Networks Network Switch Stopping File Sharing

I have a rather interesting problem. My current household setup has four computers. Two of them are connected directly to my WRT54G Linksys router. The other two connect to the router behind a Linksys 5 port Switch (EZXS55W if you're really interested). All of my hardware works fine, and I have no problems running internet, web servers, and etc. The issue is this: the two computers that are on the switch cannot access each other at all. They can't ping each other, file sharing doesn't work (access denied) and generally is a big pain.

I've even opened an official Microsoft email service call on this one, because it was that frustrating and you get three for free with your xp license. After about a week of all sorts of troubleshooting (installing IPX, other protocols, switching from simple file sharing, etc. did nothing) he gave it up as a loss. However, Bit-Tech has never failed me before. Short of running another wire (defeating the entire purpose of having the switch), does anyone have any clue how to solve this?

 

can the pcs on the switch see the internet/other PCs? but just fail with the communication with the other switch PC?

 

Hi,

Haven’t had to chance to check the switch model out, but im going to assume it’s un-managed so there will be no Port Security or VLAN issues.

In most cases with windows home networking, there has simply been a firewall that’s been over looked or mistakenly enabling a security policy

• Can the other two PC's on the network ping your two workstations on the switch?

• Are all the workstations in the same subnet range?

Because you've said ping isn’t responding, I’m inclined to believe a firewall is on, for the purpose of troubleshooting could you turn off all firewalls, on your LAN connection including Windows & any other software firewalls.

 

I'd say check windows firewall.

 

Can the PC's see each other at all (ie, through Networking -> 'Workgroup')?
Are the machines getting an IP from the router, or are they manually set up? Maybe worth checking this, and possibly setting up manual addresses...
I'm assuming the switch is connected to the router via the uplink socket? Are you sure the router is able to dish out IP's to machines not directly connected to it?

Check firewall.
Check Guest account is enabled on both machines.

I have a few things in a txt file at home regarding file sharing solutions (worked every time) - I'll check when I get back tonight, see if there's anything I've not mentioned.

 

Windows firewall is fine, both machines have manually set IPs, and, most importantly, They can communicate with each other just fine if I attach both to the router directly. If one PC is behind the switch, and the other isn't, there's no problem. The other two computers can see and share files just fine with the two on the switch as it stands. I've tried all sorts of things, and have it narrowed down to the problem being right behind the switch. The same thing happens with any other device- be it another router, or straight switch.

So I guess what's so weird about it is that everything works fine until they are both on the switch, then, mysteriously, even though they can see each other in the workgroup, no communication happens between them. I'm doing all my file sharing right now through VNC, and it's a pain, lemme tell ya.

 

tried a different switch? could be the cable attaching switch to router? could be switch just being dud

 

Tried all the above. Switch works fine, this problem happens with different hardware as well.

 

have you rebuilt the TCP/ip stack in windows?

Code:

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt

will both do it.


So lets get this right, if you move the two pc's of the switch onto the router, they can both see each other and file share, if you move one to the switch and keep one on the router, what happens?

what cable are you using to connect them?
tried a different router?

 

EDIT: Double posted.

 

If I move one switch and keep the other one on the router, than everything works properly. I'm convinced that somehow the computer that was originally on the switch (Computer A) is the problem, because the second PC moved onto the router (Computer B) still works fine, just can't communicate with Computer A. I rebuilt the stacks as suggested above, and there's no improvement. Changing the workgroup also had no effect.

Is there a way to completely reset all network settings and start from scratch? Perhaps un/re-installing TCP/IP?

 

Screw it, just set up an FTP server on one of the rigs and go that way - that's what i do.