Need help in setting up a home network LAN

Hi all,

My home LAN network has failed. Why I do not know. I have exhausted all troubleshooting actions that I know. Hopefully someone can step me through the process and tell me what I am doing wrong. I cannot share updated files or do any remote printing.

My setup configuration is Win XP Pro on two desktops and 3 old Dell computers. The router is a Linksys 4 port model that is working fine. The two desktops are connected via hard wire Ethernet cables to the router. My cable moden is a Motorola DOT.3. The 3 Dell laptops use a wireless connectivity to the router. All computers/laptops use the same workgroup name and have equal access to all data files. I am the only user on the LAN.

When working it does great but for some unknown reason(s) it has stopped and I cannot get it working again no matter what I attempt. I have good connectivity to the internet for all my computers, but cannot connect one computer to another via a LAN and obviously cannot do any file sharing or printing. The Network Setup Wizard and mapping a network drive actions should have corrected whatever is wrong but obviously there is something(s) else not right.

When I attempt to map a network drive XP recognizes only the name of the computer I am using at the time and maps only it. When working properly it will recognize the unique name of each computer/laptop powered up at the time and I can map all relationships with no problem.

I obviously do not want to reinstall Win XP as a solution to getting my LAN to work but I may have to if I cannot get any help..

Can some technically knowledgeable person help me do whatever to get this frustrating situation resolved?

Hopefully attached is a screen capture of an old website post by someone on this website who basically had the same situation I now have. Oops. For some reason although I can select the aforementioned 104 kb jpg,, the website apparently does not automatically upload it and I did not see a separate user selection option to upload it.

Regardless I would appreciate any help.

John

 

Here's why "dude"

Here is the main reason why "dude". The vast majority of application programs I use, some of which daily, have compatibility and processing conflict issues with Win 7. Drivers are not available for many of them.

I also have a Windows 7 computer and use it mainly as one component in an equipment configuration to decode selected digital radio signals because of its' HD sound card quality.

I have been will aware that MS will cease support for Win XP in 2014 for some time. At $30 an hour charge I never and don't know anyone who ever called them for support in the past so there is nothing lost for me. Any problems I had were resolved eventually mostly by myself or help from other sources locally or via the internet.

Win XP definitely has its' problems but it is a trade off and the lesser of "evils" for my requirements.

As for my LAN problem,. I bit the bullet and reinstalled Win XP and all is good again.

John