Home Network Help

[Rizon]

Last week I set up a home network of 3 computers: 2 PCs and 1 laptop. I plugged in the laptop (XP) and the 2nd PC (XP) to my router, and the internet worked immediatly. I set up the laptop and host PC (ME) to file share ... everything worked fine.

until ... my wife turned on the host computer yesterday (laptop was off) and it said "Could not connect to laptop, do you wish to establish this connection in the future? etc etc". She clicked NO ... guh!!!!

So today, I fired up the laptop and host PC, and I couldnt file share. I tried to re-establish the connection and it wouldnt work. In the process I somehow killed the internet connection through the laptop. So now not only can I not file share between the host PC and laptop, I can't even get on the internet through the laptop (host PC and 2nd PC can access the internet still).

I went through all the steps to map network drives and fileshare at least 30 times ... nothing has worked.

I think the problem first needs to be solved on the laptop in regards to the internet connection. Since it cant access the internet, Im guessing it cant access the network either. The weird thing is ... when I open Network Connections through the laptop it shows "Local Area Connection" as "Enabled". How the frig can it be both enabled and not working?? For the *censored* of it I double checked the settings for the laptop and the 2nd PC and they're identical, but one works and the other doesn't.

So I have NO idea what to do next. Some setting is off somewhere I can't find it.

PS: Yeah, everything is plugged in fine.

[merlin]

http://www.wown.com/articles_tutorials/wxplnfrw.html

[MalikTous]

If you are using XP Firewall, download a decent one on one of the machines (like Zone Alarm or Sygate, they're free and they work better than XP's 'native' firewall), preferably one that has a CD burner so you can also put it on the laptop.

Then make a NetSetup disk or run NetSetup from an XP disk on all your machines.

[helpless newbie]

If you are using XP Firewall, download a decent one on one of the machines (like Zone Alarm or Sygate, they're free and they work better than XP's 'native' firewall), preferably one that has a CD burner so you can also put it on the laptop.

Then make a NetSetup disk or run NetSetup from an XP disk on all your machines.

can you define "work better than XP's native firewall"?
I mean do you mean that by connection speed, security or what?

[dl65]

helpless newbie.....Firewalls......the firewall built into XP will work ...but there are others with more features .....such as Zone Alarm ( free version )
http://download.com.com/3000-2092-10039884.html
You must have a firewall as part of your router , I would think .

dl65  

[helpless newbie]

thanks a lot dl65, I'm going to try in a very short time, meanwhile, i still hope you can describe how good it is as you know, I'm kind of person who likes to think over and over before installing any new software. Imagine, i took about half and hour to think before downloading a video codec, and 15 minutes to think before download yahoo! messenger's update!! ridiculous huh? ^^

But this is what kind of person i am, so i will appreciate very much if you could analyze to me, what will happen to my Internet connection speed, security levels, computer performance and system stability after I replace my firewall with this one you recommend, such as ppl used to give "reviews" on some products...

Thanks & regards.

[Raptor]

Zone Alarm's quite a good firewall.

It's stable, very user-friendly and it comes with a tutorial when you install it. (I donot know if this applies to the trial version, I run 4.5 and it's registered.)

It will most definitely increase your Internet security IF you pay attention to what you do. But that applies to most security programs.

I've used it for quite some time now. I must say that I'm contempt with it. I'd like to see some more functions, but nothing you should worry about if this is your first firewall..