Help - Vista Networking question...

AsSiMiLaTeD

EDIT: Updating my first post with all pertinent information I've uncovered since day 1:

I have 3 PCs running Vista. OfficePC, MobilePC, and WifePC. They're all on the same workgroup and can all share media find with each other. They can also all 'see' each other, so in the network section I can see all PC names from each computer.

But when I click on the PC name it's asking me to log in. Once I log in I can see and access all the shares on that PC. However when copying files the transfer rate is EXTREMELY slow, less than 1 MB per second. I should mention that all PCs have an excellent connection to the internet, so the slowness appears to be a software problem.

Here's what's odd. WifePC and MobilePC can actually access each other fine without having to log in. But when OfficePC tries to access either of those PCs or when either of those PCs try to access Office PC, it wants the login.

I tried a fresh install of Vista on OfficePC (easy enough since I have an image of the normal install), set up everything from scratch and still had the same issues.

I've tried all the 'normal' stuff. Network Discovery, File Sharing, Printer Sharing, and Media Sharing are all on. Public Sharing and Password Protection are off - all PCs have this same configuration. I've tried turning Firewall off just for kicks.

I know now that I can share files between PCs without having to log in because I'm doing it on two other PCs. I don't mind just logging in to access this PC, but I'm thinking the slowness has to be tied to whatever is causing this issue, and the slowness is not something I can live with.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I should also mention that yes both computers are on the same workgroup, and that media sharing between the two computers is working fine. It's only when I click on the PC name to access printers and folders that it wants me to log in.

polkatese

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/76174f4a-7522-425a-9424-324dd299265e1033.mspx#ELF

PM, I have 3 XPs and 1 Vista connected to see each other HDDs and it works fine. What you have experienced could be the sharing of the folders. It has to have sufficient rights. I remembered that I ran into something similar like your issue when I first set them up, it has been a while, but I recalled in Vista, it took 3 layers depth to assign all the rights (R,W, etc.) to have it work properly. Start over?

AsSiMiLaTeD

Thanks for the info, and I'm aware of the folder permission issues in Vista, but that's not what I'm up against, because I'm getting the login prompt right when I click on the PC name, before I ever get to the list of shared drives.

I was able to work around the issue by just logging in, but my copy speeds are EXTREMELY slow, I'm talking less than 1 MB a sec, and both PCs have excellent connectivity. There's definitely something going on, I just can't figure it out...

AsSiMiLaTeD

Thanks for the tips Las, now really what I'm looking for here but will help for something at work.

I have a little more info I can share on my issue.

I have 3 PCs running Vista. OfficePC, MobilePC, and WifePC. They're all on the same workgroup and can all share media find with each other. They can also all 'see' each other, so in the network section I can see all PC names from each computer.

But when I click on the PC name it's asking me to log in. Once I log in I can see and access all the shares on that PC. However when copying files the transfer rate is EXTREMELY slow, less than 1 MB per second. I should mention that all PCs have an excellent connection to the internet, so the slowness appears to be a software problem.

Here's what's odd. WifePC and MobilePC can actually access each other fine without having to log in. But when OfficePC tries to access either of those PCs or when either of those PCs try to access Office PC, it wants the login.

I tried a fresh install of Vista on OfficePC (easy enough since I have an image of the normal install), set up everything from scratch and still had the same issues.

I've tried all the 'normal' stuff. Network Discovery, File Sharing, Printer Sharing, and Media Sharing are all on. Public Sharing and Password Protection are off - all PCs have this same configuration. I've tried turning Firewall off just for kicks.

I know now that I can share files between PCs without having to log in because I'm doing it on two other PCs. I don't mind just logging in to access this PC, but I'm thinking the slowness has to be tied to whatever is causing this issue, and the slowness is not something I can live with.

phuz

Make sure the username and password that you are using on OfficePC matches ones on the other PCs. You're getting a username/password prompt because the account you are using is not set up on the other PCs, so it's asking you to authenticate.

Update/patch vista. There was a problem with it that caused very slow file copy times. Microsoft has issued some fixes for it. Google is your friend.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I definitely checked Google before I posted here. You first suggestion above though is actually what I was missing.

Apparently to network two PCs in Vista you have to have the same username AND password on each machine. XP wasn't that way, and that wasn't really obvious to me when looking through all the documentation on networking in Vista, but that's definitely the case.

I fixed that part and it works fine now.

As for the slowness, it's a little better, but I'm still only copying at like 3 MB a sec, and all PCs are completely updated with Service Pack 1. I'm running Wireless G over the WRT54G Linksys router that has always been rock solid for me. I'm going to do some more digging around and see if there's something else to this, because I can't imagine Vista being limited to 3 MB a sec transfer speeds...