What's up w/ shares in Win XP Home

[unhappy]

I just got a good contract job at another office. I have a big problem w/ a printer in that office. These guys work as independent contractors so every single on has their own laptop or a pc. Because all of these computers are Win XP home edition I have giving up on trying to convince the owner to set up a domain. At this point all I'm trying to do is keep the network secure from the outside and make them be able to print on the network. Since they don't even have enough jacks I was trying to set up the printer as a share on a spare computer. The problems I have:

1. Some of the computers are in a different 'workgroups'. Even thought I changed the workgroup to 'office' the system cannot see each other. Even though "some" see each other they cannot share their resources (i.e. printer) I am flat out refused access "You don't have permission to share the resources on this computer" I always thought that shares resources are password protected. Some computers let me input the password some refuse to share all together. Are there certain kind of "group policies" that I don't know about build into XP Home. I have disabled the firewall on all of them.

2. Some systems can ping other systems on the network but not the other way around. WTF. I have disabled the firewall on all of them.

[Cemetric]

Well ..you can start by disabling the "simple file sharing" option...this solves some share problems that I know off...

You find it in Tools -> Folder Options -> View ->scroll down and deactivate the option "Use simple file sharing (Recommended)"

Check to see if all computers have TCP/IP instead of NETBEUI or something (obvious but sometimes overlooked)

Check this link for more tips on troubleshooting these pesky Windows XP Home problems

Yell if there are any other problems

C.

[whatthe]

How are they getting IPs? Static or is there DHCP somewhere?

[unhappy]

there is a DHCP on a router, basic 192.168.1.* scheme

WTF is "simple file sharing" ... is that like opposite of "complex file sharing"

[Cemetric]

WTF is "simple file sharing" ... is that like opposite of "complex file sharing"

Hehehe ...yeah ...just turn it off ...you'll never wanna use it again

C.

[unhappy]

Just a thought. A priter is shared when an Administrative account is running. Do I have to log in as Admin on a peer to share that resource. I don't think so ... right??? Not in a workgoup environment... right???

Come nihil ... where are you when I need you.

[Cemetric]

Note All network access to either a Windows XP Home Edition-based computer in a workgroup or to a Windows XP Professional-based computer in a workgroup uses the Guest account. Before you continue troubleshooting, make sure that the Guest account is set up for network access. To do this, follow these steps:

So ..is the Guest account enabled ?? ... if this isn't enabled the basic Print and File sharing will not work as designed.

Thus ... The guest account has access to the printers ...you don't have to be logged in as Admin to be able to share a printer.

Hope this answers your question ??

[EDIT] Forgot to add the source [/EDIT]
C.

[unhappy]

thank you i can't believe i didn't notice that part ...

[whatthe]

If you don't turn off Simple File Sharing you won't get the Security tab when you go into the properties of a file or folder.

[unhappy]

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee help me

guys i will pay anyone in NYC are $200 to come over here


i am not a newbe ... i swear ...i did everything i can think of ... the systems seem to be connected by a switch and they cannot see each other

one thing i can think of .. is that the computer w/ the printer attached cannot PING ITSELF... WTF... IT CAN PING 127.0.0.1 BUT IT CANNOT PING 192.168.1.WHTEVER ... that's why i think it cannot share the ****ing printer WTF

I SWEAR ...ANYONE REPLIES TO THIS TOPIC FROM nyc I WILL PAY YOU THE MONEY AND THEN GO PROMPTLY TO THE NEARES GUN SHOP AND SOOOT MYSELF...