# Vista/XP Network Help - Can see each other but not a lot else



## Jenesis87 (Jul 29, 2007)

*Vista/XP Network Help - Can see each other but can't share or access*

Somebody please help, as this problem is driving me up the wall! Here is my setup.

Vista desktop is connected by Ethernet cable to router for Internet. It has a wireless adapter.
XP Home laptop is not connected to router (not enough ports). It has a wireless adapter also.

I want to set up filesharing between the two machines over a wireless network. I have done it in the past; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - for example, yesterday it was working over a wireless ad-hoc network, but today it is not, even though I have changed no settings and did exactly what I did yesterday.

I have set the IP addresses to 169.254.220.x and 169.254.220.y, with a subnet mask of 225.225.0.0 on both machines. Default Gateway and the DNS address boxes are blank. I have also tried setting IP assignment to automatic but that seems to make no difference.

The Ping is the same - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. There appears to be no connection between the network setup and whether ping/sharing works or not. (ETA: A ping request will say "Timed out" rather than "not found" if it 'fails'. Is that good?)

In the Network Map, I can "see" the laptop, but I can't access it or any shared folders on it. When I try I get a I get a "Windows cannot access \\Jenny-Laptop" error, and when diagnosed it says "\\Jenny-Laptop is not a valid host name".



Please, any help is appreciated! I have already tried/carried out the following steps:

- Connecting the two using a cable rather than wireless; same result, can see but can't share or access
- Checking the two machines are part of the same workgroup
- Disabling the firewalls
- Suggesting to the machines that they get marriage counselling (alright, that was a joke)
- Tried both a WEP and WPA-2 network


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## Jenesis87 (Jul 29, 2007)

Since I evidently haven't explained myself very well, here are screenshots of my setup and copies of the _IPConfig /all_ and _nbtstat -n_ results for both the laptop and the PC.

To reiterate, the *laptop is XP Home* and the *desktop is Vista Ultimate*. The two are now connected via a crossover cable; from the second port in the PC to the only port in the laptop. The first port in the PC is connected to the family router, and the wireless connections in both machines are disabled (for now). I chose the IP addresses following the advice in this thread.

The computer-to-computer network as shown on the Vista PC - Note that although the laptop shows up on the map I cannot click it.

The IP settings on the PC for this connection.

The IP settings on the laptop for its (only) LAN port.

Ping result from PC to laptop - Successful, but still no access.

Ping result from laptop to PC - Timeout. No success.

*PC IPConfig Text*

The connection I'm using to connect to the laptop is Local Area Connection 2. Connection 1 is the Internet/router. 



> C:\Users\Jenny>ipconfig /all
> 
> Windows IP Configuration
> 
> ...


*Laptop IPConfig Text*

The Laptop only has one Ethernet port, which the crossover cable is plugged into.




> Windows IP Configuration
> 
> Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : jenny-laptop
> Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
> ...


*PC NBTStat Text*




> Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
> Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
> 
> C:\Users\Jenny>nbtstat -n
> ...


*Laptop NBTStat Text*




> C:\Documents and Settings\Jenny>nbtstat -n
> 
> LAN:
> Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.3] Scope Id: []
> ...



As you can see, I'm at the limit of my knowledge here. Why can't my machines share files?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Why not just connect the two directly to the router and eliminate the second Ethernet connection? What's the point of that extra link?


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## Jenesis87 (Jul 29, 2007)

As I said in my first post, the router doesn't have enough ports. It only has ports for four computers, and there are four machines already connected to it (and I'm not allowed to disconnect them).


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Use a simple Ethernet switch at the end of the cable that connects to the one, problem solved.


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