Why is it Networking in windows XP seems more complicated then it did in 
Windows 2000.
For example, when I select Network Places I sometimes first have to wait for 
"Entire Network" to appear.

then when I finally click on Windows Network, all the PC's I expect do not 
always show right away. Sometimes I have to go to the other PC and find my 
PC, before my PC can see the other and vice versa.

It all seems a bit hit or miss.

On Windows 2000 the results seemed more consistent without the delay.

Also before when I had shared files on my PC, if another PC on the network 
tried to view them, they were prompted for the username and password of a 
user on that PC. However on my XP laptop, if I go on someone else's network, 
they can just see the files in my shared folder which is not what I want.

What is a good, concise book which will help me understand it once and for 
all.

Any comments on these subjects would be appreciated.

Cheers

Dave 

"Dave Smithz" <dave1900@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message 
news:cqzBf.199536$vl2.176595@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Why is it Networking in windows XP seems more complicated then it did in 
> Windows 2000.
> For example, when I select Network Places I sometimes first have to wait 
> for "Entire Network" to appear.
>
> then when I finally click on Windows Network, all the PC's I expect do not 
> always show right away. Sometimes I have to go to the other PC and find my 
> PC, before my PC can see the other and vice versa.
>
> It all seems a bit hit or miss.
>
> On Windows 2000 the results seemed more consistent without the delay.
>
> Also before when I had shared files on my PC, if another PC on the network 
> tried to view them, they were prompted for the username and password of a 
> user on that PC. However on my XP laptop, if I go on someone else's 
> network, they can just see the files in my shared folder which is not what 
> I want.
>
> What is a good, concise book which will help me understand it once and for 
> all.
>
> Any comments on these subjects would be appreciated.
>
> Cheers
>
> Dave

To be honest, I think MS has issued so many dodgy "security updates" and 
"patches" that they have screwed up the networking in XP.  Original version 
of XP with no service packs or updates installed works fine with no problems 
but a fully patched version is so inconsistent.

The NG's are just full of people having problems connecting with very much 
the same symptoms.  Perhaps its MS's way of making people so fed up of XP 
that they upgrade to Vista - if they ever manage to release it :-)

There is no option to password protect files/folders in XP.  I looked for it 
as well as it was a handy feature with W98SE.  You can turn off simple file 
sharing (My Computer, Tools, folder options, view tab - right at the bottom 
of the list).  This will allow you to control who has permission to access 
folder - default is everybody but if you change it to named users, if that 
user is logged in under a different name on another PC, it will prompt for a 
user name and password before connecting.

Far from wanting to upgrade, I've just installed W98SE on a spare PC and it 
runs like a dream so if anything, I will be downgrading!!  My other PC's are 
now running Ubuntu which again is so stable and doesn't give any problems 
(it reminds me of the simplicity and control you get with W98).  This is the 
only XP pc I have left and surprise surprise, the dam thing has stopped 
seeing half the PC's on the network.