Desktop can't access Laptop but Laptop can access desktop

I have a Linksys router with speed boost working fine on desktop pc -winxp
sp2-on which I can see both computers but can't access laptop files--laptop
sees and is able to access desktop--new to networking and am getting a lot
better at not locking things up all the time but this attempt to get the
network up is giving me a severe brain pain--by the way I was able to get
printer sharing up and running from laptop to desktop---Thanks in advance

 

If you like help with this one-on-one, you are welcome to email me.

 

Is the desktop computer running XP Home or Pro? How about the laptop? There is
a difference.

Make sure the browser service is running on the desktop computer. Control Panel
- Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and the
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both show with Status = Started. Disable the
browser service on the laptop computer. Shutdown both computers, then power
each one on.

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have SFS properly set on each computer.

On XP Pro with SFS disabled, check the Local Security Policies (Control Panel -
Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

On XP Pro with SFS disabled, if you set the above Local Security Policy to
"Guest only", enable the Guest account, using Start - Run - "cmd" - type "net
user guest /active:yes" in the command window. If "Classic", setup and use a
common non-Guest account on all computers. Whichever account is used, give it
an identical, non-blank password on all computers.

On XP Home, and on XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled, on each computer. Enable Guest with Start - Run -
"cmd", then type "net user guest /active:yes" in the command window.

On XP Pro, if you're going to use Guest authentication, check your Local
Security Policy (Control Panel - Administrative Tools) - User Rights Assignment,
on the XP Pro computer, and look at "Deny access to this computer from the
network". Make sure Guest is not in the list.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF / WF, or third party)? If
so, you need to configure them for file sharing. Firewall configurations are a
very common cause of (network) browser, and file sharing, problems.