I have a linksys router wrt54gs that is curently connecting two computers two the internet. The computers names are "upstairs" which has windows 2000 and "downstairs" which has xp pro and is the main computer. The workgroup name is "workgroup". The SSID is the same for both. I am connected in infrastructure mode and my ISP has me connecting through DHCP. I can browse the internet and access files from both computers with no problems. My problem is I cannot access game servers from the upstairs or play LAN games between the two computers. I have no software firewalls running and the router's firewall is off. It seems like there is a firewall up, but i dont know. As far as I know my modem does not have a firewall. When I first set things up, my game Quake could access servers. One thing I might of done is messed with the windows services on the upstairs computer. Can someone help? Give me some sugestion to try.

Did you update the XP system to the SP2 recently. As I recall, XP's built in firewall is enabled by default with the instal of the service pack. Check and make sure it is off.

No I did not install sp2. I plan on staying away from the sp2 for awhile. I have discovered some more clues though. My event viewer in my MMC is giving me a system error: "The master browser has received a server announcement from the computer UPSTAIRS that believes that it is the master browser for the domain on transport NwlnkNb. The master browser is stopping or an election is being forced" this error was generated after I gave the upstairs computer a try at looking for servers on Quake.

In the first place re-enable your router's firewall. You're just setting yourself up for trouble if you don't. To connect to a game server like Quake go into the router's setup and open the port to the IP addresses used by your PCs. Secondly you'll need to create a user account on each machine and give the other machine the relevant permissions. You'll get better advice if you go to the comapny forums for the specfic games you're trying to play online than here.

I figured it out and I will be letting linksys know also. Norton antivirus 2005 has worm protection in it. All I had to do was disable it. I could just add the program Quake to the worm exclutions list, but for now ill just disable it. Thank you Orion for trying to help. Actually you did help, thanks.