NIS2012 appears to be blocking file sharing

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

Hello,

 

I was hoping that someone could help with this as I've tried about a million things with no luck.

 

I have a Lenovo Win 7 64-bit Pro laptop, and Dell desktop running Win XP. These used to talk to each other just fine. However, I made two changes at about the same time - I switched routers b/c of flakey behavior and upgraded from NIS2009 to NIS2012. Then with the exact same setup as previously, I could see the Win 7 laptop from the XP desktop with full privileges as set up, but not vice versa.

 

I've just had to rebuild my Win 7 laptop and cannot access in either direction. Right now, it is still a clean install (with updates and SPs ) and I'm trying to get this resolved before restoring data files and applications.

 

Here's what I know:

 

On my laptop, in NIS2012, Advanced, Network Protection, Network Security Map, the network itself is set to Full Trust, as is the desktop.Clearly, it can see the desktop and it shows up with the same IP address as I get on the desktop when I do an ipconfig, so I believe the network is functioning properly.

 

Win 7 laptop cannot ping itself or laptop. XP desktop can ping both itself and laptop.

 

Win 7 homegroup has been left, and the two HomeGroup services have been disabled at startup and currently active instance Stopped.

 

Both computers are set up to be part of the same Workgroup - HOMEWORKGROUP. Have tried laptop as both in a Home and Work network (with no domain) and neither seems to matter.

 

Win 7 Advanced Network Settings have network discovery ON, file and printer sharing ON, sharing for anyone to Public folder ON, use 128-bit encryption ON, password protected sharing ON, use user accounts and passwords ON.

 

Both computers have an administrator account with the exact same user name and password.

 

The desktop is running McAfee.

 

Have tried running it with NIS Smart FIrewall off on the laptop with no difference.

 

I have tried setting the network adapter (currently both computers are plugged into the same ADSL modem/router) properties for TCP/IPv4 - Advanced, WINS, Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (don't know what that does, but I saw it suggested). It didn't do anything so I set it back.

 

What else do you need to know? Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks!!!!

 

-LL

2

P.S. On the Win 7 laptop, I did create a Share for the whole C drive (I'll deal with security once I get this working) and added myself as a User with full read/write access.

 

On the XP desktop, there are a number of Shares that used to function without issue that allow Everyone full permissions.

3

Ok - I solved my own problem. After trying all of the above plus a few more steps (like deleting both computers from their workgroup and creating a new one), I took a look at the desktop. Turns out that obviously without my knowledge and/or recollection, a change had been made to our McAfee as well - it looks like when we renewed, we also upgraded and there is a similar Full Trust/map option on that computer as well. Sure enough, when I turned off the firewall on the desktop, I could access it from the laptop which is running NIS2012.

 

In case this is of help to anyone, I tried a variety of settings on my McAfee/XP desktop computer to allow it to be seen, including enabling the pre-supplied Windows File Sharing ports option, confirming the computers are all showing up in the network map etc and finally gave up. The only thing that worked was turning the McAfee Firewall off, which clearly sounded to me like a McAfee configuration problem.

 

So, not sure if this is allowed here as it references a Norton competitor, but I didn't realize they (or anyone!) offerred free chat support. The tech took over my computer, and clicked Restore Defaults and voila. All working. Duh!!!! So, just goes to show that sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.

 

Moral of the story: if I had only believed that there had been a change to the desktop configuration, I would have started with the firewall on both computers. Either I or my husband obviously approved a change that we didn't recall that had unexpected implications.

 

Thanks to everyone who's had a look at this thread.

 

-LL *goes to wipe egg off face*

4

Hello

 

If your NIS 2012 is for up to  3 computers, then you can use NIS 2012 on both of your computers and not use McAfee at all. It does make it easier to use the same  security program on all of the computers on the same network at home. If you already have the McAfee firewall turned off, you already have disabled an important part of the program.