finding new computer on office network

[gib65]

I've got a laptop running Windows XP and I've plugged it into the office network. I'm able to surf the net and ping other computers. Other computers are able to ping back. What I'd like to do now is go into My Network Places and find it on the office network. Is there a website that goes through a step-by-step proceedure for how to get this done?

 

[jmacavali]

Are you trying to access the files on that computer? If so you need to enable file sharing first.

 

[gib65]

Thanks jmacavali,

I'm starting to think my problem is that the two computers are on different workgroups. When I go to My Network Places on the laptop, I see a whole bunch of computers most of which I recognize (the one's I don't I'm probably just unfamiliar with their names). And then when I go to My Network Places on my desktop, all I get is what looks like a network folder with our WAN IP address. I click on it and after authenticating I get taken to our FTP site on the office server.

Is there a way to figure out what workgroup each computer is on, and how to put them on the same workgroup? I've researched this on the net and haven't come up with anything answering my questions yet, and I'm continuing to research as I await replies from helpful people like yourself. Thanks.

 

[iPwn]

Right click on My Computer and go to Computer Name. It will show the workgroup as well as let you modify it. You will need to be in the same workgroup to see other computers on the network.

 

[gib65]

Right click on My Computer and go to Computer Name. It will show the workgroup as well as let you modify it. You will need to be in the same workgroup to see other computers on the network.

Well, that rules out my theory. Both computers are on "WORKGROUP".

Any more guesses as to why my desktop can't see any other computers on the network (except for the FTP site on our server)?

 

[jmacavali]

Are they both running the same Operating System?

Try pinging the other computer (START>RUN>type CMD into the run box>type PING {IP ADDRESS OF OTHER PC}.

Also you can try START>RUN>type //Computer Name or IP address>hit ENTER.


See if either of those two help at all. This will tell us if they can communicate with each other.

 

[gib65]

They can ping each other but they can't connect through start > run > computer name or IP address. On the laptop, I get the message:

The network path was not found

On the desktop, I get

[IP ADDRESS] is not accessable. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The network is not present or not selected.

We don't have an 'administrator' (I would be him), and I'm not sure how to find out if I have permissions or how to change them. I did enable file sharing on both computers.

 

[jmacavali]

Double check that your username is listed in the file sharing with permissions to access the files.

Also it's \\ those slashes not // like I put in my previous post. Sorry about that.

 

[gib65]

This problem has been solved. I went to Tools > Folder Options > view > unchecked "use simple file sharing".