Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler OT for IT: Networking Win98, XP and 2K machines

OK, I'm trying to network all my PCs, but my Win98 PC is not cooperating. Here's what I've got:

Netgear Wireless 802.11b router (814, one of the older ones)
Desktop 1 running XP w/ a Linksys 802.11b USB adapter
Laptop running Win2K w/ centrino
Desktop running Win98 wired to the router

Using my laptop, I can see (and access) the shared folders on my desktop 1. On the desktop 1, I run Norton security and I've allowed the IP for the laptop, so I'm OK there. I've also added the IP for the desktop 2 into Norton. On desktop 2, I search for the computer and can see desktop 2 BUT I can access it, so I can't any folders or resources. I haven't tried, but I'm sure I can pink from desktop 2 to desktop 1.

What am I missing? I'd like to share the folders from desktop 2 but I'm not sure if I'm missing a setting on Win98.

Does Win98 have to have the same domain name set as the WinXP machine? That's not the case on my Win2K laptop. Both the laptop and WinXP desktop have different domains but it still works fine.

I believe I tried it w/ Norton off w/ no success, but I'll try again to make sure.

Thanks IT folks!

Win98 is very picky about workgroup names (I assume you meant workgroup instead of domain, right?). Make sure it matches. You should also make sure that your account on the 98 machine exists (same username/password) on the other machines you're trying to access.

Right, I meant workgroup. I'll change it to match and see how it goes.

If I remember correctly (and I may NOT!), connecting between Win 98 and XP required the NetBEUI protocol installed on the XP computer. Or maybe it was the other way around...NetBEUI on the XP to communicate with the Win98.

HA! Good reminder. It's been a while since I've have to enable NetBUI. That may be disabled on the Win98.

Man, Win2K is so much easier...

Also try this to get to your remote drives: \\computername\drive$. It may ask for a user name and password. The $ sign tells the system that you are wanting full access or administrative privileges.
It's been so long....

I'd try switching to Linux ;-)

Another thing you may have to consider is the name of the share. I've had to export specific share names (no spaces for example) to allow Win98 computers to connect to shares on my Win 2K server.

Make sure the MS Windows Client for File and Printer Sharing is installed on the Win 98 machine. There are also some security considerations but I wouldn't go there until you've tried everything else.

Beginning with Win2K TCP/IP and DNS became the favored protocol and name resolution scheme as opposed to netbeui, netbeui over TCP/IP, and WINS. Netbeui needs to run OVER TCP/IP to be routable. Anyhoo, make sure netb is installed on both. Make sure Client for Microsoft Networks is installed all around, as well as File and Printer Sharing. If they can ping you are just about there. Also, to make things easy, create the same logins on both computers to get around the password prompt. And make sure you have good anti-spyware and virus protection. Installing MS networking is analogous to putting up a neon sign saying "Hack Me and Infest Me."

I have NetBUI installed. I changed the WinME machine to have the same workgroup name as the XP machine. From ME, I can see the XP machine. But I can't access ANY part of the XP machine. The network connections are valid because the ME machine can PING SBC's local server, my wifi router, and the XP machine. But that's it.

Any ideas? Maybe it's time for me to go to a Windows forum (cringing)? Suggestions for that too?

Is the built-in firewall in XP on? I think it is on by default...you need to turn it off.

That would be the place I would check, too. (sorry I didn't mention it before; I thought someone else had!)

Norton Security.

You do not need netbeui. Netbeui was used when operating systems were Windows for workgroups 3.11, Win NT, Win95, Win98(original version). This was used in earlier Microsoft and Novell networks. <- oldtimers in geekwork should remember Novell with 10baseT

But follow all the points that BlueStater mentioned. "Make sure Client for Microsoft Networks is installed all around, as well as File and Printer Sharing. " Use the same workgroup as mentioned by pmbuko. Most importantly that you are running Win98 "Second Edition" with any of the Win XP,XP Media Center Edition, Win 2000 or 2003 network.

To see other drives in the network ... open up Windows Explorer...right click any directory on your hard drive....sharing...share this folder.

Also XP, 2k create default usernames to log in. Usually Administrator or whatever name you use to log in. 98 by default does not login as a user. tleigh's suggestion might be the ticket.

Actually with 98 you do net NETBIOS over TCP/IP

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/net-98.asp
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/net-update.asp

Good suggestion, I'll try that. Yes, file and print sharing are installed on all my machines.