Ok solved the network hardware issue, Anyone out there know why I can SEE other computers on the network but cannot access them? I have shared drives, enabled TCP/IP, named same workgroup for all....but nothing shows up when I click network neighborhood and computers near me. nothing meaning no drives

Anyone got some good network troubleshooting sites out there??

Ah, the old "browse" problem.

First of all, check to see if you can connect to another computer on the network by name.

Go to the Start menu, select Run, then type two backslashes followed by the computer name. For instance, on my network, my computer is named MONKEYBRAINS and you would access it by typing \\MONKEYBRAINS into the "Run" box.

If that works, it's a browser service issue, and to be honest, those seem to kind of come and go on ad-hoc LANs and I've never seen a solution. Happens to me at LAN parties all the time.

Oh, and make sure none of your computers have goofy characters in their names. Letters and numbers only, no spaces etc.

Um, what OS are you using? Do you have File and printer sharing for Microsoft networks listed in your network configuration and also Net BEUI?

Do you have File and printer sharing for Microsoft networks listed in your network configuration

He said he had shared drives, so I'm guessing it's in there.

and also Net BEUI?

This is not necessary to be able to see computers in a Workgroup, and in fact, I would highly recommend that NetBEUI be de-installed on all systems unless you have a specific need for it. It's Microsoft's old proprietary networking protocol and nobody uses it any more. I wouldn't be surprised if it was riddled with security holes. It's my long-standing policy to disable any services on any Windows box that aren't actively being used.

W2K Pro Yes netbooey and file/printshareall enabled interesting to Tony's point that I could NOT see the the other computers until netbooey was enabled on both machines. Got a lot more respect for those Network wags at work now!!

Right, enabling NetBEUI will magically make the other machines appear on the network. Because it's Yet Another Way To Choke Network Bandwidth By Sending Useless Packets, some of those packets are used by Windows for PCs to identify each other.

But on my home LAN, I deliberately have removed NetBEUI from all machines and I can still see everyone in network neighborhood. So NetBEUI is not needed for this functionality. If it were my network, I'd rather get to the root of the problem than to put a band-aid on it by enabling a service that you shouldn't otherwise need.

Well allllrighty then, I will remove netbui and see what gives...(really just report what happening before and after net bui) In the mean time i CAN directly connect using the Run \\computername.....Could it be a map drive issue [grasping]

I don't understand. You say that you can see them, but then you say that nothing shows up in ``Computers Near Me''. Where is it that you are seeing the computers?

Note that I've found that in order for Windows networking to work properly, you have to ``log in'' to the local computer. So make sure you're doing that.

Sorry, I can see the computer name in network neighborhood, but when I click on it all I get is the printers folder and on one, a "scheduled tasks" folders, no drives....

Now with further experiments:
I disable Netbui and I cannot even get to the computer, when I click on the computer name it comes back with "Computername is not accessible, The network path was not found"

If Netbui IS enabled I can at least get the printers folder and if i try to map a drive (\\computername\c$) it asks me for a username I would like to use and a password, If I enter my logon username and password (administrator level) it does not accept them. My home unit is set up with no passwords and IT still asks for one......GRRRRRRRR

OK Confirmed, Netbui is doing something but I'm not sure what. Disabled I am unable to connect (but can see) the other computer...Netbui enabled, I can see and open (at least to see printer folder, no drives) computers near me but if I attempt to map a drive letter (\\computername\c$) I get asked for a password

Do you have ``File and Printer Sharing'' enabled for the computers you're trying to connect to?

IIRC, all networked Windows machines have a username and password (remember entering it once the first time you booted and it told you to leave it blank if you didn't want to be asked again?). Maybe you can reset them somehow?

Not trying to step on your toes, Tony. If I'm wrong, say so.

Don't want to get shouted at here, or point out the obvious. BUT, aren't shares like C$ administrator shares which are hidden from the browsemaster. You can only get at them with an administrator password. Have you explicity created shared drives on the system or are you expecting to see the standard admin shares? At work I have a share called 'Share' which points to a folder in the root called unsurprisingly, share. This available to anyone on the network, if I wanted full access then I open the C$ share from the Run box.

Erm, this does actually mean that your network is working exactly is it should You are seeing PC's in Network Neighbourhood and you are seeing only the shares that are set up on those machines. The administrator shares (C$, IPC$ etc) require you to have network admin rights or local admin rights for the remote machine.

You want to go to the remote machines and enable the shares you need. All should then be well.

Like what I said

I'm using Win98. It works differently than 2000. It's been years since I networked any 2000 machines.

I have admistrator rights to all machines and I reset the passwords to make sure they were known and entering them still doesn't get me access to drive I get the attached file when I try to map them directly //computername/c$

File and printer sharing enabled.....TCP/IP Enabled....Client for Microsoft Networks enabled..deterministic Network enhancer enabled...

See above posts for my wierd Netbui issue (must be loaded to even open other computers on network.

Same workgroup name, no funky computer names

my local computer does not have to be logged into (single user setup) but just in case i reset the passwords and this had no effect

Sorry, I can see the computer name in network neighborhood

Ah, I misunderstood.

I thought you meant that you can't see the computer name in network neighborhood and that was the root of your problem.

but when I click on it all I get is the printers folder and on one, a "scheduled tasks" folders, no drives....

Normally, you do not see drives because they are HIDDEN shares.

Any share with a dollar sign ($) at the end is HIDDEN. If you hand-create a share, for instance, if you rightclick on a folder and say "sharing", and then share that folder with a name that DOESN'T end in a dollar sign, then you will see it.

I disable Netbui and I cannot even get to the computer, when I click on the computer name it comes back with "Computername is not accessible, The network path was not found"

If the network stops working when you disable Netbeui, then there is a problem with the TCP/IP addressing of the computers. Netbeui is its own proprietary protocol and will work independently of TCP addresses. This makes it easy for you to get your little ad-hoc LAN going, but it will not help you when the time comes to have a LAN party or when you want to hook this network up to a broadband router. Those things require a properly working TCP/IP network, they will not run over Netbeui.

You should be able to get it working without Netbeui if you've got TCP/IP installed and you assign fixed IP addresses to each computer, like so:

Computer 1
-------------
IP address:10.0.0.41
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Computer 2
-------------
IP address:10.0.0.42
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Computer 3
-------------
IP address:10.0.0.43
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Etc...

Thanks Tony,

Where do you LEARN all this cool stuff, is it a secret book? Tribal knowledge? Where would I start on the path to network enlightenment. I will try these tidbits tonight...I dont have fixed IP addresses I thoguht these were kinda limiting and everyone sez "just check the auto assign box"... More fun tonight!!

Are you using the same username on all the computers? If not try creating an account on the same computer with the same name as your login on the accessing one and assigning the share read access for that name.

Where do you LEARN all this cool stuff, is it a secret book?

Well, there are books, and they aren't secret. But in my case, book larnin' has nothing to do with it. It's just years of trial-and-error, making all the same mistakes you're probably making, and just remembering what fixed them. Nothing like the sting of failure to enhance the learning process, eh?

Would appreciate any books/websites you could point me to that aren't either too simple or way over my head...

erm...yup

Shows how much I pay attention, huh.

GOT IT!! OK so what I did was to add a user to each computer that was the same as the user of the computer on the other machines i was accessing from and Voila, I can Log in and Share Stuff....Just plugged in the Empeg to the network and BLAM.... Networked Empeg!! Now I can Set up my playlist from anywhere in the house!

Question: Can I merely control the Empeg from anywhere Or is there an option to use it as a music server somehow??

THis is so Cool!! I Just figured out how to make it a music server....DOH! I GET it now, THis is soooooooooo Coooool!!! I have music all over the house but just one question...How do it know?? I mean, I have 10 Songs going and no skips, is it downloading the song locally?? Sorry New (and VERY Excited) to these possibiliities. I used to think that the guy with the NSX was a bit nuts for doing his wireless bu now...I could leve it in the car and music serve the entire house from the car in the garage. Thank You mark lord and the hijack program.

Question....IS there a pretty face for the web link???

Well, charcoalgray did a very nice page for the empeg (shows the front panel, display and buttons are functional, the remote can also be displayed and its buttons work too. Found here
IIRC, someone recently posted a modified version, but I've forgotten who it was... OK found it. It was Aragon, and here it is.

/Michael