Network Troubleshooting and Check Lists        Help Us!

If one networking computer has a difficulty to communicate with other computers running win9x, ME, NT and w2k/xp in a peer-to-peer workgroup, make sure that you have setup the common workgroup, protocol, logon IDs, enabled the file and printer sharing, and setup necessary permission for the user accessing.

One of the common problems in workgroup network is permission. If you have the above mentioned setup correctly, and even used the same ID and password of the accessed computer to logon, and you are still unable to access the win2000/XP computer, try to enable the guest account in the win2000/XP (enable guest account is risky) or even enable simple file sharing on XP.

Another common problem in mixed (win9x, NT, ME, Win2K and XP) workgroup network is name resolution. If you can ping IP but not computer name, this may be a NetBIOS issue. You may try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on win2K/XP if you don't have WINS server. For some reasons, you just can't ping the computer name even you enable the NetBIOS over TCP/IP, you may try to install NetBEUI on win2K/XP. If you can't see other computers but you can map the other computers' shared folder using UNC (\\computername\sharedfolder), this may be master browser issue. You may want to disable master browser on W2K/XP in a small mixed OS workgroup network.

Finally, we also find that running the network wizard on the XP and using the setup-disks created by WinXP for  win98
computers may create some potential networking problems.

Still need help, contact consultant at http://hidev.com/contactus.asp for the tech support.

The following are some of the symptoms and resolutions or check lists (also referee to Network Analysis - Resolution for IPC$, Incorrect password or unknown username problem).

Can browse the Internet but not LAN
Can't see one of the shared folders
Can ping but can't see other computers
 Can't net view computername - error 52
 Can't ping or net view computername - error 53
Can't net view computer - error 5
I have enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP but ipconfig /all shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP disable.
Loading NetBEUI works but not NetBIOS over TCP/IP
Problems with workstation service
Problems with Server service
Why can't I see a computer even I can ping it
What does "No more connections can be made to this remote computer" mean
 Win9x can't see Win2000/XP
Zone Alarm may disable file sharing


Can browse the Internet but not LAN

SYMPTOMS: 1) in a mixed OS network including Win9x, ME, NT, W2K and XP, the computers can still obtain IP addresses that are assigned by a DHCP server, but they cannot see each other in Network Neighborhood or in My Network Places.
2) You can browse the Internet, but you cannot browse your local area connection.
3) You are able to ping your loopback address (127.0.0.1), but you cannot ping another computer on the same network.

Resolutions: The problem may occur if your hardware router has a built-in firewall or software firewall like ICF that has closed ports. Open the ports or for the test, disable firewall.

Can't see one of the shared folders

Symptom: your peer network with one Win 98SE and some Win 2000 Pro systems on the LAN operates fines except the W98SE machine
sees all W2kPro machines but not one of shared folders on one w2k computer. Other W2kPro machines can sees the folder. You have set necessary permissions, users, passwords.
Resolution: make sure the  folder's name  is shorter then 15 characters.

Can ping but can't see other computers

Symptom: If W2k machine is multihomed, you may be able to ping other computers but can't see them on My Network Places.

Resolutions: change the Connection order. To do this, open Network Connection>Advanced (Menu)>Advanced Settings>Adapters & Bindings, reorder the Connections.

Can't net view computername - error 52

Symptoms: you can ping a host but not net view it. When using net view \\hostname, you get system error 52 - a duplicate name exists on the network.

Resolutions: there are two host names or alias name (cname) are pointed to the same IP. 1) check the WINS records. 2) check DNS records. 3) Go to System in the Control Panel to change the computer name and try again.

Can't ping or net view computername - error 53

Symptom: if you can ping IP but not computername, or if you can net view \\IP but not \\computername (error 53). You have name resolution problem. Resolutions: 1) if it is domain environment, check your WINS. 2) if it is peer-to-peer workgroup, enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP. 3) or add NetBEUI on all your workstations.

Can't net view computer - error 5  

If you can see the win2000/XP computer listed in workgroup but when using net view \\computername, you get "Error 5. Access is denied", this is a permission issue. Make sue all computers are in the same group or logon the same username. Or need to cache credential: logon the same username and password on both computers or use net net use \\computername /user:username command.

How can I restore IPC$

IPC$ is a resource that shares the named pipes that are essential for communication between programs. You use IPC$ during remote administration of a computer and when you view a computer's shared resources. You should not delete this resource. If IPC$ share is missing, restore it by using command net share ipc$.

I have enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP but ipconfig /all shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP disable.

For some reasons, you have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on W2K/XP but using ipconfig /all still shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP disable. The alternative solution will be installing NetBEUI to all computers.

I can't see a computer even I can ping \\computername

Sometimes, you may be able to ping or net view \\computer, but can't see it in My Network Places. If this is a case, you may want to check the workgroup or domain, make sure they are in the same group or domain. Also check the computer browser issue. In the most cases, you may be able to use the computer resources if it enable file and printer sharing and logon the same logon.

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 Your feedback and contributions to this web site

Loading NetBEUI works but not NetBIOS over TCP/IP

In general, computer browser performance improves with fewer protocols or network cards on a computer. This is one of reasons why NetBEUI is not loaded WinXP by default. If loading NetBEUI make the workgroup to see each but not enabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP, this is not name resolution issue. This is because of some reasons such as a firewall running.

Problems with workstation service

If you get the following symptoms, you may need to check workstation service and make sure it is running on the computer.
1. "Unable to browse the network". The network is not present or not stated when click MS Windows Network under Entire Network.
2. "The service has not been started" when using net view or net send.
3. You may not be able to logon.

Problems with Server service

If you get the following symptoms, you may need to check server service and make sure it is running.
1. You may receive "System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found" when using net view \\computername from a remote computer.
2. The service has not been started when using net share.
3. You may receive "\\computername is not accessible. Then network path was not found" when trying to browse the computer from My Network Places.
4. You may receive "System error 51 has occurred. The remote computer is not available" when using net use to map the computer drive.

What are maximum number of workgroup network connections?

A: When attempting to connect to another computer in peer-to-peer workgroup network, you may receive "No more connections can be made to this remote computer" message. This behavior occurs if the computer reaches the maximum number of inbound connections that the computer can host. For Win2000/XP Pro, the maximum number of other computers that are permitted to simultaneously connect over the network is ten. For WinXP HE, the maximum number of other computers that are permitted to simultaneously connect over the network is five. Note: that this limitation applies only to inbound connections to Win2000/XP. When you use Win2000/XP, unlimited outbound connections can be established to other systems.

Win9x can't see Win2000/XP

By default, Win2000/XP disables NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) for selected clients. In a peer-to-peer network without WINS, Win9x  will be unable to browse, locate, or create file and print share connections to a Windows 2000 computer with NetBIOS disabled. So, you must setup the Win2000/XP to uses NetBIOS over TCP/IP to communicate with prior versions of Windows NT and other clients, such as Microsoft Windows 95. Alternatively, you may want to add NetBEUI on all workstations in the peer-to-peer network.

Zone Alarm may disable file sharing

You setup a peer-to-peer network correctly but no one can see one of the networking computers and the computer can't see others. Later you find that Installing ZA prevents file sharing because Zone Alarm will consider all other machines on the network as untrusted and will not allow them to communicate with the machine ZA is installed on. Resolution: 1) Disabling Zone Alarm. 2) To fix this, in the firewall section "ZONE" tab use the ADD button to specify which Ip's or range of ip's are local, it would also be a good idea to specify which NIC is local on a multi-homed machine.
To do that, go to Security >> Advance button and select the "local zone contents" tab then click Add and specify which ip or range of ip are local also specify local interface on multi-homed machine.

Still need help, contact consultant at http://hidev.com/contactus.asp for the tech support.