I am not sure of the proper place for this question, but a request for help from 
Buffalo directed me back to Windows.

I have four computers in what once was a network.  One is a notebook, running Windows 
XP home, the other three are desktops running Windows 2000.  The three W2K machines 
are wired to a new Buffalo WHG MIMO router, and the notebook can connect either by 
wireless (preferred) or wired (to work directly with the router).

My neighborhood got DSL last week, and I have had it since hour 1.  I followed the 
Buffalo procedure and now have the DSL modem connected to the router, and I can connect 
to the internet from any of these computers.

My original network set-up, before the router, using a simple switch, involved assigning 
a local IP to each computer.  Now I have it set up to let the router perform DHCP 
service.

I cannot get any machine to see any other machine.  I expect to use the default workgroup 
name WORKGROUP.  Each time I try to query computers near me, from any computer, I 
get the message that the system cannot access the workgroup.

I would appreciate suggestions about how to fix the situation, or a complete set 
of directions about how to get the router to be happy with a non-DHCP set-up.  All 
I want is my network back, along with full internet connectivity.

Thank you,
Jan

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

This may not be the answer you wanted, but it is unlikely that your router is causing 
the problem. The Buffalo support people are right; this is a Windows issue.

I'll assume you've checked the simple stuff - cables are OK and in the right ports, 
router is powered up, all machines are in the same workgroup, and you have file sharing 
turned on. 

You can try a couple of things:

Assign static IP addresses to your machines, skip DHCP.

Find the "Hosts" file on your W2K/XP machines at
c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts (c:\WINDOWS on XP)

Open the file and enter an IP address and name for all your machines. Follow the 
format in the HOSTS file and be sure to use Notepad to make the changes. The file 
can't have any formatting like Word creates. Save the file by typing quotes around 
the name ("hosts") or Notepad will add ".txt" to it. Otherwise, the file won't work 
properly.

Open a command window (Start->Run->(type) CMD, then hit enter. Type IPCONFIG  /flushdns 
and hit enter.

Post your results and let me know how you make out.

PS: I am surprised that the Buffalo company has taken down all of their wireless 
product web pages as a result of the injunction. For other readers of this thread, 
please take a look at 
http://www.buffalotech.com/products/wireless/

Damn lawyers!







On Sunday, November 18, 2007 at 7:47 am, Jan wrote:

>I am not sure of the proper place for this question, but a request for help from 

>Buffalo directed me back to Windows.
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I tried changing to static IP addresses, but ended up destroying the connection to 
the router when I told it not to use DHCP.  That made it impossible to access the 
router administration from the wired ports.  I called Buffalo and they helped me 
to reset things and make it work, but I was still unable to see the local workgroup. 
 

I then installed NETBeUI on the W2K and XP machines  (yes, XP has it, but you have 
to add it first).  This resolved the problem and I could see the local computers 
from one another; the XP notebook has to be hard-wired to see the local network, 
it does not work across the bridge.

Afterward, I smacked my head and realized that I have ZoneAlarm on the W2K machines, 
so I removed that (there is a firewall in the router, plus encryption for the wireless 
side), removed NETBeUI, and tried again.  No joy, I gotta have NETBeUI running.  
That leaves the Macintosh notebook out in the cold, but I moved the printer (USB), 
so now I can simply plug the thing into the Mac if that becomes necessary.

I did not do the hosts thing, and maybe the working combination would be (1) static 
IP; (2) hosts file; (3)don't turn off DHCP in the router.  Clearly, there are other 
permeations, but the game is not worth the candle.  

Thanks,

Jan







On Sunday, November 18, 2007 at 8:57 am, Dam wrote:

>This may not be the answer you wanted, but it is unlikely that your router is causing 

>the problem. The Buffalo support people are right; this is a Windows issue.

>

>I'll assume you've checked the simple stuff - cables are OK and in the right ports, 

>router is powered up, all machines are in the same workgroup, and you have file 
sharing 

>turned on. 

>

>You can try a couple of things:

>

>Assign static IP addresses to your machines, skip DHCP.

>

>Find the "Hosts" file on your W2K/XP machines at

>c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts (c:\WINDOWS on XP)

>

>Open the file and enter an IP address and name for all your machines. Follow the 

>format in the HOSTS file and be sure to use Notepad to make the changes. The file 

>can't have any formatting like Word creates. Save the file by typing quotes around 

>the name ("hosts") or Notepad will add ".txt" to it. Otherwise, the file won't work 

>properly.

>

>Open a command window (Start->Run->(type) CMD, then hit enter. Type IPCONFIG  /flushdns 

>and hit enter.

>

>Post your results and let me know how you make out.

>

>PS: I am surprised that the Buffalo company has taken down all of their wireless 

>product web pages as a result of the injunction. For other readers of this thread, 

>please take a look at 

>http://www.buffalotech.com/products/wireless/

>

>Damn lawyers!

>

>

> 

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