Accessing Workgroup

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Vince - 31 Mar 2006 03:23 GMT

Hello:

I have never had an issue with network access before. However today I tried
to access a computer that is on the same network as mine but is using a
different workgroup name.

The workgroup name is workgroup. I can access all other work groups other
than this one. Did Microsoft create this workgroup to only be accessable by
other computers with the same workgroup name?

If so how can I get past this and look at other workgroups from the machine
with the workgroup named workgroup.

Please note there is not a firewall on the machine except for the windows
firewall and of course the router.

Thanks

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Vince - 31 Mar 2006 04:07 GMT

I got in a few minutes later. Must have something to do with the wireless
system.

Vince

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Thanks

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Chuck - 31 Mar 2006 04:09 GMT

>Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>Please note there is not a firewall on the machine except for the windows
>firewall and of course the router.

Vince,

You can always access any computer on your network, given the right
authentication / authorisation. But seeing the other computers could be tricky.

If your immediate computer is in WorkgroupA, and there's another workgroup,
WorkgroupB, you'll be able to see the other computer if there is a properly
working master browser for both workgroups.

That said, there could be a problem with the master browser setup for either
workgroup. Are all computers on the same physical network segment? Do any
computers get turned off at any time? Depending upon how you answer those
questions, we could identify a problem. Read my article, if you like:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

How many computers are in your workgroup? In the Workgroup workgroup? How many
computers in total? On this physical network segment?

Signature

Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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Vince - 31 Mar 2006 04:23 GMT

Ok here is my setup.

I have a computer room with internet access that the public uses. This room
has 4 computers in the room all on the same workgroup and the same account
names. Never an issue accessing any of them.

Now we also have a wireless system by smart bridges that connects to our
router. They use the same range of IP addresses since they are assigned from
our router. However each user that accesses the wireless may have a
different work group. The total of those are unknow because it can change on
a minute to minute basis.

We never share anything with all of those people but I do every once in a
while have a user share a folder on their machine so I can copy something
over to them.

What happens is sometimes the work groups are not available or if I am on
their machine and click show workgroup computers it will fail. But later it
will work again and all will be well.

Could this be an issue with the wireless system?

One other thing. Even though this workgroup may not be available I would
like to be able to click the link to see the entire network but on XP you do
not have that link available untill your work group opens up. Is there
another way to get to the entire list of work groups?

And one last thing. I have noticed that if a person has 2 or 3 computers all
have the same accounts on them and say one is XP Pro and the others are XP
Home. Then any machine can navigate to documents and settings\user
name\desktop and get in if they are trying to access an XP Home machine but
when trying to go the other direction the XP Pro will let them into any file
but the user account folders. None of the folders are set private.

Any idea why Home and Pro are acting different?

Thanks
Vince

> >Hello:
> >
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> computers get turned off at any time? Depending upon how you answer those
> questions, we could identify a problem. Read my article, if you like:

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.h
tml>

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

> How many computers are in your workgroup? In the Workgroup workgroup? How many
> computers in total? On this physical network segment?

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Chuck - 31 Mar 2006 04:43 GMT

>> On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 21:23:00 -0500, "Vince" <willgivewhenneeded@ok.com>
>wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
>How many
>> computers in total? On this physical network segment?

>Ok here is my setup.
>
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>Thanks
>Vince

Vince,

To answer the last questions first, Windows XP Home and XP Pro can share files
differently. XP Home always runs Simple File Sharing. With SFS, if a folder is
accessible by anybody, it's accessible by everybody. With XP Pro, you can
enable or disable SFS. With SFS disabled, you can use the Guest account on some
folders, and enable SFS like access, selectively. Read my article, if you like,
for details:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

Now to the workgroup access / visibility issue. The contents of Network
Neighborhood depends upon the browser subsystem, and upon a master browser which
manages the browser subsystem. The master browser needs to be one computer,
which needs to be stable. If you have WiFi connected computers in a workgroup,
you won't have a stable browser subsystem.

The browser subsystem works best in a domain, where the domain controller
becomes the master browser. You take great pains to ensure that the domain
controller stays up, 7 x 24 x 60. In a workgroup, folks can turn their computer
off on a whim. If someone powers the master browser off, or if someone carries
the master browser out of range of the router for a few seconds, and the master
browser disappears, another computer may become the master browser.

Have you ever seen what happens in a department when two people try to be the
boss? That's what happens when two computers try to be the master browser.
It's chaos. Read my article please for more details. It's fascinating.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

Signature

Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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Vince - 31 Mar 2006 05:33 GMT

Thanks for the info. Now I understand why the access problems to some of the
computers.

This is not a real big issue for me since there is nothing on that network
except for internet computers with no company data, I was just courious why
the navigating was strange. We provide this for our customers so when they
stay at our resort they can check email. Any other issues really are not
that important as long as they get an IP from my router.

Anyway as for the real company business machines they are on their own
router with their own seperate internet system and not a single wireless
computer in the bunch. Never a network issue there.

I will be sure to read your article on sharing. I don't need access to the
documents folders because all of the important stuff is shared in other
locations but I was just courious as to the reason incase it ever became an
issue.

So thanks for the info and I will enjoy your article.

Vince

> >> On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 21:23:00 -0500, "Vince" <willgivewhenneeded@ok.com>
> >wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
>
>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.h

tml

> >> How many computers are in your workgroup? In the Workgroup workgroup?
> >How many
[quoted text clipped - 66 lines]
> boss? That's what happens when two computers try to be the master browser.
> It's chaos. Read my article please for more details. It's fascinating.

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.h
tml>

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

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Vince - 31 Mar 2006 06:01 GMT

Just checked out your articles. Man I could stay there for hours or even
days.

I really do a pretty good job at keeping things up. I have not had any major
issues and only one machine ever got attacked by Spy/Ad ware.

No formal training just learning from sources such as yours. Thanks for the
help and a great website to use as a reference.

> Thanks for the info. Now I understand why the access problems to some of the
> computers.
[quoted text clipped - 140 lines]
> like,
> > for details:

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html>

> > http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html
> >
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> browser.
> > It's chaos. Read my article please for more details. It's fascinating.

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.h

> tml>

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

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Chuck - 31 Mar 2006 06:33 GMT

>> Thanks for the info. Now I understand why the access problems to some of
>the
[quoted text clipped - 197 lines]
>>
>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

>Just checked out your articles. Man I could stay there for hours or even
>days.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Vince

Thanks for the feedback, Vince. Drop by any time.

Signature

Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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Socrates - 31 Mar 2006 10:17 GMT

> If so how can I get past this and look at other workgroups from the machine

with the workgroup named workgroup.

Simply by creating a bridged connection in network connections and
following the wizard.

"Workgroup" is just the default name given by windows - you can call a
workgroup by any name you like, but make sure none of th computers have
that name and that they all have the same work group name if they are
in a workgroup.

You can connect together workgroups with different names by creating a
bridge.

www.amw1.com/tips

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