View Full Version : why can't i ping a pc until i setup a shared folder on it?

20-05-2008, 05:06 PM
this is on a windows network, both OS's are windows xp. i can't ping my flatmates pc unless he sets up a shared folder? why is that? :punk

20-05-2008, 05:48 PM
Two things:

How are you pinging the PC, by IP address or by Name, and are is the address static or Obtain automatically ?
Do you have the firewall set to allow all addresses through the router?

20-05-2008, 05:51 PM
cmd - then ping computername
just windows firewall and no firewall on the router
once i share a folder on the computer im pinging it lets me ping it fine... "?"

20-05-2008, 06:12 PM
Can you ping by the PC's IP address ? (unshared folder)

20-05-2008, 06:13 PM
its wierd once i unshare the folder. then i can still ping it by computer name... stupid windows. it was a fresh install of windows.

20-05-2008, 06:47 PM
Thats more than likely because Windows Remembers where it is, until you reboot.

If you can Ping VIA the IP Address then thats normal, I have found over the years pinging by name fails more than it succeeds.

Why do you want to ping the other PC? Especially if nothing is shared ?

Pinging only in its basic form, only confirms the PC's are making contact, and the speed at which the packet is sent, received and returned in milliseconds and if nothing is being shared theres no point :confused:

In a Non technical explanation the DNS is not converting / detecting the PC's IP address to its given name, I think you will find if you ping the IP address it will answer fine.

20-05-2008, 06:50 PM
well at work i was having the same problem with freshly imaged computers. i wanted to acces the sheduled tasks by going \\computer01 and pasting a scheduled task in there because i could do it from my office rather than having to go to the computer and log in as administrator and create a scheduled task, i couldnt go to run and type \\computer01 nor ping it by ping computer01 until i had setup a share and then removed it... when you're logged in as administrator you can go to \\computer\C$ without it being shared. i couldnt do any of that.. "?"

20-05-2008, 07:40 PM
Adding in a sheduled task Via a network is slightly different than not being able to ping a PC, which is what you originally asked.

Are you wanting to add the scheduled task in to only the 1 PC or hundreds, are they running through a server or a simple home/ router setup.

Are they XP home or XP Pro ?

20-05-2008, 07:54 PM
im not wanting to know how to add the scheduled task, i know how to do that. i was wanting to get into the computer via the network i.e. going to run and typing \\computername
even if a computer has nothing shared it still comes up with scheduled tasks and printers i think it is. but i cannot run \\computername nor ping by computer name until i share a folder on the pc.

this is on a windows network with a domain controller, but is the same on my home network with my flatmates pc, hence why i didnt really mention the situation at work because it's the same as at home.

20-05-2008, 08:23 PM
have you tried dropping your firewalls , if you cant get through by "run" \\computername then something is stopping it. Windows firewall is sometimes " over Protective"

20-05-2008, 08:28 PM
yeah.. it must be like before you setup a shared folder windows firewall blocks access to the computer, once you share a folder it allows access or something.. i pretty much hate microsoft. wish they'd use linux at work...

thanks for your input wainui :)

20-05-2008, 08:56 PM
When you ping a PC by name over the LAN I'm fairly sure the DNS converts that to the IP address, just like if you open CMD and type in Ping www.pcworld.co.nz you get a reply of, its only a conversion so humans can remember the name a lot better than remembering a IP address.

I must admit usually, when pinging a network, I use the IP address to fault find etc, never the name.

If I go run \\computername on any of the PC/servers here, they all open instantly, BUT then I have shared folders on all as well :rolleyes: So thats no help.

Maybe someone with more networking Knowledge can advice regarding names.

20-05-2008, 09:08 PM
Moosecannon eh, ah takes me back to the old AQ2 days
ah memories

20-05-2008, 09:17 PM
aq2 ftw. i kinda hi-jacked the name but yeah i used 2 play :)

21-05-2008, 09:41 AM
damn now i'm all nostalgic, wheres me q2 disc