Okay well this is the current situation: I'm trying to network a desktop that's running 32 bit XP Pro SP3, and a laptop that's running Vista Home Basic SP1 32 bit; neither computer can see each other but can ping; so far the following as been done: - Killing the firewalls (enabled ping, I'm trying to get the network running without any 3rd party programs so firewalls will remain down for the duration, but if it matters I use COMODO 3.10... on both machines) - directly connecting them using a cross over (current setup is through a switch that's linked with 3 other XP computers - directly mapping the shares (get this message on the vista: cannot access -> diagnose -> is not setup to establish a connection on SMB port with this computer (file sharing has been enabled so don't get this) - and get this on the XP machine -> network path cannot be found) same user names - terminating any process that's not windows related. - all procedures on this page were read and applied where appropriate: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx - installed LLDP on the XP There's just one odd point that I just don't get right now; that is the Vista computer insists that the XP is connected to it in the network discovery map, however out of that map nothing is seen. Open to suggestions at this point in time. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.