Hi there, like many others I spent hours and hours (days?) trying to set up a network with Vista and XP computers (and also a Mac). I thought it wasn't working, having followed virtually every suggestion I could find on the net. The other computers either simply didn't appear in the Network of the others, or they appeared and I couldn't access them ("permission to access" message). Then it occured to me to try and access them using the IP address directly. Bingo, there they were. So I can now network share on that basis. Quite a relief. What I don't understand, though, is why I can't access them using their names (DESKTOP, ASUS, MAC) rather than the IP addresses. Or why, if these names appear on the network listing, it tells me I don't have permission to access them. I'd rather have the network working smoothly along these lines than have to tap in the IP addresses each time, so any advice much appreciated!

1. Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP and see how it works: 1) Go to Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections. 2) Right-Click on the connection and choose Properties. 3) Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Version 4 in the list. 4) Click Properties, and then click Advanced. 5) On the Advanced TCP/IP settings windows, go to WINS tab. 6) Under NetBIOS setting, click Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, and then click OK. if symptoms persist 2. Ensure that the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service is started: 1) Log on to the client computer by using an account that has administrator permissions 2) Click Start, click Run, type services.msc (without quotations) in the Open box, and then click OK. 3) In the list of services, double-click TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service. 4) In the Startup type list, click Automatic, and then click Apply. 5) Under Service status, click Start to start the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service. 6) When the service is started, click OK, and then quit the Services snap-in.Tunde Abagun MCP,MCSA,MCTS,MCITP en p "for the love of Computers"