I have a home network with 3 computers running Win XP Home Edition, connected via a Linksys 5-port 10/100 hub, with a DSL modem also connected to the hub. The network is a workgroup, named MSHOME. All three computers were succesfully networked and communicated for almost a year. Last month one of the computers was nailed with a virus and we ended up reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling XP. Now, that computer isn't on the network - it can't see or be seen by the other computers. I can't ping it from the other computers, but it is on the web so the networking is OK. I tried connecting to it with a crosslinked cable but to no avail. Here's what I noticed: the subnet mask and default gateway on the reinstalled XP is different from the other two computers. I did some net searches and it seems this might be the problem, but I can't figure out how to change these settings so they match and have them work with the DSL modem. Help - what can I do to get these computers connected again?? tom

Can you give some specifics on your networking setup. Do you use DHCP? Have you enabled File and Printer Sharing? If using NetBEUI, is NetBEUI loaded from the WinXP CD and/or is NETBEUI loaded on the other machines? Have you tried using a static IP address temperarily? Do you have a firewall and is it enable? Are you using WinXP firewall feature. Thanks!

DHCP - yes File and Printer sharing - yes NETBUI - no Firewall - no I've tried a static IP address but then I can't connect to the web and the other computer. thanks tom