Haslett, Andrew
andrew.haslett at ilc.gov.au
Mon Jul 12 23:10:58 CDT 2004
>From my experience the 'name' of the workgroup is only used for 'My Network Places'. You should still be able to communicate by IP and generally by machine name (depending on name resolution techniques) irrespective of what the workgroup 'name' is - that is, as long as you have them on the same subnet (they should all automatically get an IP in the same range by default). It is possible that two machines could get the same IP in rare cases... You can avoid this by assigning them each a different static IP on the same subnet if you wish. In a small network it's not a huge drawback that 'My Network Places' isn't used. Just as easy to create a few shortcuts on each machines desktop that point to your other networked machines as required... Cheers, Andrew -----Original Message----- From: Steven W. Erbach [mailto:serbach at new.rr.com] Sent: Tuesday, 13 July 2004 7:23 AM To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues Subject: [dba-Tech] Windows XP Home vs Pro Dear Group, I've "discovered" empirically what seems to be one of the main differences between XP Home and Pro, and I'd like to know if I'm correct. I have a client who has a bunch of Windows XP Home PCs and wireless laptops that he wanted to network together. I asked him, at first, if he could upgrade them to Pro, but he was unwilling to do that. So I caved and set up disk sharing and printer sharing and hooked everything together with a LinkSys wireless router with a cable modem. All the workstations are part of the "Office" group. He was happy. A couple weeks ago this same client asked me to set up a similar network at his house: one desktop PC, a new laptop, and one of the existing laptops from the "Office" network. No sweat, really. Linksys router, cable modem, and Epson printer right next to the desktop (the kids' system) and the new wireless laptop fit right into the equation. I made sure that the laptop was a member of the "MSHOME" group, the group name that the desktop system had. However, I couldn't get the "Office" laptop to recognize the MSHOME group. I left it at that, not really having a clue as to what was wrong. Today I helped my client's wife, the owner of that new laptop I hooked up to the home network, get connected to the "Office" LAN. I couldn't get a connection at first. I could get on the internet all right, but the laptop didn't see the "Office" group. Then it dawned on me, maybe XP Home only recognizes one LAN group. So I re-assigned her laptop to be a member of the "Office" group, and voila! The network, she works! So, am I correct in assuming that Windows XP Home can only deal with one Group at a time in My Network Places? I noticed that right after I re-assigned this laptop's group to "Office" that Windows "saw" both groups...but later on after installing a couple pieces of software and a couple restarts, the "MSHOME" group no longer appeared in My Network Places. My hunch is that if I rename the Group at my client's home to "Office" that everything will be copacetic. Of course, the workstation list will differ depending on whether the laptops (my client's and his wife's) are, indeed, at the office or at home. Am I correct here? Sincerely, Steve Erbach Scientific Marketing Neenah, WI 920-969-0504 _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ ******************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and may contain information protected by law from disclosure. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email from your system. No warranty is given that this email or files, if attached to this email, are free from computer viruses or other defects. They are provided on the basis the user assumes all responsibility for loss, damage or consequence resulting directly or indirectly from their use, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not.