Windows Firewall Problem

28 Nov 2006 2:12 PM

Marc Seidler

I have a client with a strange problem.
The windows firewall dialog box shows the firewall is off but the options
are grayed out.
The Service is started.
The system does not have Norton or Mcafee or any other Internet security
package installed with it's own firewall.
This is an issue as the system acts as if the firewall is enabled as I
cannot see or use any shared folders or printers accross the LAN. The
problem system is a Dell DT with XP Home and the system trying to access the
shared printer has Media Center 2005
The workgroups and user names are the same.
Guest is enabled.
Restrictannonomous is set to 0
Netbios is enabled
I ran WinFix to clear out any possible TCP issues
I uninstalled the NIC and reinstalled it with the latest drivers.
The system can see the other PC trying to access the shared printer.
Both system have perfect internet access.

--
Marc H. Seidler
The Computer Doctors
www.computerdoctors.net
marcseid***@hotmail.com
seid***@computerdoctors.net
410-840-3434

29 Nov 2006 1:27 AM

Chuck

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On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:12:24 -0500, "Marc Seidler" <ad***@computerdoctors.net>
wrote:

>I have a client with a strange problem.
>The windows firewall dialog box shows the firewall is off but the options
>are grayed out.
>The Service is started.
>The system does not have Norton or Mcafee or any other Internet security
>package installed with it's own firewall.
>This is an issue as the system acts as if the firewall is enabled as I
>cannot see or use any shared folders or printers accross the LAN. The
>problem system is a Dell DT with XP Home and the system trying to access the
>shared printer has Media Center 2005
>The workgroups and user names are the same.
>Guest is enabled.
>Restrictannonomous is set to 0
>Netbios is enabled
>I ran WinFix to clear out any possible TCP issues
>I uninstalled the NIC and reinstalled it with the latest drivers.
>The system can see the other PC trying to access the shared printer.
>Both system have perfect internet access.

Marc,

Let's look at "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from the problem computer
and two others, so we can diagnose the problem. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
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.