You are over complicating things. Ditch the second network card in the one
computer and connect all computers directly to the switch that is integrated
in the router. Do not use ICS ever unless you are using dial up to access
the internet. All computer should be using the router IP as the default
gateway which probably is 192.168.1.1 and can use the router for DHCP. Be
sure to disable ICS on the one computer or it will also try to dish out IP
addresses. Use ipconfig /all to verify tcp/ip configuration on the computers
and verify that they can ping each other.

XP Pro by default uses simple file sharing which uses the guest account for
share access and shares/NTFS permissions would then need to include everyone
group. Otherwise disable simple file sharing and create user accounts on
each computer and configure share/NTFS permissions to be the access for
user/group that you want to have access. The user trying to access the share
would then need to logon with a user logon/password that exists on the
computer with the share in order to access it. It may be helpful to look in
the security log via Event Viewer of the computer with the share to see if
failed logon events are recorded that may provide a clue as to why access is
being denied if the user is failing to authenticate to the computer. You
need to use Local Security Policy [secpol.msc] to make sure that the
computer with the share has auditing of logon events enabled which it mat
have by default.

Host/software firewalls are often a cause of problems with accessing file
shares in a network. These firewalls should be disabled [assuming internet
router is protecting the network] until the problem is resolved and also
booting into Safe Mode with networking should be tried as a troubleshooting
procedure. Also try to access the computer with the share by UNC with both
computer name and IP address to see if that works or not. In the run box put
\\computername\share or \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\share where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the
actual IP address of the computer with the share. Running netstat -an on
the computer with the share should show ports 139 TCP and 445 TCP connected
or listening. The links below may be helpful. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q304040 --- info
on simple file sharing
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;308418 ---
configure NTFS folder/file permissions assuming NTFS file system is used
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...e/adminsf.mspx
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/.../troubleshoot/

"carol chilstrom" <hippiechick13-nospam@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:Zwzsf.369057$zb5.98087@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>I am trying to network two PC's for a friend.
> I did my research before starting the process of networking two computers
> and have followed it to a T.
> I have contacted the tech guys at Best Buy, Microsoft, Symantec/Norton,
> and a software vendors tech support and none of them seems to be of help.
> They all trhow me off to the next guy. So A post in here will hopefully
> be fruitful to my needs. Here is what I have for a layout
>
> Both PC's running WindowsXP PRO updated to SP2 on both.
> SBCglobal DSL modem
> two ethernet cards on host machine - one for DSL and the other for network
> to the Linksys 5 port router in port 2.
> One ethernet card on 2nd PC connected to Linksys 5 port router in port 3
> (port one uplink NOT USED).
> Used network Wizard on both Pc's starting with HOST machine with shared
> internet in group OFFICE.
> Host machine has Norton Internet Security 2004 with all updates. It has
> personal firewall.
> The second machine has no security other than windows firewall which is
> disabled/off.
> I have run MSANTISPYWARE BETA (latest version updated), NOTHING FOUND
> Adware PRO Nothing found,
> AVG PRO= Nothing found
> Norton Internet Security 2004 defaults set on all options and ran a ful
> scan several times = Found nothing.
>
>
> I can get the ip address of both with ipconfig /all
> which are:
> Host PC = 192.168.1.100
> 2nd PC = 192.168.1.101
> set to "automatically assigned"
> I can ping 192.168.1.100 & 192.168.1.101 from both machines and get 128
> TTL 4 timesn on both w/ no lost packets
> I have all folders (yes ALL ) on each PC shared as well as the printer
> connected to the HOST PC.
> When I open MY NETWORK PLACES on desktop and then ADD NETWORK PLACE then
> NEXT, then CHOOSE ANOTHER NETWORK PLACE, then next, then Internet or
> network place and select BROWSE I am shown Entire network, and select
> Microsoft Windows Network, then OFFICE, then the two PC's on the network
> "HOST" and "a2dPC"., then I select HOST and then the okay button and I
> recieve this eror message.
> \\2ndPC may not have permissions to read on the host PC, see the
> administrator of the HOST PC Well duh, thats me and I have no clue how to
> correct this.
>