Cannot see other computer in workgroup

[nabbers]

At the moment, I cannot see other computers on the network, nor can they see me.
Please help me to 'see' my computer and to allow other computers on the network to see my computer too.

If I click on > Windows Explorer > My Network Places > Microsoft Windows Network > Workgroup = I get a message that reads:

"Workgroup is not accessible.  You might not have permission to use this network resource.  Contact the administrator of this server to find out is you have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

If I click on ‘Search’ and search for ‘computers’ [My computer is called jen] I get:
Jen in ‘workgroup’.
If I click on jen in the search box I get all the drives and folders on my computer.

From the command prompt window, I can ping the router and both computers by IP address and by name.

[dahlarbear]

1.  What operating systems and service pack levels are your workgroup computers using?

2.  Computer Browser Service.  On Windows XP, people frequently complain about not seeing the "other" computers and their resources.  This has to do with the "Computer Browser" service.  At least one of the computers on the LAN (the one that's powered "on" most of the time), should have the "Computer Browser" service running.  It will build and maintain a "master" list of the other computers in your workgroup, so when they go to look at "My Network Places" this list can be sent to them without having to build one from scratch for each request.  Not positive, but I believe it will only show computers that have the service for "file and printer sharing" (i.e. "Server") installed and enabled (running).

3.  Reference(s) (primarily for Windows XP):
    Why Can't I See My Computer on the Network?
    Troubleshooting Computer Browsing on SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows
    Computer Browsing for SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows

[nabbers]

I am running Windows XP Pro, Service Pack 2.  I have a Netgear router [the other computer in our Network is also Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2].
We both connect to the internet through the router.
I was getting an error message: YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO USE THIS NETWORK RESOURCE: But having altered the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa  to 0 [from 1] I find I can 'see' the other computer on the LAN, but it cannot 'see' my computer and if I try to access the computers from the workgroup, that window is empty.
Very elusive!
Please advise.

[dahlarbear]

1.  Registry Key.  I'm not familiar with that registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa", so for now I'm going to ignore it.

2.  I'm not sure whether you're trying to establish "File and Printer Sharing" or "Computer Browser" functionality on your network.

3.  File and Printer Sharing.  I assumed you had configured both machines for file and printer sharing.  I believe the "Microsoft Windows Network" and "Workgroup" will only display computers that have been configured to share network resources.  You don't have to actually share a file, folder, or printer but you do need to enable "File and Printer Sharing" which kicks off the Windows XP  system service "Server" among other things.

Are these Windows XP installations members of a "Workgroup"?  The same workgroup?

Are these Windows XP installations setup for "Simple" or "Advanced" File Sharing?

The Microsoft references I've provided on "File and Printer Sharing" and "Computer Browsing" are excellent easy reads on the subject.  You'll never find a better explanation.  If you review and follow the material (store it in a safe place); you shouldn't have any problems in this area.
    Troubleshooting File and Printer Sharing in Microsoft Windows XP
    File and Printer Sharing with Microsoft Windows

3.  Back to the Problem.   Access via Start-Run.  From first computer try to access the network resources of the second by:
         o  Click Start, and then click Run.
         o  In Open, type "\\IP_Address" without the quotes (of computer whose network resources you wish to access), and then press ENTER.  What happens?
         o  In Open, type "\\ComputerName" without the quotes (of computer whose network resources you wish to access), and then press ENTER.  What happens?

Repeat the process, this time from the second computer to the first.  What happens?

If you can successfully access the network resources of both computers via "Start -> Run" (assuming they both have resources to share); then the basic components of "File and Printer Sharing" are operational.

If not, then there's more work to do.  Let us know. 

[nabbers]

I have done as you suggested in 'Run' and the results are as follows.
I can access both computers if I type in the IP address [ie \\192.168.....etc]
BUT
The message I receive when I type the name of the computer is:

Windows cannot find 'jen'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search.

However, when I do a search, I can find this machine in 'workgroup'.
Can you advise please?
Many thanks.
nabbers

[dahlarbear]

1.  Workgroup.  Are these Windows XP installations members of a "Workgroup"?  The same workgroup?

2.  Simple/Advanced File Sharing.  Are these Windows XP installations setup for "Simple" or "Advanced" File Sharing?

3.  TCP/IP Configuration.  Do both computers receive their TCP/IP configuration dynamically from the DHCP server in the router or do you statically assign these parameters.  Are they both on the same network, e.g. "192.168.1.x", with the same subnet mask, e.g. "255.255.255.0".

4.  Possible name resolution issue?

The message I receive when I type the name of the computer is:

Windows cannot find 'jen'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search.

Does this happen in both directions?  When you Start-Run "\\jen" from the other computer and when you Start-Run "\\OtherComputerName" from jen?

Can you successfully "ping" both computers by name from each other?

If you're using a static TCP/IP configuration, you could use an "LMHosts" file for NetBIOS name resolution (see Why Can't I See My Computer on the Network?) or possibly a "hosts" file; but you shouldn't have to.

5.  Host Firewalls.  Are these computers using host firewall software?  If Windows Firewall, enable the "File and Printing Sharing" exception and reboot to see if that helps.  It may take ten or twelve minutes for the Computer Browser to discover the other computers in the workgroup.

Better option while troubleshooting would be to drop or disable all host fireware software, reboot, and see if that makes a difference.

6.  Computer Browser.  Ensure the "Computer Browser" service is running on at least one of the computers (the one that's always/usually on).

To check the status of the Computer Browser service on a computer running Windows XP, do the following:
    o  Cllick Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Services.
    o  In the details pane of the Services snap-in, double-click the Computer Browser service.

Startup type should be set to Automatic and the Service status should be Started.

[dahlarbear]

From document:  Troubleshooting File and Printer Sharing in Microsoft Windows XP

Verify Client Computer Configuration

When troubleshooting the client computer, you need to verify the following:

o  That the Client for Microsoft Networks component is installed and enabled on the network connection connected to your home or small office network.

o  That the Workstation service is running. If it is not, check the system event log for errors and information about why the Workstation service did not start.

o  That you can ping the server computer by its IP address and its name.

o  That the client computer is not using TCP/IP filtering, which might be preventing response messages from the server computer.

To check whether TCP/IP filtering is enabled, do the following:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
 
2. Right-click the network connection that corresponds the network adapter attached to your private network, and then click Properties.
 
3. On the General tab, double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in the This connection uses the following items list.
 
4. On the General tab, click Advanced.
 
5. On the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box, click the Options tab.

6. Under Optional settings, click TCP/IP Filtering, and then click Properties.

7. To disable TCP/IP filtering, clear the Enable TCP/IP Filtering (all adapters) check box, and then click OK.


Verify Server Computer Configuration

When troubleshooting the server computer, you need to verify the following:

o  That the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks component is installed and enabled on the network connection connected to your home or small office network.

o  That file sharing is enabled.

o  That the Server service is running. If it is not, check the system event log for errors and information about why the Server service did not start.

o  That the server computer is sharing the desired folder or printer.

o  That if the server computer has ICF enabled on the network connection attached to the home or small office network, then service definitions are defined to allow incoming file and printer sharing traffic.

o  That if the server computer has Windows Firewall enabled, then the File and Printer Sharing exception from the Exceptions tab of the Windows Firewall Control Panel applet is enabled.

o  That the server computer is not using TCP/IP filtering, which might be preventing response messages from the client computer.

o  That the guest account is active for network connections.

In User Accounts (available from Control Panel-User Accounts) the Guest account is off by default. However this setting only applies to the ability to log on the local computer using the Guest account. Simple file sharing relies on guest access to shared folders and printers. To verify that the Guest account is active for network access, do the following:

1. Log on to Windows XP with an administrator account.

2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.

3. In the Command Prompt window, type net user guest, and then press ENTER.

4. If the account is active, a line appears in the output of the command that states Account active               Yes.

5. If the account is not active, type net user guest /active:yes and then press ENTER.

6. Type exit and press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.