Visiting computers have no connectivity

I have relatives visiting and all three of their computers absolutely
will NOT connect to my LAN or the Web at all. I have tried both
wireless and wired connections and the computers think they are
connected, but show NO traffic being received. My router receives NO
packets from them, nor can they get a DHCP address from them.

I made sure they were all in the my workgroup, had the proper IP address
(when I tried turning off the DHCP) of 192.168.1.xxx but they will not
connect.

When I view the popup after single-clicking the network notification
tray icon, it shows hundreds of outgoing packets and none, zero, coming
back. The network troubleshooter says that it isn't getting a DNS.
Well, I can see why - nothing coming back down the pike.

I have messed with these computers for three days now and getting highly
frustrated trying to make them connect. Are there any ideas out there?

Billl

--->
> I have relatives visiting and all three of their computers absolutely
> will NOT connect to my LAN or the Web at all. I have tried both
> wireless and wired connections and the computers think they are
> connected, but show NO traffic being received. My router receives NO
> packets from them, nor can they get a DHCP address from them.
>
> I made sure they were all in the my workgroup, had the proper IP address
> (when I tried turning off the DHCP) of 192.168.1.xxx but they will not
> connect.
>
> When I view the popup after single-clicking the network notification
> tray icon, it shows hundreds of outgoing packets and none, zero, coming
> back. The network troubleshooter says that it isn't getting a DNS.
> Well, I can see why - nothing coming back down the pike.
>
> I have messed with these computers for three days now and getting highly
> frustrated trying to make them connect. Are there any ideas out there?
>
> Billl

Further information. I have two potential sources of DHCP. The router
and my wireless access point (the router is not wireless and has DHCP
turned off at the moment). Using DHCP on the wireless access point
(which is downstream from the router), the computers suddenly connect
properly and can cruise the web. What I am wondering is why, when I
turn off the access point DHCP and give the computers a fixed IP
address, even the same one that DHCP assigned, that they lose all
connectivity. Very strange.

The problem is solved, but I sure would like to know why I have to do
this to get connected.

Billl