Hi All,

I am trying to setup a p2p with 4 PCs using one PC as the Internet portal. I've done this type of setup before with no probs but, for some reason, this setup is not playing nicely. Here is the scenario:

• 4 PCs all running same version and setup of Win XP Pro with SP2
• All firewalls and Internet security disabled
• have enabled Guest account on all 4 PCs
• have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP options and Auto find on the IP
• Simple File Sharing is ON (tried it OFF but things got worse)
• Names are conventional (i.e., unit1, unit2, etc. WORKGROUP as workgroup name)
• Have dual nic cards on unit1 and unit 2; unit 3 and unit 4 have only 1 nic card (Unit 1 is the "Primary" supplying internet and main network)

• I have the DSL Cable connected to the UPLINK on the Linksys "router"
• From the primary Unit1 PC I connected 1 NIC to the Linksys #1 port (Can see Internet and Unit 2)
• From Unit 2 I connected to port #2 on Linksys (but still can't see any of the other units and have no Internet)

Units 3 and 4 couldn't see each other either (I tried doing a Run \\UnitX with no luck and tried searching for other units in the workgroup and network screens) so I disconnected 3 and 4 until I resolve the issue.

** Only working with Unit 1 (Primary) and Unit 2 for now to figure out the problem.

I also tried running connections from both nic cards on the primary unit 1... 1 nic was Internet into the PC then 2nd nic was network connection... still no luck.

Hopefully this makes enuff sense for someone to spot my problem. I seem to be spinning my wheels on this one. Prob something simple but I just can't seem to find it!

Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Tee
teaching4u@hotmail.com

Howdy Tee,

Great explanation BTW.

• Are you using straight through network cables? (not crossover)
• Can you post the make/model of your linksys router.

Out of interest why do you have 2 NIC plugged into Unit2, have you tried removing one and leaving it with one connected?

For now I would disconnect your DSL cable from the router, lets just try to get everything working on the network first. Then we can try plugging in the internet connection.

So you can start off with 2, plug them into the router (not into the uplink) and see whether you can see each machine from the seperate computers.
If you can, then try plugging in the other 2 machines.

Can you try disabling the Netbios over TCP/IP option for now, lets get all the settings back to the standard setting.

It seems I have the uncanny habit of posting here in my most frazzled moments just before I am ready to reach for a hammer but, right after I post I figure things out. Go figure!

I went back... disconnected everything and double checked all the settings (one PC didn't have Guest account enabled), uplinked the Internet to the Linksys then ran all 4 PCs to the box and... like magic... everything is playing nicely!

Thanks for your feedback. Again, I will store it in my big blue book of tech stuff for future reference.

Tee

I think we need to start opening a big blue book and copy all of your notes into it heheh .

Congrats in solving the problem, I know how annoying things like that can be, especially when you figure out it was a matter of changing like one thing.

Anyways see you around.... for the next episode