I just got a new HP Pavillion that runs XP Media Center. I have that connected to the internet via a Linksys wireless G (WRT54GS) router with WPA2 Personal Security.

Don't missunderstand my chat. About a week ago, I was extremely surprised to discover that people have routers in their homes. I'm new at this.

Anyway, I tried to set up a LAN. I have another old computer with XP Pro wired in from the router. Both access the internet just fine. No problem there. I've gone through the procedures for sharing resources under Workgroups, run the Wizard and all. The old computer automatically knows the name of the new computer ... as given when I ran the network setup wizard, but doesn't find it accessible. The new computer hasn't even found the old computer.

Here's the piece that I'm guessing is most basic and needs to be addressed before anything else can work. I try to ping the local IP address of the new computer and it times out. Doesn't matter if I'm on the old computer or the new one. I can successfully ping the old computer.

Temporarily disable all of your security stuff (on the PC's and in the router) - this includes everything that affects your internet connection. Then try the ping - if it works, then your problem lies in the stuff that you've disabled.

Don't forget to turn the protection back on as soon as you can!

Brilliant!!! The problem has been isolated to Norton Personal Firewall. When turned off, my LAN set-up works perfectly. It was quite satisfying to see the ping work. I checked everything else. It all works when Norton Personal Firewall is off.

I'm considering leaving it off. Windows Security is running. Norton is on the new computer as a free trial, put there by HP as a promotional offering. But before I do, I'd like to see if I can get the firewall to act properly. I sort of like Norton in a number of ways. I might use it if it doesn't get in the way.

But .... I've been trying to configure the firewall to allow the LAN to operate and nothing I've tried has worked. I've run the network wizard and the networks IP is in the Trusted Zone. Before that, I tried adding individual IP addresses. Network detection is on. I tried fooling with General rules in Advanced configuration just a little bit. But it's a little too advanced for me. I don't know what all those initials stand for.

FWIW - today I get to work on my wife's computer (she won't let me touch it normally!) and I get to remove the Norton Personal Firewall from it. It's blocking her access to maps on Mapquest and she's fed up with it!

Norton and Symantec are history! AVG and Zone Alarm have taken over! Listen to the crowd roar!!!! ( )