i am trying to set up a home network with a desktop, laptop, and xbox. first i will give the exact hardware i am using on each computer:

desktop: winxp home sp2- firewall disabled
zone alarm standard firewall installed
etherfast 10/100 ethernet card

Laptop: winxp pro sp2
integrated wireless card
win firewall diabled
zonealarm standard installed
Xbox(no problems)

linksys 802.11b wireless router
speedstream dsl modem

Now for my problem:
I have everything hooked up to the linksys router i.e. dsl modem,desktop,xbox,laptop(wireless). I ran the network config wizard on both the laptop and the desktop. I have internet access on both comps. On the desktop when i go to my network places it recognizes both the desktop and the laptop in the workgroup. When I go to my laptops my network places it only recognizes the laptop on the workgroup and not the desktop.

This sounds strange to me but a little while ago it recognized the desktop from the laptop but it gave me the permissions error, and now a couple hours later it does not even recognize the desktop at all.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Have you allowed the specific devices ip address in each of the firewalls ?

i have allowed the routers ip on each computer.

how would i find out the specific ip address for each comp?

ok i think i finally figured out what happened. for some reason when i name each computer i got the names crisscrossed. i.e. when i look on my desktop at the workgroup computers the name of the computer is blahblahDesktop and when i look at the workgroup computers on my laptop it is blahblahLaptop. so i guess all i need to know is how to change the computers name in the workgroup?

i feel like an idiot but i am still learning. again thanks for the reply.

Did you get it working? My firs qustion is why run a software firewall when you have the router? Next make sure you have both computers running under the same workgroup name. This is different from the SSID or wireless network ID. Sorry i don't run xp but in windows 2000 yoy right click on my computer ---> properties---> Network identification. This is also where you can change computer names. In contrast you change your SSID though your router setup screen. Good luck,
Jim