Unable to access the PC by computername from a PowerBook

Hey Everyone,

here's the situation that's driving me nuts. I have an PC with XP SP2 (named dada) and Powerbook G4 (named littlebeauty).

- The PB can connect connect the the PC (cmd-K) using smb and specifying the PC's name and sharename with no problem.

- I can also print to the USB printer connected to the PC.

- the PC can ping the PB using its name (littlebeauty)

- the PC can access the PB's public folders

- the PB cannot ping, ftp nor http the PC by its name (dada) but can do so using its IP

- using Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) works with just the IP

- using ftp, ping, http... on the PC using its name works fine

any clues as to why the PB cannot access the PC through its name despite the fact that the name shows up on the PB's network and can access its share through smb?

I have verified all the networking/firewall settings on the PC and I cannot figure out the problem. Don't think it is a firewall problem because the IP address works so it must be how the PC is broadcasting/registering its name.

I only have few hairs left.... please........

(a side note, I also have a similar problem when I VPN from my PB to the office network and try to use RDC. it will only connect if I use my office PC's IP address but I can still connect to the servers through smb)

g.

 

Unable to access the PC by computername from a PowerBook

Let me clarify:

apple-K works with the PC's computername and with its IP.
The PC can see the Mac's name.

Ping and RDC (Remote Desktop Connection, a MS product) running on the Mac don't seem to be to resolve the PC's name to its IP.

The above tells me that it's not samba (since apple-K works) and that it is something with dns/ip since Ping cannot resolve the name to an IP.

Since I'm using DHCP at home (and so does the company I work for) the IP is not fixed wich makes it hard to connect to my office PC through VPN and RDC.

hope you can help.

g