XP network

[Mouzafphaerre]

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net start dnscache
The DNS Client service is starting.
The DNS Client service was started successfully.

ipconfig /flushdns

Windows IP Configuration

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Thank you!

Flushing the DNS cache didn't help bypass the state censorship but I learned something new.
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[caravel]

You now need to do "sc config dnscache start= auto"

(Note the space between the "=" and the "a")

Or you can leave it on manual and start it up when needed (to flush the cache) using "net start dnscache", then flush the dns resolver cache and stop the service again by doing "net stop dnscache" - to avoid having it running all the time. Personally I find the DNS Cache to be useful and have it set to automatic.

[Pannonian]

Just to wrest things back to the original problem, I've set the IP addresses and subnet masks as per Caravel's suggestion, but left the preferred and alternate DNS servers empty as they were before, and now my laptop can see the desktop in the workgroup, but the desktop cannot see the laptop. Also, when I double click on the desktop, it tells me network path not found. The laptop can't access the internet, and it takes a while to update the window whenever I refresh the view of Mshome. Judging by the blinking on the switch, it's probably testing the connection. I've switched off Windows Firewall on the laptop, but kept the Sygate on the desktop.

BTW, I changed the IP on my network connection as per Caravel's suggestion, but left the internet IP the same as before, with a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0. Would changing it help?

Edit: I've jigged Advanced rules as per R'as al Ghul's suggestion to allow traffic to and from the laptop, and now it can access my desktop! My desktop still can't see the laptop though, and the laptop still can't access the internet.

Edit 2: Agh, too soon. The workgroup is inviible again on the laptop.

Edit 3: Why can't I shut up and just watch? Now both computers can see each other. Still no internet connection for the laptop though.

[caravel]

Edit 3: Why can't I shut up and just watch? Now both computers can see each other. Still no internet connection for the laptop though.

Manually enter the primary and secondary DNS servers in the network config for the laptop or enter the IP address of the desktop as the laptop's primary DNS server.

[Pannonian]

Manually enter the primary and secondary DNS servers in the network config for the laptop or enter the IP address of the desktop as the laptop's primary DNS server.

Still no joy re: laptop internet connection.

IP addres: 192.168.0.2
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway:
Preferred DNS server:

For the latter two, I tried first one, then the other, with 192.168.0.1, which is the network IP of the desktop, and a.a.a.a, which is the internet IP of the desktop, and any combination thereof, but the laptop still can't connect to the internet, with the error "Cannot find server". The laptop can ping both 192.168.0.1 and a.a.a.a.

Sygate on the desktop allows all traffic using all protocols from 192.168.0.2, while the laptop's network connection isn't firewalled.

[caravel]

Still not properly configured.

The Default gateway and Preferred (Primary) DNS Server both should be the address of the desktop machine (192.168.0.1), do not use the public address. If this still doesn't work then manually enter the primary and secondary DNS server addresses in network config for the laptop.

This is my NIC config with the gateway and primary DNS the same.


-Edit: Test when you've done this and post the result of "ipconfig /all" from the laptop if it still fails to connect.

[Pannonian]

Laptop setup

Windows IP Configuration

Hostname: pannlap
Primary Dns Suffix:
Node type: Unknown
IP Routing Enabled: No
WINS Proxy Enabled: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Description: Ethernet
Physical Address: a.a.a.a.a.a
Dhcp Enabled: No
IP Address: 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers: 192.168.0.1

Edit: Having looked at this, I still can't see any problem with the client's setup, so here's the host's setup as well.

Windows IP Configuration

Hostname: panndesk
Primary Dns Suffix:
Node type: Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled: Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Description: Ethernet
Physical Address: a.a.a.a.a.a
Dhcp Enabled: No
IP Address: 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:

Internet

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Description: WAN interface
Physical Address: a.a.a.a.a.a
Dhcp Enabled: No
IP Address: b.b.b.b
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway: b.b.b.b
DNS Servers: c.c.c.c
d.d.d.d
NetBIOS over Tcpip: Disabled