After 10 hours of frustration, I have finally come to the conclusion that networking a Vista Laptop wirelessly to a network consisting of two XP machines is impossible. I know that there are forums and posts out there that claim they have got it to work. However after following them all I cant not get it to work. My xp machines can see the Vista laptop but cant access it due to permission issues. Vista cant find the XP machines. Both XP Machines can see each other and share files. This is what I have tried;Changing the workgroup namesEnsuring that the network centre has the correct settings (such as file sharing, network discovery)Ensure that all of the folders and all of the hard drives have the correct share and security permissions for "Everyone". Changed firewall settings to all into the tusted zone the IP addresses of all computers ( I am using Zone Alarm firewall). Disabled Zone alarm Firewall on all computersDisabled Windows Firewall on all computersCreated a user account on all machines that has the same password and account information (administrators). I have also tried waiting to see if the computers appear on vista (I read somewhere that microsoft can expect it to take 15 minutes for XP machines to appear). I am stuck. There may be other things I have tried, but after 10 hours I have lost track of all the small changes I have attempted. My advice to anyone attempting this; Unless someone can respond to this and show us all how to network, dont bother! I am fairly confident that I will uninstall Vista (after all, networking isnt the only problems it has), and purchase a new XP copy (you can still get them even if Microsoft say you can't, and I am talking legaly, not copied). If that doesnt work I am going to get a linux. Any comments? Mark

Mark, I can understand your frustration but it can and does work. I suggest you start by uninstalling ZoneAlarm and enabling the windows firewall, then start with a new workgroup name. Don't use passwords. Ill concentrate on the Vista settings as XP seems to be behaving. 1. Add a Vista computer to a workgroup by right-clicking Computer > Properties > Change Settings then change Computer Name and Workgroup Name. Make the computer name meaningful to aid recognition. The computer should reboot. 2. To share a folder on a Vista machine, click it > Share on the toolbar, type 'Everyone' (not the quotes), click Add and set the drop down Permission Level alongside Everyone to either Reader or Co-owner then click Share at the bottom. Two little people should appear on the icons of those that are shared. Alternatively, drag the folders you want to share to the Public folder. 3. Make sure in Control Panel > Classic View > Network and Sharing Center you have Network Discovery, File Sharing and Public Folder Sharing set to On and,as youre not using passwords set Password Protected Sharing to Off. 4. As you are sharing with an XP machine, you may need to install the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) responder on the XP machine so that the computer shows up in Vistas network map, get it here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4F01A31D-EE46-481E-BA11-37F485FA34EA&displaylang=en 5. Windows firewall is normally set to allow file and printer sharing but check that it is. 6. To see or copy files click the Windows Orb (Start) > Network (My Network Places in XP) and the computers/folders/files should appear. Using Windows Explorer drag them from one PC to the other.

I have done everything on that list except Download the LLTD. Upon attempting to download it I get told that My computer doesnt need it because I have a newer service pack download. It aborts the install and want allow me to install it. I have check the protocols for the network connections I am using and it does not appear in those lists, nor does it appear in the lists of protocols to be installed. I can understand if downloading this LLTD allows the XP machines to be seen on the vista machines (or/and vice versa) however my XP machines can see the Vista Laptop but not gain access due to permissions. Thanks for your help and any further sugestions on the LLTD or other are more than welcome. Mark

I know its no consolation to you but Ive done this at least a dozen times and have had no problem, hence my start from scratch suggestion. I use the Windows firewall and the routers firewall. Avast on Vista and AVG 8 on XP. I dont use passwords and my children come and connect/share, again without passwords. 1. Have you uninstalled ZoneAlarm, and/or Norton/McAfee? 2. Try stopping sharingone folder, i.e. right-click it > Share > Stop Sharing > Done. Now go through the sharing procedure again, do the two little people appear on the icons of the folder that is shared? 3. Is file and printer sharing permitted in the Windows firewall?

One of the XP Machines has got Zone Alarm. I have tried it with it disabled and nothing changed, I have also tried it with the windows firewall disabled and no change. The other XP machine has got just windows firewall. Again I have tried it with that turned off. As for the sharing one folder, I have tried stopping and starting all of them. All of them are viewable and accessable accross the XP machines, but not in the Vista machines. I am now going to attempt to trick one of the PC's into letting me install the topology. Mark

Uninstall ZoneAlarm don't disable it. If you wish, you can always reinstall it. Also, there is a new version that caters for KB951748, here http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html I have to go I'm afraid, it's 8 pm here in London and it's time for supper. Good luck.

The Bug that is discussed above has already been solved on the computer that runs Zone alarm, it was fixed about two weeks ago, well before I attempted to set the network up. As for uninstalling Zone alarm....I shouldnt need to. I have one computer that is running it, and one that is. I try everything on both and they are both behaving exactky the same. Unfortunetly there doesnt appear to be a TTLD for service pack 3. I am tempted to unistall service pack 3, install the TTLD and then re-install the service pack. Though I have to say youy shouldnt need to, though then again, I shouldnt need to go through what I am doing now. I can recall once thinking that networking xp machines was difficult, it seems a walk in the park now. I will continue to attempt the TTLD (its the only thing left). It is also 8 here (im in yorkshire). Mark

I have found other issues. Like My XP machine will not see the Vista machine no matter what I do. However I figure that problem is from an error I am getting on the vista machine of "RPC Server is Unavailable" I have no idea WHY that error comes up when I go to the Network center and go to "Public Folder Sharing" no mater which I choose it gives me that error. I am thinking if I could get the public folder sharing to turn on All would be fine. Any Ideas on what is going on there? XP and Vista inter-networking issues are annoying

To the above post; I am afraid I have never had that error "RPC Server is Unavailable" and so cant help you I'm afraid. Last night I unistalled SP3, installed the LLTD (of whatever its called) and then reisntalled SP3. It still didnt work. Absolutely no changed. I thus give up and announce once again that is is impossible. I have kind of solved the problem with things called a CD rewritable and an external hard drive. Oh and I think the time has come to look for XP or Linux. Mark

From reading this thread I have not seen that you looked at your LAN Manager Authentication Level. Vista by default comes set for NTLMv2 (LANMan version 2) & XP is set to NTLM (LANMan version 1). You can check it by going to Start > Runand typesecpol.msc. Go to Local Policies > Security Options& double clickNetwork Security: LAN Manager authentication Level. Change the Vista box to Send LM & NTLM - Use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated. This will allow you to talk to both Vista and previous OS's. Search TechNet on "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication Level" for more details. This has cleared up a lot of networking interop issues with Vista. Hope it helps. Jim

had to do with vista not starting the "server" service. Found it and started it. now both the xp machine and the vista machine play nice together

Mark You said: I have also tried it with the windows firewall disabled and no change. Eureka! Try again with the Windows firewall enabled.

Here is what I discovered and I finally got it to work:In Vista:Make sure Network Discovery is onMake sure Password Protected Sharing is offMake sure File Sharing is on as well as Media Share and Public Folder Sharing.Make sure your network is a private network and that your workgroup matches the XP machine.In XP:I had to select the network connection I was using and add NetBIOS/IPX/SPX Protocols as well as IPv6I also changed my LAN Manager Authentication Level to Send LM & NTLM - Use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated. I ensured that the XP machine matched. You can check it by going to Start > Run and type secpol.msc. Go to Local Policies > Security Options & double click Network Security: LAN Manager authentication Level.I also ensured that check the Group Policy settings on the XP Pro machine.To do so, follow these steps:Click Start - Control Panel - Administrative Tools.Click to expand Local Policies, then click User Rights Assignments. Click "Access this computer from the network" and make sure that the Everyone group is included. Click "Deny access to this computer from the network" and make sure that the Everyone group is NOT included.Overall, it was a bit of a pain in the but, but it works. For me, XP was the major issue.

Did you check to make sure the time/date of all machines in the work group match +/- a few minutes?

this thread really gives my networking going just perfect, thanks a lot for this, i could be a PC tech to my friends and family, cheers guys. tinyzz