Ping only one way -- help

Computer 1 (GatewayP5) runs Win98se. Computer 2 (abs) runs XP Pro. Both are connected to a Linksys router/switch which has a cable modem.
I have TCP/IP installed, as well as file sharing. I followed all the instructions in the FAQ on getting Win98 to network with XP through a router (enabling get IP address automatically etc.)
Both have internet access (through the router), so I think the cables, NICS, and router connections are good. But while computer 2 can ping computer 1, computer 1 cannot ping computer 2 (either by name or IP address). Both can self-ping.
The IP address of the router is 192.168.1.1, and when I check through the router or by self-pinging, the computers are getting ip addresses 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.101.
Also (supposing computer #2 (abs) is 192.168.1.100), when I type "ping abs" from computer 1, it says something like "pinging 192.168.1.100", so it is getting the name, but it still times out.
I should say that I have enabled file sharing, and on each machine's network neighborhood I see the workgroup (same name) and that computer's shared files, no sign of the other computer in either case.
I don't have any firewall installed on either machine (for example, I haven't downloaded zonealarm for the linksys). I have a VPN client installed, but when I kill it (not remove it) it doesn't help.
I looked in the IP filter section of the advanced configuration of the Linksys but didn't see anything that looked promising.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Andy

1. RE: Ping only one way -- help
lbyard Mar-19-02 03:06 PM
In response to message 0

Weird... I would start by removing all protocols (and VPN) except TCP/IP. Refresh and renew IP lease with winipcfg and ipconfig (Win 2K; from the DOS prompt). I would check over the router again because the packets are getting that far and to the WAN port, but, apparently, not from one LAN port to the other. Larry

2. RE: Ping only one way -- help
abergdc Mar-20-02 10:15 AM
In response to message 1

Aha, it works now! Unfortunately, I changed two things at once and I'm not sure which did it. I think maybe both.
First, I took the VPN clients off both the machines.It still didn't work. Then I followed Donv's advice to Mendy in the problem a few questions up, that is creating a user on the XP machine with the same name as the Win98 machine. Then it worked.
When I reinstalled both VPN clients, it stopped working again, but when I uninstalled just one (on the Win98 machine) it worked again!
In any case, it works great now, and I only need one computer to have the VPN software. Thanks Larry (and also Donv et al.)
Andy