Weird wireless router problem

Hey Zammy - you know, I am about 95% sure many of my problems are involved with my Virtual Network Adapter network connection and are really complicating this. I have tried everything suggested here with no luck. It should work, but odd things occur! For example, if I turn off the firewall on the Wireless Network Connection, the Virtual Network Adapter will not connect to my work network. I need that to work much more than file sharing or printer sharing with the Mac.

However, it is not all a loss. Thanks to you and others here, I see now how to network a PC and Mac on a "normal" computer. I don't know, maybe I am wrong, but I think it has to be some weird issue with the VPN client and its network connection - whether it is enabled or disabled. Any thoughts on that line would be appreciated, but I don't want to be a pest.
 
Just for testing, can you unplug/turn off your Virtual Network Adapter? Just to make your 95% -> 100%. ;)
What do you need the VPN client for? Does it have anything to do with your Virtual Network Adapter? And which client are you using?
Karavite, I won't give up on this one. You better prepare for a loooong thread, if needed. ;)
 
Okay Zammy - thanks for not giving up on me! I'll be back later today with more information and reports. I'd try it all out now, but I am swamped!

I need all this to connect to my employer's network. The "adapter" is listed under my network connections and is, as far as I know, just software - meaning, there is no phyiscal adapter. The VPN client is AT&T. Let me write back later with clearer details and complete "pinging reports" from all machines in a variety of settings. Thanks!
 
Zammy - I'm sorry I have been away so long!!! I hope you are still here for me.

Okay, as it is right now, here is my set up and pinging status.

Netgear 802.11b wireless router.
IBM Thinkpad, WIndows XP, using its internal wireless.
Mac G4 connected via an ethernet cable.

Mac IP address: 192.168.0.9, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
ThinkPad IP address: 192.168.0.3, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Router: 192.168.0.1, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.128

Each computers connect to the network just fine. No problems at all.
Both computers show up in the routers web based manager as attached devices. It allows broadcast of the SSID and encryption is disabled (I know, I know...).

Pingability:
Mac CAN ping router.
Thinkpad can PING router.
Mac CAN ping itself.
Thinkpad CAN ping itself.
Thinkpad CAN ping Mac.

Mac CANNOT ping the PC!!!

It has to be some dumb little setting, I just have no idea which setting or on which machine! Workgroups, sharing or properties of my wireless connection on the Thinkpad? Again and as always, thanks in advanced.
 
Zammy Sam, where are you!? :) Dude, I tried so hard and have kept my promise to be patient, non-whiney and generally in control of my frustration per our "deal" way back in this thread! I need you man! ;-)
 
hey karavite.
Sorry, this weekend was just dedicated to my 164 pcs I need to revitalize. ;)
Ok, I have few thoughts:
Your netgear is running in dhcp mode, right? Did you assign the client ips temporally or permanently? Do you have the 'automatic' network settings for your mac and pc?
Check for the firewall settings of your XP box. Does internetsharing of the router work for both systems? Do you have any folders explicitly shared on winxp? Do you have any additional XP software that might block some network packages that might for example be laced by the 'ping' command?
I remain optimistic: we'll have it fixed soon. ;)
 
Zammy, you are not going to believe this. Perhaps the biggest "Duh" you could imagine. You see, while I have been sorting through every single Windows XP networking screen and option (and boy, there are plenty) and anything remotely related to a firewall or security setting, I overlooked a key thing.

My employer (who owns the PC I am trying to network with) installs as part of their standard system Zone Labs Integrity. It has been sitting there all quiet in the little icon tray while I curse and swear up a storm. I turned it off, and whalla, I can now ping the PC from the Mac! The rest I have yet to attempt (sharing, printing...), but I think it will be a snap and there is plenty of information on all that in this thread and others.

So, thanks again for all your help!
 
Thanks Zammy, I mean it only took me about 4 weeks! :) Seriously, I wonder why Zone Labs didn't give off some warning all those 95 times I tried to ping the PC? This finally happened once when I accessed some site the other day, and then it all clicked - "Darn it, I DO have a firewall installed after all!" All I needed was a little information, but the software (Zone Labs) is so often hidden (out of site, out of mind) that I completely forgot about it. Oh well.

Any way, now I can see that file sharing and printer sharing between PCs and Mac with OS X are a snap. I almost hate to say it, but the PC makes it SUPER easy to access the Mac, while the reverse is not as clear cut.
 
Actually it's like that:
Mac does a lot to adjust the software on pc-network environments, while windows doesn't give a thing for mac-compatibility.. So, it's tougher for macs.
 
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