Request for a Simple Step-By-Step Guide to Networking Vista and XP

So far, I have not found a clear answer to this question anywhere, so I will
try to request one here:

I have four machines in my home network connected through a Belkin router.
Two machines are wired, two wireless. Three are running XP, one is now
running Vista RC1. The Vista machine is wired. When all four machines were
on the workgroup "COSTELLO," they could all see/share with each other.

Since installing Vista RC1, I have not been able to access the Vista machine
from any of the others. I can access the XP machines from the Vista machine,
but not vice-versa.

I have shared the Vista's folders; I have enabled full access for
"Everyone," I have even tried turning off the firewall. It simply will not
work.

I could go into a longer list of the things I have tried, but in most of
these posts the topic is getting muddier because we are each using different
permutations to try to get this working. If possible, I would like to find
out -- step-by-step -- how a Vista machine should be set up in order to share
with XP machines on a home network.

Cheers.

 

MVP Barb Bowman has written a good article on setting up a home network.
It's about Vista Beta 2 but it should still be appropriate for RC1.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/community/home_networking.mspx

 

I had essentially the same problme as you. I could share a directory with
WinXP and Server 2003, but not with Win2K. In Explorer on the Vista
computer I selected the directory, then right-clicked it, and selected
Share, then Advanced. Then I added Everyone to the groups and gave it full
control. Now there is no problme; the Win2K machine can see and read the
directory. I also before this change had issued the command "NET USE
\\ComputerName\Directory password /User:ComputerName\Administrator," from
the Win2K machine, where ComputerName is the name of the Vista RC1 machine,
but I don't know if that matters.

CElliott.