Hi, I am having problems with my home network. I have a hub that 3 computers connect to. All three computers have there own IP address. They all connect to the internet directly. The problem I am having is one computer can not see the other two but they cam see it. I have tried to redo the network but still get the same problem. I am using the Nwlink Net Bios for my network. In the advanced settings of Network connections I have made the File and print sharing for Microsoft Networking use the NW Link and unselect the TCP/IP. Client for Microsoft Networks is done the same way. I kind of figured that this way the network would not acess the internet that uses the TCP/IP, thus no one else could connect from the out side. I am new to this stuff. Any help would be appreciated. Is there a program out there that sets up a network for you? A home network made easy :-) Thanks Randy

Ideally you need a router or switch not a hub: http://compnetworking.about.com/od/hardwarenetworkgear/g/bldef_switch.htm Also TCP/IP is preferable to Novel Netware IPX/SX

Thanks but a hub works fine and I believe is the easiest to use and is prefered. Thanks for the info though. Do you know of any software that creats a network ? http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/internetworking/g/bldef_hub.htm

I kind of figured that this way the network would not acess the internet that uses the TCP/IP, thus no one else could connect from the out side. No one else can connect to networked client PCs anyway, only to the one with the internet connection. The internal IP addresses can't be "seen" from the internet, only the public IP on the internet connected PC. You don't need, and shouldn't have a firewall active on the client PCs either. Use TCP/IP, Client for MS Networks, and File & Printer sharing. Give any shared folders on the internet connected PC suitable unguessable names and you're pretty secure. There are some well-known Internet Gurus whos websites say you need several layers of security to "protect" client PCs on a network from outside access - you don't. They seem to lack a basic understanding of how networks function, and the role of protocols like TCP/IP, F & P Sharing etc. in them. As you say, hubs work fine. Routers and switches are certainly more efficient, but they cost more.

All three of my computers connect directly to the internet. There is no master computer. The only problem I am having is one computer can't see the others but the others can see it an each other. It is just this one computer. I am going to install a fresh copy of Windows on another hard drive and see what happens. IS there a network program that you can install on all of the computers, thus creating a network ? Something like Win XP does. Thanks for all the input !! RandyRB

A firewall on the computers can prevent each other from seeing or accessing each other and may need to be configured accordingly. Windows XP firewall can be accessed through the contrl panel.

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