Ambiguous message when exploring network

When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off.
Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to change..."

Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is active
which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.

On May 10, 9:33*pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off.
> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to change...."
>
> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is active
> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.

You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.

Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.

-solon fox

solon fox wrote:
> On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
>> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off.
>> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to change..."
>>
>> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
>> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is active
>> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>
> You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
> just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
> mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
> anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
> specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
> which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>
> Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>
> -solon fox


Actually it doesn't seem to matter what I share on the Vista boxes, I
can't see any shared files from Linux, unlike with XP which looks just
like any other shared box.

Evidently I am missing something

I can see _all_ visible network computers and devices regardless of the
state of my firewall file sharing rules.

The message vista returns makes no sense.


"solon fox" <> wrote in message
news:6d405c18-7453-4d81-ba0c-...
> On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
>> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off.
>> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to
>> change..."
>>
>> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
>> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is active
>> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>
> You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
> just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
> mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
> anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
> specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
> which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>
> Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>
> -solon fox

So you can see the box just not the shares? Sounds like authentication
issue. You need to username/password combination that is valid on the vista
machine when connecting to it.

"Charlie Tame" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> solon fox wrote:
>> On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
>>> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off.
>>> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to
>>> change..."
>>>
>>> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
>>> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is
>>> active
>>> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>>
>> You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
>> just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
>> mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
>> anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
>> specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
>> which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>>
>> Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>>
>> -solon fox
>
>
> Actually it doesn't seem to matter what I share on the Vista boxes, I
> can't see any shared files from Linux, unlike with XP which looks just
> like any other shared box.
>
> Evidently I am missing something

Nope, name and PW are the same for all, Linux and often XP machines
won't see Vista machines. Can RDP into them, VNC works, but no matter
what is shared you can't see it except from another Vista machine.

Mike wrote:
> So you can see the box just not the shares? Sounds like authentication
> issue. You need to username/password combination that is valid on the
> vista machine when connecting to it.
>
> "Charlie Tame" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>> solon fox wrote:
>>> On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
>>>> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned
>>>> off.
>>>> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to
>>>> change..."
>>>>
>>>> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
>>>> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is
>>>> active
>>>> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>>>
>>> You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
>>> just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
>>> mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
>>> anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
>>> specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
>>> which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>>>
>>> Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>>>
>>> -solon fox
>>
>>
>> Actually it doesn't seem to matter what I share on the Vista boxes, I
>> can't see any shared files from Linux, unlike with XP which looks just
>> like any other shared box.
>>
>> Evidently I am missing something
>

Hi Mike,

I'm sorry my answer didn't help you. I will admit that I am just
guessing at this point. My understanding is that you _are_ able to see
all shared devices and that the message is misleading.

My understanding is that you can turn file sharing on without actually
sharing anything on your computer. Have you tried that?

I don't get this message on either my work network, or my home
network. My home network has firewalled PC's both XP and Vista and a
firewalled router. The network at my work has XP, Vista, HP-UX and
Solaris shares. My laptop has no shared folders, printers or devices,
but "file sharing" is on. This is the primary difference between what
I see and what you describe; you do not have file sharing on. You get
the ambiguous message and I do not.

-solon fox



On May 11, 9:44*am, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
> I can see _all_ visible network computers and devices regardless of the
> state of my firewall file sharing rules.
>
> The message vista returns makes no sense.
>
> "solon fox" <solon...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:6d405c18-7453-4d81-ba0c-...
>
>
>
> > On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
> >> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned off..
> >> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to
> >> change..."
>
> >> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
> >> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is active
> >> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>
> > You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
> > just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
> > mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
> > anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
> > specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
> > which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>
> > Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>
> > -solon fox- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Have you enabled Network Discovery on Vista's firewall?

"Charlie Tame" <> wrote in message
news:#6KofG$...
> Nope, name and PW are the same for all, Linux and often XP machines won't
> see Vista machines. Can RDP into them, VNC works, but no matter what is
> shared you can't see it except from another Vista machine.
>
> Mike wrote:
>> So you can see the box just not the shares? Sounds like authentication
>> issue. You need to username/password combination that is valid on the
>> vista machine when connecting to it.
>>
>> "Charlie Tame" <> wrote in message
>> news:#...
>>> solon fox wrote:
>>>> On May 10, 9:33 pm, "Mike" <re...@to.group> wrote:
>>>>> When I explore Network a yellow bar appears "File sharing is turned
>>>>> off.
>>>>> Some network computers and devices might not be visible. Click to
>>>>> change..."
>>>>>
>>>>> Why wouldn't I be able to see other computers and devices if I'm not
>>>>> allowing incoming connections for file sharing? Core networking is
>>>>> active
>>>>> which enables ICMP. No outgoing rules are active. Give me one example.
>>>>
>>>> You should still be able to see 'some' network computers and devices,
>>>> just not all depending on settings. Turning file sharing on doesn't
>>>> mean that you are then sharing your computer with everyone, or even
>>>> anyone. You only share those folders/devices on your computer that you
>>>> specifically set to share. You should be safe turning file sharing on,
>>>> which will then enable you to see network devices with varying OS's.
>>>>
>>>> Of course, what you really want to know is why? I don't know.
>>>>
>>>> -solon fox
>>>
>>>
>>> Actually it doesn't seem to matter what I share on the Vista boxes, I
>>> can't see any shared files from Linux, unlike with XP which looks just
>>> like any other shared box.
>>>
>>> Evidently I am missing something
>>