How to resolve Common Networking Issues in Windows Vista and Windows XP

We recently explored how to fix many common network issues in Windows 7, and now we want to look at how to fix similar networking issues in Windows XP and Windows Vista. We will also touch on how to help you get your older Windows computers connected to Windows 7 computers.

Some persons have reported of issues connecting other versions of Windows from Windows 7 and vice versa. Please note that exclusive features such as HomeGroup is not available to Windows Vista and XP, so you will have to use the standard Network Explorer to share and access resources.

The first steps you can take to try and resolve networking issues in this regard is to ensure the basics are in place:

  • Make sure both computers are within the same WORKGROUP (for Windows XP, click HERE for Windows 7/Vista, click HERE), additional resources HERE
  • For Windows Vista in Network and Sharing Center, ensure that you have your network configured as Private and that the Sharing and Discovery Settings are set to ON except for Password Protected Sharing.
  • For computers running Windows XP to appear on the Network Map diagram, you must download and install the LLTD Responder component. With the LLTD Responder, a computer running Windows XP can respond to other Windows Vista computers on the network that are attempting to create a network map.

To install the LLTD Responder to a computer running Windows XP

  1. Download the update for Windows XP from https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=70582
  2. Run the update on the computer running Windows XP that you want to appear on the Network Map.
  3. On the Software Update Installation Wizard, click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, read the license agreement, and if you agree to the terms, click I Agree, and then click Next.
  5. On the final page of the wizard, click Finish.
  6. If you are prompted to do so, restart your computer.
  7. After your computer running Windows XP restarts, generate a new Network Map with the computer running Windows XP included.
  • Check the registry on the Windows XP machine for the error message when you try to access a Windows XP-based network computer: “You might not have permission to use this network resource”. Microsoft covers how to this fix this error. This fix  finally did the trick for my network.

An additional task that you can do when attempting to troubleshoot is to disable all Firewall software (including the Windows Firewall temporarily).

Zone Alarm – Ensure that all machines on the network were in the trusted zone. Go to the Zone tab of Firewall settings in ZoneAlarm free version. Ensure all of your machines’ IP addresses are listed, as well as that of your router or wireless access point.

Norton Internet Security – Go to Norton Internet Security tab, open settings, scroll to bottom, open internet security and firewall options, open advanced settings, open configure, change default inbound NetBIOS, inbound NetBIOS name, and Block Windows File Sharing to ALLOW. Configuring this beast of an app required a lot of trial, error and googling the Symantec site and others.

Windows Firewall – How to turn Windows Firewall on or off

Check with the developers documentation if you are using another firewall.

If you have any comments or additional tips that you have discovered, please feel free to share them.

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