I have Laptop Gateway MT6821 vista Home Premium SP2 and Desktop Dell GX280 XP SP2. I connected them via an Ethernet cross over cable. Try these settings: 1) Both side user account with same password 2) Same workgroup “WORKGROUP” 3) Open the “File sharing” in vista from Network and sharing center 4) Change to “private network” from “public network” in Vista 5) On Folders and Root Drives Sharing > advance sharing > permission> everyone > full control in vista 6) Network and Sharing Center > Manage network connections. > Right-click > Properties > Configure > Power Management tab > clear the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power > OK 7) Installed the Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol on that XP computer. 8) In vista Computer have enabled LLTD, >Network and Internet, > Network and Sharing Center, > Manage network connections. > The network adapter Properties > Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O Driver and Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder checked the boxes> OK. 9) Checked the Windows firewall settings and make sure that “Enable file and printer sharing” are enabled in XP. 10) Both computers’ network adaptor were set to obtain IP, DNS etc. automatically. Now after doing these setting my vista was indicating normal icon in Taskbar (two diagonally overlapping computer with animation), but my XP computer indicating yellow tag on that icon (Limited or no connectivity error). However I can ping them vice versa and Vista is mapping the XP computer. But the problem is that I can’t access the XP computer from Vista although it was mapping in vista, and my XP even wasn’t seeing Vista computer. I tried to access each of them by computer name e.g. \\LAPTOP.... But all were coming up to an error; you don’t have permission etc….. Then I tried one by one 11) Same IP sequence and same subnet mask on both computer 12) Disable Windows firewalls on both computers 13) Or turn off the password protected sharing from vista > network and sharing center > password protected sharing > off I have read all articles of Vista XP networkings from microsoft. But there is no hope; can anyone tell me what is wrong with me?

Hi It seems that there is No DHCP Server in the mix. That means that you have to set the two computers to a static IP of the same subnet. Example, Vista 192.168.1.1 Win XP 192.168.1.2 Or, if one of the computers has two Network cards and it is connected to the Internet, configure this computer as a Host with ICS. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Using-ICS-Internet-Connection-Sharing Jack, MVP-Networking. EZLAN.NET

I tried all on vista Home Premium SP2 (and then also tried Windows 7 Ultimate) and Desktop Dell GX280 XP SP2 Professional (and then XP SP3 Professional). This is two PC crossover Ethernet cable network with no router and internet. First I tried network adaptors setting to obtain IP, DNS etc. automatically. Therefore didn’t assign any IP sequence and subnet mask for both PCs. Windows 7 and windows Vista's windows firewall were configured automatically due to I set the network as “Work Network” and “Home Network” respectively. XP's windows firewall was also configured by Network sharing wizard. I don't have any third party firewall. Now after doing these setting my vista was indicating normal icon in Taskbar (two diagonally overlapping computer with animation), but my XP computer indicating yellow tag on that icon (Limited or no connectivity error). However I can ping (which were obtained by PCs automatically) them vice versa and Vista is mapping the XP computer. But the problem is that I can’t access the XP computer from Vista or Windows 7 although XP was mapping in vista or 7, and my XP wasn’t even seeing Vista or 7 computers. I tried to access each of them by computer name e.g.\\LAPTOP.... But all were coming up to an error; you don’t have permission etc….. Then I also tried same IP sequence (10.1.1.1, .2) and same subnet (255.255.255.0) mask on both computers. In either way (password protected sharing and non-password protected sharing) I used identical user accounts on both PCs (same user name and password). On XP: Only windows firewall And on Vista or Windows 7: Windows firewall Avast Antivirus

The Node Type of Peer-Peer is not going to let my resolve network addresses without a WINS server. John Will suggested me to do this: http://forums.techguy.org/7454078-post12.html "Create a file in notepad named NODETYPE.REG with the following contents: You should have 3 boxes on the bottom in NOTEPAD. 1)Filename : NODETYPE.REG 2)Save as type: all files 3)Encoding: ANSI If you do not change it from txt type to All files type, then the file will actually be NODETYPE.REG.txt, this won't accomplish the desired result. ------------------- Use text after this line ------------------- Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters] "NodeType"=- "DhcpNodeType"=- ------------------- Use text before this line ----------------- Double click on the file and say Yes to the merge into registry question. Reboot the computer." then I restrated my windows 7 after this registry edit, all is working correctly. Now have connected to my desktop by my built in laptop network adaptor, and I am usning internet by my USB SMC network adaptor. I have on file shared on my laptop and deskop shared drive permission is set to "Full" however have restricted the number of simultanous user limit to "1". Is it ok?