In article <#8IC06a5FHA.3976@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl>, TR <TR@org.org>
wrote:
>>>Does this indicate a problem? Should the Guest account be "active" when
>>>it is "off"
>>>Thanks
>>>TR
>>>
>>>Guest
>>>Guest Account is off
>>>
>>>run cmd net user guest
>>>.
>>>Account active Yes
>>
>> I think that you're looking at two different things and that
>> everything's OK.
>>
>> The Guest account setting in Control Panel | User Accounts determines
>> whether someone can log in as Guest at the keyboard attached to the
>> computer. It has nothing to do with networking.
>>
>> The "net user guest" command shows whether someone can access your
>> computer over the local area network via the Guest account. It has
>> nothing to do with logging in at the keyboard.
>>
>> If simple file sharing is enabled on your computer, all users on all
>> other computers are forced to access your computer over the network
>> via the Guest account. That requires having the Guest account active,
>> as shown by "net user guest".
>>
>> To enable the Guest account for network access:
>>
>> net user guest /active:yes
>>
>> To disable the Guest account for network access:
>>
>> net user guest /active:no

>Thanks for the clarification Steve. I have a WORKGROUP set up, with two
>machines running Windows XP Pro. PC2 can access files on PC1 using the
>IP address of PC1, but not by machine name. So I cannot expand the node
>in Network Neighborhood.
>
>I've added an entry to the LMHOSTS file, but that doesn't seem to do the
>trick. Do I have to set up WINS?
>
>TR

You're welcome, TR.

You don't need LMHOSTS or WINS in a single-subnet workgroup network.
You can't set up WINS, because that requires a server operating
system. XP (Home or Pro) is a client operating system.

Make sure that NetBIOS Over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers:

1. Open the Network Connections folder.
2. Right click the local area network connection.
3. Click Properties.
4. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
5. Click Properties.
6. Click Advanced.
7. Click WINS.
8. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.

See if there are any error messages about NetBIOS or other networking
functions in Start | Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance |
Administrative Tools | Event Viewer.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

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