On my Win98 desktop, Network Neighbourhood is completely missing as far as I have been able to tell. Without it, I can't share files and a printer over the network between the desktop and my wireless XP laptop. My network consists of a router/access point to which the desktop is wired by an Ethernet card and cable. The laptop has a wireless card. Both computers can successfully access the Internet via the router/access point, which is wired to a cable modem, but neither can see files on the other one, and the laptop can't print to the printer that is wired to the desktop. Does anyone know a way to retrieve Network Neighbourhood or know of a workaround for this situation?

NightOwl,

Back when I got my Win 98 desktop, it was not part of any network and I thought it never would be. I had trouble connecting to the Internet and I became convinced that Network Neighborhood had something to do with it. I tried to get rid of it and found someone on the Web who helped me do it. After that, Internet connection indeed seemed far less complicated and I was happy not to have that icon on the desktop. That is, up until I got my wireless XP laptop and began to have ambitions about sharing files between the two computers and sharing a printer that is wired to the desktop. So I get a wireless router/access point and set up a little network. Shared Internet connections for browsing and e-mail worked fine from the start, but no Wizard or network troubleshooter has been able to get file and printer sharing to work. I keep seeing everywhere messages saying that a network cable is unplugged but doubt if that could be the case, since the Internet connection works.

Thanks very much for the information, instuctions and links in your reply. You have raised my hopes after months of discouragement. I will start working through your suggestions and report what happens.

Harold

I would try the TweakUI program to bring back the 'Network Neighborhood'.

Alternatively, this article suggests un-installing 'Client for Microsoft Networks' and then reinstalling it to re-establish the 'Network Neighborhood':

How can the Windows Network Neighborhood icon be restored if it is missing?

NightOwl,

I went through Network Wizard again on my laptop after first checking settings on both computers for Network Client, TSP/IP protocol, services (file and printer sharing) and making sure computer and network names were consistent in both computers. In the wizard, I still see the message that the desktop connection to the network is unplugged and sharing does not happen. I think the "unplugged cable" may be referring to the missing Network Neighbourhood because nothing is physically unplugged. You mentioned that networking can be done on a Win 98 computer without Network Neighbourhood. Maybe it's time to explore that possibility. Can you point me in that direction?

Harold

NightOwl,

No firewall on Win98 computer

Microsoft firewall (in SP2) on XP laptop

At Network Card > More Info:

    Host Name     LAPTOP HOME (names of the laptop & workgroup)
    DNS Server    128.143.2.7
    IP Address      192.168.0.1
    Subnet Mask   255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway  blank
    DHPC Server       blank

Other filled boxes:

    Node Type       Broadcast
    NetBIOS Res. Uses DNS  box checked
    Adapter Address  00-0C-41-E7-24-18
    Linksys LNE 100TXI(v5) Fast Ethernet

Harold

NightOwl,

The router/access point is:

Linksys Wireless G Broadband, Model WRT54GS v1.1

Documentation is on installation dIsk.

Harold

Harold

I want to confirm that the User Guide you have matches what I have down loaded:

Linksys, WRT54G, User Guide, pdf file with 61 pages--last manual page no. is 113--same?

Is that the same as you have on the installation disk?

PDF page 11 has the settings for Win98 and ME, the manual page is 14--same?

Harold

Does this link appear to be your rounter:

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=610

The manual I downloaded from here is:  UG-WRT54G-122402A JL.  Still doesn't say WRT54G.

How did you set up your network and router for your desktop Win98 system?  Did you follow directions that came with the router, or did you get directions from your ISP provider?

The reason I think the network is set up incorrectly it that above you said the 'winipcfg' program returned the IP address of 192.168.0.1 for your Win98 system--but that address should be the router's LAN (local area network) address.  And your Win98 system should be 192.168.0., or 192.168.0., or 192.168.0., etc.

And the LAN's DNS (dynamic name server) should be the router's address--192.168.0.1

So, I need to know if your ISP (internet service provider) has some custom setup that they require that you followed, or if it's possibly just a mis-configuration of the network.