Question : LAN behind router

Sorry, I'm sure this one has been asked before, but I couldn't find a workable solution in the PAQ (maybe I didn't look hard enough).

I have 3 computers running XP, 2000, and 98.  They are connected to a Linksys DSL router.  All machines are set to use DHCP and NetBIOS over TCP/IP.  Each can access the Internet.  None of the machines can ping any of the other machines, by name or by IP address.  They are all on the same workgroup (WORKGROUP), and all have the same subnet mask (255.255.255.0).  None of the machines are running any firewalls; all three are running Grisoft's AVG anti-virus.

"net view" shows the following:
98: only itself.
2000: "System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."
XP: "There are no entries in the list."

Differences in "ipconfig /all" are as follows:
Node Type
XP: Mixed
2000: Hybrid
98: Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled
XP: No
2000: Yes
98: Yes

I'd rather not go with NetBEUI or ipx/spx unless I absolutely have to.  What is IP routing, anyway?

Answer : LAN behind router

1) Check IP addresses: with the subnet mask you have given all machines must have the first three parts of the IP address identical and the fourth part unique.

eg:

Machine 1: a.b.c.x
Machine 2: a.b.c.y
Machine 3: a.b.c.z

2) If all three machines are plugged into the router, the three router ports might be on three different networks. Check to see if it is a "router with hub" or a "router with switch". If it is neither of those then you need to buy a 4-port (at least) hub or switch and attach that to a single port on the router. Then attach all the machines to the hub or switch.

As a simple check, see if you can get hold of a crossover network cable. Connect the 2000 and the XP machines together with that and if they can ping each other but can't when linked via the router, then you know the router is a problem.

Alternately it might even be something really simple like the router ethernet runs at 10 Mb/s and all the clients are running at 100 Mb/s. Or you might be connecting with crossover cables when you should be using patch cables.

The fact you can't ping suggests ip networking/addressing is the basic problem. If you can't ping then there is no need to troubleshoot any name resolution or browsing or net view type config. None of this will work until the network topology and addressing is correct.