I have enabled ICS on a WIN2K computer and set
a WIN98SE system to 'Obtain an IP address
automatically' to allow the ICS DHCP server to
set the client's IP address. This works well &
I have no trouble using the WIN98 system to
browse the internet through the WIN2K ICS.

I also have File & Printer Sharing
enabled on the LAN side for both computers.
However, I have been having a problem with
accessing the Win98 shares from the Win2K
machine; I keep getting the 'network path
cannot be found' error. I have an entry in
the Win2K LMHOSTS file indicating an open
entry for the Win98 client:

192.168.0. client #PRE

This works on boot, but after a period of
time, I cannot access the Win98 shares; I
get the above error message. I can reboot
the Win2K machine and restore operability
for a short time, but I eventually lose
connectivity.

I've run through all of the fixes/suggestions
from Helmig to no avail. Anyone know what is
causing this problem?

TIA

Is the netbios name of the 98 machine client?
You have to have a complete ip address or the entry is invalid.
when it is working what is the ip address of the 98 machine, the w2k machine [both nics]?
when you get the network path not found can you ping the 98 machine?
Using a crossover cable from w2k to 98?

Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

The netbios name is an alias but the real
name is used properly.

If a partial IP address is invalid, why does
it work, at least partially?

ICS automatically sets the LAN NIC as
192.168.0.1 on the ICS machine and the
WIN898 machine receives an IP address
within the range 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254

I can ping each machine from the other.

Might want to review any one of many documents on ICS and LMHosts files. #PRE is for domain/DCs names not pcs.
see here
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=314108

If you want to use a lmhosts file then set the Win98 box's nic to a static address like 192.168.0.5 and put the proper lmhosts entry in for it.

When you get the "network path not found" can you ping between machines?

Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

Thanks for your input especially the reference
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=314108

Turns out that your comment about LMHOSTS
was insightful. You really only need them if
you are using static IP assignments.

The 'network path not found' error was easily
corrected with:

nbtstat -R

After that, I could 'browse' the Win98
machines shares and have not had any trouble
since.

A little more info:

ICS seems to provide a constant (static)
IP address to the WIN98 machine no matter
how many reboots you go through. This makes
it easy to continually establish a workable
connection between the two machines.

However, I also have a Linux machine running
Samba on the LAN. I have set this machine to
also receive an IP from DHCP, which I assume
is from the ICS DHCP mini server, although
some of the info returned seems to suggest
that it may be coming from the ISP's DHCP.
However, the IP address assigned is always
within the range of 192.168.0.2-254.

Nevertheless, each boot results in a
different IP assignment which now requires
a 'nbtstat -R' to establish 'browsability'
of the Linux box from the WIN2K machine.
Apparently, the IP assignment doesn't make
its way into an updated Remote Cache on
WIN2K. Hopefully, I'll find a way to do that.