Need Help With Home Networking To View Pics?

[scottie]

I have a new Dell laptop with Vista and an older Dell desktop with XP and a Belkin G router. With the firewalls turned off on both computers I am able to see the desktop files I marked to share and the printer connected to it on the laptop with no problem. When the firewalls are active, I can’t see the printer or files from the desktop on the laptop. The desktop has the free CA Associates firewall from TW Roadunner and the laptop currently just has the Microsoft firewall that was already installed.
I would love any help that could be offered to resolve this issue.

 

[Groucho]

First thing is to try turning the firewalls on one at a time to determine which one is causing the problem. I'm guessing it's the CA one.

I haven't used that one much (just seen it on a couple customers' PCs), but there is probably setting to allow File and Printer Sharing.

If you're behind a router (which I assume you are, if you have a home network), I would lean towards getting ride of the firewall completely. Your router is already stopping anyone from the outside getting in, the main usefulness of the software firewall is to stop onwanted programs from getting out and to keep track of what is trying to get out.

 

[rtphokie]

I have a new Dell laptop with Vista and an older Dell desktop with XP and a Belkin G router. With the firewalls turned off on both computers I am able to see the desktop files I marked to share and the printer connected to it on the laptop with no problem. When the firewalls are active, I can’t see the printer or files from the desktop on the laptop. The desktop has the free CA Associates firewall from TW Roadunner and the laptop currently just has the Microsoft firewall that was already installed.
I would love any help that could be offered to resolve this issue.

when you click on my network place, do you see the other PC? Does it prompt you for a password?

 

[scottie]

First thing is to try turning the firewalls on one at a time to determine which one is causing the problem. I'm guessing it's the CA one.

I haven't used that one much (just seen it on a couple customers' PCs), but there is probably setting to allow File and Printer Sharing.

If you're behind a router (which I assume you are, if you have a home network), I would lean towards getting ride of the firewall completely. Your router is already stopping anyone from the outside getting in, the main usefulness of the software firewall is to stop onwanted programs from getting out and to keep track of what is trying to get out.

I used your suggestion
--With both "off" I can see the desktop on the laptop.
--With the CA "off" on the desktop and the microsoft one "on" with the laptop I can see the desktop on the laptop
--With the CA "on" and the laptop one "off" I can not see the desktop on the laptop

I got on chat with CA just now and they advised me how to change a couple settings to get it to work.

You mention leaving the firewall turned off. I dont totally mind doing that- but- I guess that leads me to another question. When I turned on the laptop and looked for a connection- it found "belkin g" "not secure" and connected to that. It had all the bars showing as a good connection.
I also saw "home" which showed as "secure" but only had a couple of signal bars. I believe this is what I named the router a couple of years back and added MAC addresses- thinking I would be secure. I now worry that is far from the case since the laptop found the router signal and shows it as unprotected?
I worry this means someone could easily be using my connection outside of my home and now maybe be able to access the files I am sharing?

 

[scottie]

when you click on my network place, do you see the other PC? Does it prompt you for a password?

now that I made an adjustment in the CA menu I can see the desktop on the laptop just fine. However, there is no request for a password.

 

[rtphokie]

now that I made an adjustment in the CA menu I can see the desktop on the laptop just fine. However, there is no request for a password.

Sounds like you've got it all fixed up.

 

[scottie]

Sounds like you've got it all fixed up.

I wish I could say that

After I made the changes in CA I went into the Belkin website to manage the router. I added the mac address for the laptop and created a password to stop future unauthorized changes. It then said it would reset the router (I guess to save the changes?) and and I lost the ability to see the desktop again on the laptop. Well after a couple of hours is magically showed back up on the laptop?! So I really dont know where I stand at this point.

One BIG worry I have (and since I know little about networking that may be the reason why) is that when my laptop searches for available networks to connect to I get the option for a BelikinG Unsecure Network- which is my router. This has me worried anyone can access my internet and maybe my files? Is this at all correct and can I do something to corrent it?

 

[scottie]

Finally got everything up and running and added WPA-2 security... and very pleased with the outcome!

 

[Groucho]

Good to hear it! WPA2 should keep out those pesky neighbors. It is a different issue that your file sharing one, but IMHO a much more important feature than a software filewall on your PC.

 

[scottie]

Good to hear it! WPA2 should keep out those pesky neighbors. It is a different issue that your file sharing one, but IMHO a much more important feature than a software filewall on your PC.

Since I have issues with CA Associates Security suite firewall causing some site issues for me etc, do I need to leave that turned on now that I have the WPA-2 active? I wasnt sure what benifit a firewall program installed on the computer lends me vs. just having the router acting as one?

 

[Groucho]

Since I have issues with CA Associates Security suite firewall causing some site issues for me etc, do I need to leave that turned on now that I have the WPA-2 active? I wasnt sure what benifit a firewall program installed on the computer lends me vs. just having the router acting as one?

Well, the WPA2 isn't a firewall - a firewall sits between your network and the internet. The WPA2 is an encryption to protect your network from someone connecting to it wirelessly.

I am not a big fan of software firewalls so like I said, you can probably turn it off pretty safely - they tend to cause more problems than they prevent.