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I have a similar problem, which may well have the same root cause. I have not been able to solve it. I am sending you the details of my problem in the hope that additional information may help both of us solve the problem.
Prior to the discovery of my problem I had an infrastructure network consisiting of a Windows XP Professional SP1 system, a Windows 98 SE system, an older Netgear firewall/router, and a cable modem. Both Windows machines connected to the Internet through the router and they successfully shared files and printers with each other (i.e., everything worked as intended).
In December I changed the router to a Linksys wireless access point. The WAP connected device (a TIVO) and both computers have working access to the Internet. The two Windows systems, however, can no longer see each other's files or printers. While the obvious culprit is the WAP, the main user of the XP system thinks she might have accepted an automatic software upgrade on the XP system shortly before we noticed the problem. Furthermore, as the details that follow will show, the problem seems very similar to your problem, and I suspect something on the XP system is the cause.
Details.
1. The XP system can ping the 98 system by IP address (192.168.1.102) but not by host name (unknown host error message). The 98 system gets timeouts when it tries to ping the XP system by IP address. It gets the unknown host error when it tries to ping the XP system by name. Note that IP addresses are DHCP assigned by the router, and all systems' subnet masks are set to 255.255.255.0.
2. The Internet Connection Firewall on the XP system is turned off. Turning it on and enabling ICMP pings makes no difference.
3. Both systems are set to use the same workgroup name. Both systems have file and print sharing turned on.
4. I have tried recreating the network connection on the XP system and using the network install disk it creates to reinstall the connection on the 98 system - does not fix the problem.
5. The XP system still says it is SP1, but I am not sure if some updates and/or settings beyond SP1 have been installed or not.
6. The XP system cannot ping itself, even using its explicit IP address (192.168.1.100).
7. The 98 system can ping itself, by address or name.
8. The router can ping the 98 system but not the XP system. Both systems can ping the router by IP address.
9. On the 98 system, I can go into Network Neighborhood, expand the entire network, see my workgroup, expand it, and then see the 98 system. This is as it should be. On the XP system, when I expand the entire network, there is a long delay, then I see my workgroup. When I expand my workgroup, there is another long delay, followed by an error message "Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact ... The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."
In addition to thinking that there is some setting in the XP box that has turned off ping responses, I am also wondering if there is some DNS problem that prevents the systems from seeing each other.
I look forward to any insight that anyone can offer.
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