Networking a group of PCs is a matter of some hardware connections and 
several layers of software configuration.  Simply saying they are "connected 
together" doesn't provide nearly enough information to troubleshoot the 
problem.

  Let's work our way up from the bottom.  With current technology, the usual 
way to connect four PCs physically is with a network switch, which *might* 
be built into a router.  Next most common is a hub.  While hubs tend to be 
dumb physical devices, switches and routers appear as a fifth device on the 
network, whose configuration will dictate a lot of the behaviour seen by the 
PCs.  So plaese tell us if there is such a device present, and what you can 
about its make/model and configuration.

  Each PC will have one or more transport protocols enabled.  It will be 
easiest to understand what's going on if each has only *one* transport 
enabled, TCP/IP.  If any of the PCs have IPX or NetBEUI enabled, turn it 
off.
  The TCP/IP Properties settings on each PC specify an IP address, subnet 
mask, and default gateway for each machine.  Please specify what these 
settings are.
  If these settings are correct, each PC ought to be able to "ping" the 
other three by address.  Note that if the XP SP2 firewall is enabled, its 
default configuration is to block the ICMP packets that ping uses -- you can 
configure that as an exception, or temporarily disable the firewall.

  If that doesn't work, we need to figure out why and fix it.  Once that 
does work, we can move on to some higher-level configurations needed for 
browsing and sharing to work.

David Gillett



On 8 Dec 2006 at 7:38, Christopher Charles wrote:

> A networked computer (A) at the office is invisible to
> another PC [B]
> 4 PCs. Are connected together
> Another PC [B] is invisible to PC [A].
> PC [C] can see and browse all Pc’s, A, B, C and D
> PC [D] can see and browse?
> 
> PC A = WinXP
> PC B = Win2000
> PC C = Win2000
> PC D = WinXP
> 
> PC [A] can ping PC [B] successfully but cannot browse
> PC [B]
> 
> PC [B] cannot ping PC [A] successfully and cannot
> browse PC [A]
> 
> If I type the address of PC[2] from the browser of
> PC[A] will I be able to browse PC[B]?
> 
> http://ipaddress of PC[B]
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> chris

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