accessing computers on different subnet

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hi,

I am running WinXp professional.
I can ping computers on a different subnet. I can even locate them using the 'nbtstat' cmd but when using 'net view' it gives me error that the network path cannot be found. However, I cannot access the computers. Using a 3rd party tool..Essential Net tools..I can see the computers on different subnet with their netbios names and whether they share any thing or not. Howevr, I cannot access their m/cs. PLease suggest something...I have tried resolving using LMHosts, it doesnt work.....Also, how can I find the WINS servers address, since it is not directly given by DHCP.


Also, suggest use of 'netsh -r router' cmd

thank you.
 
To make matters simple, can these computers NOT be on the same subnet? I would assume there is no way for them to be on the same subnet.

Someone smarter then me might be able to help out but it has been in my experience that two computer can't just talk to each other like a local network if they are not on the same subnet. At least not by just opening network shares. Though I'm sure there are exceptions. But you won't find the other subnets in your Network Places or whatever.
You can try getting to them directly, say by going Start-Run and typing "\\computername\sharename" and see what happens.

This was an interresting read that I found: http://www.uregina.ca/compserv/support/technotes/535/cctn535.shtml

Though if you can see them, and see the shares, then connection problems could be related to security. The sharing computer has to allow the "user" you are connecting as. Which could be your current user/pass, or even anonymous.
Right-click the share and look at the security permissions, and the share permissions.

Here is the details of the NETSH command: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/netsh.mspx

To find the WINS server address, if I understood you correctly, you need to go into the TCP/IP properties. On XP you can get there by clicking Start-Control Panel-Network Connections(in classic view)-Rightclick your LAN and choose Properties. Then double-click on TCP/IP in the list. Once in there, click Advanced, and then the WINS tab. Not sure if that's what you were looking for.
The process is similar for 9x boxes.

Sounds like a tuff problem. Somehow in the back of my mind I seem to think that you CAN'T directly access shares on another subnet. At least not without things being opened on the router or changes being made somewhere.

Hope that gives you any ideas
good luck
 
Thanks for the reply

However, I dint get the reqd solution. I can locate the computer using a 3rd party s/w "Essential Net Tools" and even know that the computer is sharing something ( dont exactly know what). But I cant access the computer even though there are no priveleges set on that machine. Also I can use nbtstat command for tht m/c and when I use net view it gives me a system 53 error.

Is there any way that I can locate other 'workgroups', because using the above s/w I can see computers on other workgroups but these arent visible under my n/w places.

Also I wanted to know if I could some how get the IP address of the nearest WINS server because the N/w administrator isnt ready to give it out sighting reasons that n/w sharing acts as a bandwidth clogger for other users.

Also, is there any need for configuring the WINS server address if I have enabled DNS. Please indicate the difference b/n the two.

please suggest other methods to locate shares on another subnet.do I need to find apt routers to that subnet??
 
Here is the difference between DNS and WINS, both are needed in an MS network: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Windows/Article/ArticleID/2791/2791.html

Here is another article that might explain how browsing works across subnets:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/wins/winsinfo/index.xml?style=text

There is a lot of info here that I can't go all through but it seems like you can browse their resources given like 5 things are properly in place.
Unfortunately this goes beyond my current knowledge.

From what I gather, you can't "browse" anything outside your subnet because of the WINS issue. Though as you found out, you CAN see them. Thus given a few things you should be able to directly get to the resources, not by browsing, but by a direct connection either by typing the address or browsing in command line.

As for finding WINS servers, the addresses are usually given out by DHCP, but if yours isn't then the techniques to find them go beyond me. Some kind of command line hacking probably. Or if you can just get the guy to give you his address.

But anyway, I'm out of ideas, though I'm VERY interested in your solution when you find it.
Sorry I couldn't help more, but I don't have the research time here at work!
 
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