wired/wireless combination network

[solar_powered]

So I managed to set up a combination network.  I have two computers plugged into a wireless router and a third connected to it through a wireless network adapter.  All three have internet connections (the modem is plugged into the router).

Now I'd like to set up a network with file and print sharing.  I ran the network setup wizard on each computer, and I have a workgroup set up, but none of the computers can do anything with it.

One of the wired computers can view the workgroup and see the three computers in it.  However, if I try to click on either of the others, it says "(computername) is not accessible.  You might not have permission to use this network resource.  Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions."  It also says "The network path was not found."

The wirelessly connected one can't view the workgroup - clicking "view workgroup computers" gives me a similar error message.  The first part is the same, except that the first sentence is "(workgroupname) is not accessible".  The second part says "The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."


How can I get the network to function beyond internet-sharing?

[soybean]

A related discussion: http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1148825684/0

[solar_powered]

The printer's set to share, but the wirelessly-connected computer isn't part of the local area network.  It definitely has a connection to the router, because that's where it gets the internet connection from, but that's listed in Network Connections as "Wireless Network Connection 2", which does have file and printer sharing enabled.

Windows' Network Setup Wizard is assuming I'm using one internet connection sharing host computer, which I'm not; however, the printer does need to be connected and accessed through a host.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Ah more Windows SMB shenanigans.

Often the problem is caused by firewalls, so first disconnect the internet, turn off your software firewalls (eg XP's own firewall), wait 10 minutes (the time it can take all the computers to "poll" each other for shares) and try again.

Just to address the confusion re LANs: whatever Windows might call the connection, you're all on the same LAN.  The router is (presumably) assigning IP addresses to all the local computers via DHCP, and they will all be on the same subnet, with the same workgroup name (unless you've mis-spelled it somewhere).  Hence the same LAN.

You get better control over network settings by going to network connections, right-clicking the connection in question, and selecting "properties".  My QA0039: Networks for Home/Small Business FAQ may help in this area.

[solar_powered]

Thanks for clarifying the LAN thing.  And the problem did end up being with the firewalls, so it all works now.  I left the Windows firewall off and just turned on the Norton internet security one we've been using, and I configured it on each computer to "trust" the other network computers, and they're all working fine.  Thank you!

[Rob Pomeroy]

Great.  I suspect Norton's firewall is more competent thant the WinXPSP2 firewall, anyway.  Glad you got it sorted.