Re: Wireless computers can't ping 100BaseT computers

From: Robert Moir (bofh_at_mvps.org)
Date: 12/27/03 

Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2003 23:23:04 -0000

Randy A. Ynchausti wrote:
> Robert,
>
> >> What should I do to allow the 802.11b wireless computers to
> ping the >> 100BaseT comptuers?
>
> > Read the manual that came with the router. Ask their support
> for help. Look > at the configuration options on the router.
>
> > This isn't a Windows problem by the sounds of it but a
> configuration issue > with the router.
>
> Thanks for the reponse. I have contacted UNIDEN support twice. They
> keep insisting that the problem is a "Windows file sharing"
> configuration problem. They are either right, or they can't handle
> the question. I don't know which.

They can't handle the question. Easy to prove that too:
If you can't *ping* something, that has nothing what so ever to do with
Windows File Sharing, because you haven't even tried to share a file yet, so
how can file sharing be broken?

If you have 2 computers side by side on the wire that can ping each other,
and 3 side by side on wireless that can ping each other, but none of the
wireless machines can ping any of the wired ones or vice-versa, then clearly
the problem is on the bridge between the wireless and wired bits of your
setup, not on any individual machine's configuration.

The wired vs. wireless issue should not affect pinging or file sharing at
all because that is the "physical network" that your network traffic is
moving across (or not in this case!)... and file sharing does not know or
care what the physical network is doing... it can either see its target or
it cannot.

> I do agree with you. Ping should hit the address no matter what type
> of connection the computer uses.

Exactly. Or it could be blocked by the local firewall (in which case no
machine would work, including the ones on the same type of network, which
you say *does* work).

> I hope there is someone out there that can provide some Windows XP
> Professional configuration information to allow my 802.11b wireless
> computers to ping my 100BaseT computers.

I'm afraid not. There is nothing to configure on Windows XP to allow or
block the exact scenario you describe.

On my home network, i have one desktop machine (wired), a Apple iBook
running OSX 10.3, and a laptop that dual boots Win XP Pro and Win 2003 (both
wireless).

My network switch/router thing is a Linksys WRT54G. These 3 computers can
talk to each other and all talk to the internet quite happily without any
extra configuration or fiddling needed just because 1 of them is wired and
the rest wireless. Now if I can get an Apple computer talking to two windows
computers on this system, pinging, sharing files, whatever... and I didn't
have to do anything "special" to do it.... then its clear to me that your
router is either faulty or not configured correctly. 

-- 
-- 
Rob Moir
Microsoft MVP for servers & security
Website - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html

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