Unable to access the PC by computername from a PowerBook

Discussion in 'General Mac Discussion' started by BigEagle, Mar 5, 2005.

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  1. BigEagle, Mar 5, 2005

    BigEagle macrumors newbie

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    Mar 4, 2005
    #1
    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.
     
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  2. varmit, Mar 5, 2005

    varmit macrumors 68000

    varmit

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    #2
    The problem is the fact that the mac is trying to act like a PC by using Samba. Samba isn't a fully developed implementation of how windows acts on a network. So this inability to use names to ping PCs is one of the short comings at the moment, at least I believe this is the problem. But it use to be that if the password was too long, accessing a PC would fail. So if MS would let the Open Source developers help make Windows interoperate a little better, you probably wouldn't have this problem. But the Samba developers are basically in the dark, and have done a great job so far, and with Samba 4 in developement, they hope to solve these types of problems.

    Sorry, though it said vpc.
     
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  3. Mechcozmo, Mar 5, 2005

    Mechcozmo macrumors 603

    Mechcozmo

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    #3
    I thought the poster said VPN and not VPC...
     
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  4. stevep, Mar 6, 2005

    stevep macrumors 6502a

    stevep

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2004
    Location:
    UK
    #4
    If I've read your post correctly, at the moment you trying to access the pc using its name (dada).
    Try Apple-K, then type in smb://<ip address> - eg smb://192.168.1.25 (you will probably know the ip address of both machines already I would guess).
    Yes Samba does have a few problems with names and translating them to IP addresses, but if its any consolation its more of a Samba thing than a windows thing - having set up a dual boot windows/linux box recently I've had very similar problems getting Linux talking to my iBook.
    Good luck.

    Edit: By the way, you can add the ip address to your 'Connect to Server' dialog box so you don't have to keep typing it in every time you use the network - use the + button to the right.
     
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  5. BigEagle, Mar 6, 2005

    BigEagle thread starter macrumors newbie

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    Mar 4, 2005
    #5
    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
     
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