It would do no hard to do these things on all the machines, but it is only
the Compaq that has the problem, so I would not meddle with the others
unnecessarily. Can the Dell successfully ping by name and ping by address?

Angus.

"Whelan" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Angus. I'm going to try these things.
*I'm assuming these are mostly things I am checking on the Compaq, right?

*Unless I try changing workgroup name again, are these comparisons I can
make using only this Dell 4500 and the Compaq (instead of all 4 at once)?
I
have these two about 4 ' apart now, using one chair.
Nan

"Angus Macleod" wrote in message
news:i9AJb.209217$8y1.719725@attbi_s52...
Your ping results identify where your problem probably lies - name
resolution. It seems that the Compaq can't convert the machine name to
an
IP
address. My guess is that the Compaq is trying to use an inappropriate
DNS
server (one that it used on campus perhaps, rather than the one provided
by
the router).

You should check the properties of the Local Area Connection. On the
General
tab highlight the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" entry and click on the
Properties button. It should show that the IP address and DNS server
addresses are obtained automatically. Click on the Advanced button to
open
the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog. On the DNS tab there should be no
entries - remove any that may be there. Similarly, remove any entries
from
the WINS tab.

Angus.

"Whelan" wrote in message
...
From the Compaq
I tried the Search: nothing
I tried Ping with different case variations of the name: nothing.
BUT ... finally, when I pinged the IP address, 192.168.2.56 ,
that worked ... there and back in 1ms.
(they are only 5' apart now!)

What do these results mean?

Should I change an IP address or redo the workgroup names on all of
them?
Nan


"Angus Macleod" wrote in
message
news:IukJb.196806$8y1.646741@attbi_s52...
To search for another computer on the network, click on
Start/Search,
select
"Computer or People", then "A computer on the network", enter it's
name
(e.g. granite) and click on the Search button. If it finds the
computer,
right click on it and select Open to see the shares.

To ping a computer determines if it can be accessed at a more
fundamental
level. To do this click on Start/Run and enter "cmd" (without the
quotes)
in
the field and click on OK. A command window will open. At the prompt
type
in
"ping computername" and press Enter. The machine will resolve the
name
into
the IP address and make 4 attempts to reach the target machine and
tell
how
long the round trip took (or report an error if it could not be
found).
If
it does not work, you may also want to try pinging the IP address of
the
remote machine directly.

I don't think using the Dell CD on the Compaq would hurt - although
you
might be violating the license.

Angus.

"Whelan" wrote in message
...
Thanks. I'll try un-installing the Verizon and other things from
the
Compaq.
(After doing some PrintSceens to a doc in case he needs the info
to
get
the
Dell working in LA.)

I'm feeling skeptical of the CAPS issue too. I typed it in CAPS on
each
machine and rebooted many times; the Compaq just ignores that and
displays
the name in title case.

I don't think I can Search and Ping ... but I'm not really sure
how
to
try.
I'll bring the Compaq into this room with a 10' cable today. And
maybe
plug
in its D-Link wireless card too.

"Angus Macleod" wrote in
message
news:xefJb.194187$8y1.625805@attbi_s52...
In defense of Belkin, I have installed two of their wireless
routers
in
the
past few weeks, and found them to be well made, easy to set up
and
reliable
in use. Linksys is the yardstick by which I measure such things,
and
I
rank
Belkin and SMC as better than Linksys, Netgear as the same and
D-Link
as
poorer than Linksys - based on my personal experiences. Also,
the
Belkin
desktop wireless cards seem to have better range than Linksys.

Concerning your Compaq, I would uninstall the Verizon DSL
software -
it
may
well include it's own firewall functionality. I would also
remove
all
the
unwanted connections. Given that you know how to do it, it might
be
best
to
reinstall XP Pro - that will also avoid any other legacies from
the
machine's college experience.

I think the upper/lower case issue is a red herring on a WinXp
Pro
machine.
Can you find the other machines by using Search? Can you ping
them?

Angus..

"Whelan" wrote in message
...
I appreciate your experience with networking equipment.

It is too late to return the Belkin; it was one of those Day
After
Thanksgiving specials. I'll just wait for the rebate and then
maybe
decide
it was a $15 loss.

My husband was ready to pay someone to put cables through the
ceiling
and
walls. I thought WiFi would be cleaner cheaper and more
convenient.
IF
it
worked!
(TIME magazine made it sound so easy in November!)

At Andrew's apt, in Sept, they bought a D-Link Wireless Router
(G).
And
a
D-Link AirPlus ExtremeG Wireless Cardbus Adaptor DWL-G650,
which
worked
in
the Compaq for DSL. (No reason to share files with roommates!)

We ordered DELL's TruMobile 1300WLAN 802.11b/g miniPCI card,
built-in
as
part of the Dell Inspiron 8500 purchase. It was an extra cost.
We
were
assuming that will work with the D-Link router in the apt.
Guess
he'll
find
out next week. (It sure doesn't notice the Belkin wireless
router
...
except
now when connected by cable.)
Nan


ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote in
message
...
I've never used a Belkin wireless router. My only
interaction
with
Belkin
routers has been that I replaced a 4-port one with a Linksys
wireless
router
with 4 ports. In the past, Belkin has achieved something of
a
name
in
cables
and simple devices like keyboards and USB hubs. Frankly, I
don't
have
great
faith in their networking.

I have always used and installed (for clients) Linksys
routers,
wired
and
wireless, ever since I had a very positive experience with
the
first
one
which I
installed here. And their install software has only gotten
easier
to
use,
except for certain DSL connections (e.g. Verizon). Netgear
also
has
a
respectable track record in networks.

If the Belkin keeps dropping the connection, it is not worth
even
the
$10
net
you'll have spent if and when you ever get back the rebate.
If
that's
what it
is now doing, it will undoubtedly continue to do so, unless
maybe
Belkin
has a
firmware update to fix the problem.

I have almost always used Orinoco Gold business class (i.e.
more
expensive
but
worth it) wireless cards in notebooks and long-distance
wired
desktops,
with
100% success and cilent satisfaction.

I'm trying to convince you to dump the Belkin (altho I can't
directly
link
it to
the problems you are having), if you can still get your
money
back
where
you
bought it. There are inexpensive components and cheap ones.
The
cheap
ones are
not worth the time or the money... Ben Myers

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 02:12:44 GMT, "Whelan"

wrote:

Thanks, Ben.
Yes, the CAPS problem is a mystery.

This morning I remembered having seen an option, a
checkbox,
under
Tools,
Folder Options, to allow filenames in uppercase. Could it
be
that
simple?
No, I couldn't find it, so maybe I've just seen that option
in
98.

I browsed around REGEDIT but didn't discover where
workgroup
names
were
listed. There are hundreds, maybe a thousand, entries
there!

I have no idea what's involved in getting Wireless working.
I
assume
we'll
just be tapping into the existing network.

But I do hope to make wireless work for the XP laptops.
That's
the
only
reason I replaced the good reliable Netgear router with
this
crummy
Belkin
router that sputters and briefly drops it connection all
day
long.
If
I
wasn't getting a $70 rebate on the $80 cost of the Belkin,
I'd
have
returned
it in disgust.
Nan

ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote in
message
...
Yes, ALL CAPS eliminates the differences in how the
workgroup
names
are
handled
by the various species of Windows. Gee, you'd think
there
would
be
some
consistency here.

Look at the Internet Options in Control Panel, the
Connections
tab,
to
be
specific. Make sure that the radio button "Never Dial a
Connection"
is
set.
This should keep Verizon from popping up.

You may have to change the workgroup name in the Compaq
to
all
caps
using
REGEDIT, unless someone else can come up with a better
idea...
Ben
Myers


On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 22:26:30 GMT, "Whelan"

wrote:

I have rebooted at least 50 times.

From what I read in this thread, I was careful to make
the
Login
name,
password, and workgroup name the same everywhere and in
CAPITAL
letters.
And
I have disabled Norton Internet Security everywhere.

As of 3am, the new Dell 8500 laptop (when connected by
cable)
and
the
old
Gateway laptop and the Dell 4500 could see each other's
shared
folders
and
the printer.

But the COMPAQ is still a big problem. It cannot see
anything
but
the
workgroup name and its own shared folders. It displays
the
workgroup
name
in
mixed case, not capitals.
Thinking no CAPS was the problem, I changed the
workgroup
name,
added
new
workgroup, rebooting
more than 20 times, for 1½ hours. The workgroup always
reappears
without
CAPs.

After every change and reboot, the Compaq opens with a
Dialup
Connection
dialogue box, listing Verizon DSL but wanting to dial.
There
is
no
cable
in
the modem jack and nothing in the startup menu to
explain
it.

Other odd things about the Compaq:
Under Network Connections, it lists many things,
leftover
from
my
son's
college apt.
*Under Broadband heading is:
Verizon DSL, Disconnected, WAN Miniport (PPPOE)
(There's a wireless PCMIA card somewhere, but a usb2
card
is
currently
in
the slot.)
*Under Dial-up, there are 4 listings, for travel (all
Disconnected)
*Under LAN or High-Speed Internet:
Whelan LAN, Enabled, Intel Pro/100 S Mobile LAN on
Motherboard
(that's
the
one I am plugged into and reading Properties for).

BTW, the Compaq was my son's ... but he will return to
college
next
week
with the new DELL 8500, leaving the Compaq behind for
me.

I'd actually like to use it wireless, if that worked.
Tired
of
stepping
over
the 50' blue cable! But I've never used anything
wireless
or
seen
wireless
working.
And the wireless in the Dell 8500 (an extra cost item)
hasn't
worked
yet.
That will be the next problem to solve.
Nan

ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote
in
message
...
And after changing the workgroup name, prepare
yourself
for
yet
another
reboot
for the new workgroup name to become effective... Ben
Myers

On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 15:42:46 GMT, "Angus Macleod"
wrote:

To change the computer or workgroup names on Win98,
right
click
on
Network
Neighborhood and select properties. The
Identification
tab
allows
you
to
change the names.

Angus.