My Network is down

JudyN

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Oct 6, 2001
Posts
961
Loc
Montana ( A Tourist runs through it )
We have Lifesaver on two computers up front and a 3rd is a Mac in our back room for our email and ad work... Everything was working great now the 2 front room computers canot SEE each other. The one computer Dell 1( server) is functioning fine but cannot see the other computer in the front. The other computer Dell 2 is working fine but cannot access the Lifesaver file Or the Dell 1 ( server ) computer either. My connections appear to be ok. The hub is all lit up. DSL works on all 3 computers.

I called the computer wiz who set up the network. He said small networks like I have always fail. He said I need a "dedicated server" ( a 4th computer) that is set up to run the other 3 in the network.
Is this true I need another computer?

He also said it may have happened because a little pop up came up to tell us to update windows and we said "yes". He said it reconfigured the files or something like that. He said never say yes just CANCEL or say NO.

Sign me,

Confused
 
First off, get a different computer wiz. I've been running several small networks like your and they never fail. You don't need a dedicated server for just three boxes unless you have some really special needs.

Second, the reason virii and worms like MyDoom are so successful is from advice like "never say yes just CANCEL or say NO to Windows Updates". Unless you're running a large server farm used in a production environment you should always update Windows.

My guess is that you're running something on each box that's blocking the NETBIOS port, like some Norton or MacAffe product. If all three can browse the web then you know the network is running OK. There could be a remote possibility that Windows update did it, but I highly doubt that MS would do something to block traffic on a local network.
 
Steve is right. Updates are CRUCIAL and 2 computers don't need a dedicated server
Lifesaver uses very little overhead, and we run it here as well.

Is it possible that you booted them in the wrong order or had a power failure. Try shutting them both down. Turn the server on first, then turn the workstation on a few minutes later.

If you still have no luck, here's what you have to do so they'll talk with each other again:

(assuming Windows XP)
At the "server" (Dell 1)
1 Go to My Computer
2 Do you see a "server hand" under the C: main drive?
IF SO, jump down to WORKSTATION instructions. If NOT, then do these 10 steps:
1 Go to My Computer
2 Select the drive that your Lifesaver program is loaded on. (should be C:)
3 Right click on that drive.
4 From that menu, select "Sharing & Security" to call up the properties screen.
5 Click on "If you understand the risk but still want to share the root of the drive, click here"
6 Check "Share this folder on the network" to ON
7 Type C in the share name box
8 Check "Allow network users to change my files" to ON
9 Click on OK
10 You will notice a hand will appear holding the drive that you selected.

Reboot them (server first) and try again. If not:

At the "WORKSTATION" (Dell 2):
1 Click on Start -> My Network Places
2 Click on VIEW WORKGROUP COMPUTERS
3 Double click on the server name in the box at the right
4 RIGHT click on the C (hard drive) from the server
5 Select MAP NETWORK DRIVE from the sub menu
6 I suggest using drive F: and click RECONNECT AT LOGIN
7 Click FINISH

Then try LIFESAVER on the workstation.

If it asks where your LIFECUST database is, navigate to f:\LIFESAVER (look in -> f: (c on server) -> LIFESAVER) and click on LIFECUST.

If it still doesn't work, there's some other factor such as a program or firewall. If so, i'll be glad to help by phone or you can give the folks at Lifesaver a ring in the morning too.

Hope this helps
Mike
 
Thanks Mike and Steve.
I called the computer guy who wanted to get me a 4th computer and told him i wold get back to him after calling support at lifesaver.
I called Lifesaver this morning. Bob at Lifesaver said the network was not mapped .
He had it up and running in just a few minutes. He said it might have been shut down wrong or a power outage.
I turned off the Nortons firewall on the server before calling him. I don't know if that helped.
Do I need Norton on the computer if I do not get email on it?
Another thing...the 2nd computer has Mcaffees ( it came with it free )
 
Hi

Welcome back!

I'd leave the firewall up (ESPECIALLY if it's a dialup modem) and keep a virus scanner on EACH networked machine, even if it doesnt have email. (especially if all 3 machines are on a router sharing your internet feed, since many attacks come through the web and jump from machine to machine)

It's also important to run WINDOWS UPDATE from each internet connected machine, to get all the security patches.

The McAfee scanner that came with Dell2 probably expired after 90 days. Unless you paid the ~$39 upgrade fee for a full year, they usually ship with 90 days of Norton or Mcafee.
 
It may be necessary to have the server IP logged in the HOSTS file as well.

I'm with Mike, get a new "computer Wiz" cos this guy ain't.
 
Network went down again this morning. I turned off firewall on the Dell 1 server re-booted both of the computers..now I have it back up again. I just don't get it.

I am thinking about NEVER turning the 2 computers off at night. Does anyone else leave their computers on all the time?
 
I only turn off my computers if I absolutely have to (or if Mother Nature turned them off for me).

And you shouldn't have to reboot to reconnect your workstations back to the Dell 1.. do you have to turn off the firewall each time for this to work?
 
I don't know if I do have to turn off the firewall but the Dell2 said I did not have acess or something like that to Dell 1 ( server) . I turned off firewall on the Nortons ..tried again and it worked. ...don't know why. I am just going to leave them on from now on.
I am going to get a UPS ( power backup) as my husband suggested a long time ago. Is that a good idea also?
 
Back
Top