MBP not accesible in Windows

Question

Hi all.
I'm having a major problem with networking my MacBook Pro and my desktop PC. First, let me lay down the criteria for the local network in my apartment. Our network is based on a Siemens Speedstream 6520 modem/router combo connected to a Linksys WRT54GS router. We've currently got 3 desktops and 2 laptops on the go. The desktops are all Windows machines, running XP Pro and Home, and are connected directly to the Speedstream. As for the laptops, there's my roommates Dell, running Vista, and my MBP, running Tiger 10.4.9. Both of these laptops connect wirelessly to a network being broadcast from the Linksys router.
Now, my problems... I've never been able to access my MBP from any of the PCs. I've followed all of the tutorials, have Windows Sharing on, firewalls on all machines off, and have assigned the correct workgroup (in this case WORKGROUP).
The desktop PCs have always been able to see and access one another via My Network Places. No big surprises there. Never once though has my MBP shown up in the Windows Workgroup folder. There are shares on all 3 desktops that I've accessed on my Mac countless times, but only by manually entering their IPs in the Connect to Server dialog and choosing the SMB/CIFS shared volume from the list when prompted. These shares and the systems they're on NEVER appear in my Network folder in OS X or in the Workgroup folder within it. Interestingly, as we discovered today, when my roommate has his laptop connected, IT will show up in my Workgroup folder and is connectable. That's the only time I've seen any other system in the Network folder.
Now, I don't mind the handicap of having to manually connect to each system based on its IP, but they really should be showing up in Network and Workgroup, shouldn't they? My REAL gripe though, as I mentioned is my being unable to access my Mac at all from Windows Network Places. Whenever I use the Add Network Place Wizard, it says my entry of //192.168.x.x/username (simplified) is invalid, and usually hangs for a really long time before even telling me that.
What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something?
Thanks in advance, I hope someone can shed some light on this.
MacBook Pro 15" 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

Answer 1

With any luck one or more of the following may help you resolve your problem:
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2002/11/19/mac_pc.html
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=54704
http://joelshoemaker.com/computer/mac/macfilesharing.html
http://www.apple.com/support/tiger/network/
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1161.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1163.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107369
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106461
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