the
> posts and tried everything and nothing seems to work. I don't even really
> know what files are 'shareable' on the VISTA. On the Windows XP you simply
> 'clicked' and said share folder. Please HELP!
>

Barbara,
A few questions:
The first few are probably already done
1. Firewall on each pc - is the ip addresses of the other pc allowed
2. Router/each pc - If wireless is the correct encryption passkey in use
Vista Pc:
3. Public or Private network ?
4. Public Folder Sharing on/off ?
5. Password Protection enabled/disabled ?
6. Network and Sharing/File Sharing - Name and Permission Level
- Username (XP profile username/pw needs to be added to the Vista pc and
vice versa to use this) and permission set as read, co-owner, owner etc.
or
- Everyone permission(as above common username/pw profiles added to all
pc's)

XP PC:
7. File Sharing enabled
8. Folder - properties set to share the folder
9. Permission set to allow other pc access(e.g computername\user)
or
Vista pc username/pw created profile on XP pc

More info on file sharing can be found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/net.../vista_fp.mspx
http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/vista.htm


"Barbaramae" <Barbaramae@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsBDC514E-881F-4E61-A5BA-E44ED2E84E47@microsoft.com...
> Ok - this is getting really frustrating! I have a network set up at my
> home.
> The 'base' computer is a desktop and runs on windows XP and is connected
> to
> a wireless router. I have a laptop using Windows XP set up on this
> network.
> I recently purchased a new laptop (giving the old one to my daughter).
> The
> new laptop has VISTA on it. I know it is networked because I can use the
> networked printer from this laptop but I cannot see the VISTA shared files
> on
> my Windows XP Base computer and vise versa I cannot see my Windows XP
> files
> on my VISTA. I'm getting really frustrated with this as I have checked
> the
> posts and tried everything and nothing seems to work. I don't even really
> know what files are 'shareable' on the VISTA. On the Windows XP you
> simply
> 'clicked' and said share folder. Please HELP!
>