# Can see but cannot access computers on Network



## kiwibird (Jan 30, 2002)

Hi
I run a MS Vista netwrok at home with 1 PC and 2 laptops. They can all "see" each other but cannot access each other. They can all access the internet. Can anyone offer any advice on what I could be doing wrong.
Thanks


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"Can anyone offer any advice on what I could be doing wrong."

While you wait for advice, how about some guesses? Maybe your Vista PCs are not password protected. Or you haven't enabled file and printer sharing. Or you haven't configured 3rd party firewall(s) for LAN access.


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## kiwibird (Jan 30, 2002)

Hi thanks for replying. Yes I have tried all those suggestions but still no luck. Will keep trying and see if I can work ti out.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

What are the EXACT symptoms of not being able to access them?


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## skinnywhiteboy (Jan 26, 2001)

Does it prompt you for a password? In a typical Workgroup scenario, you should have the following:

All PC's must have the same user accounts and passwords
(If you want to share files among those accounts)

All PC's should be assigned the same Workgroup name

Of course they all need different IP's on the same subnet too.

Hope this helps.


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## kiwibird (Jan 30, 2002)

I have made some progress and can now get into the other computers and see the shared folders but when I try to get into the folders I get an access denied message saying I might not have permission to use this network resource. Any more suggestions. Thanks


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Create a file in notepad named FIXANON.REG with the following contents:

You should have 3 boxes on the bottom in NOTEPAD.
1)Filename : FIXANON.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 FIXANON.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\Control\Lsa]
"restrictanonymous"=dword:00000000
------------------- Use text before this line -----------------

Double click on the file and say Yes to the merge into registry question.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Most times that key is there, if that is the case simply:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CurrentControlSet / Control / Lsa
3. Change the value of a key called "restrictanonymous" to 0 instead of 1
4. Don't change "restrictanonymoussam" value.
5. Reboot


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## Rabbity (Sep 27, 2007)

do you have a AV like Nortons with a firewall? if disable that firewall, it can stop access on a work group


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Bob Cerelli said:


> Most times that key is there, if that is the case simply:
> 
> 1. Start Regedit
> 2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CurrentControlSet / Control / Lsa
> ...


Or use the same fix I posted earlier.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Oh yes, absolutely. That can work too. Just like to give people more information when possible.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Or the same information twice?


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

If you look carefully it is not exactly the same information twice, reflecting two possible ways to make changes to the registry

One is how to create a file to be run and imported into the registry in order to make a certain change to the registry.

The other is how to make that change directly using regedit.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Bob and John, I'm confused. You're indicating that Vista uses anonymous login for network access, even though it requires a user account to be password protected to even allow file sharing?

For XP the anonymous login (and hence that fix) only applies to Simple File Sharing, right?


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Similar fix for XP Pro as well, which can have the same requirements. It has nothing to do with anonymous login but the error message. 

But like XP Pro, you can also configure Vista to not have a user account for network access.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Thanks, Bob. Between your post and some more reading on 'restrictanonymous' I think I now have a better understanding.


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## kiwibird (Jan 30, 2002)

Thanks for all the advice. I hope to get a chance over the weekend to see if I can get it working.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

More details on networking Vista can be found at:
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/vista_network_sharing_center.htm 
and
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/vista_network.htm


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