Home network - computers can't see each other
in [Network and Web]
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From: Jud McCranie on 9 Sep 2006 10:10 We have three computers on a home network that has been working for a long time. Now they can't see each other, but they can all access the internet. They say "network drive disconnected" in My Computer. I can't map drives either. When I go to Entire Network, MS Windows Network, after 20-30 seconds MSHOME comes up. If I click on MSHOME, in 20-30 seconds it says "Mshome is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. ... The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available." I turned everything off and restarted, that didn't help. I ran the Network Wizard on all of them, that didn't help. I have sharing on for all computers. I've made two changes recently, but I don't know if they were before or after the problem started. Recent changes: 1. replaced the router, but it installed without a hitch 2. installed MS Live OneCare, but its firewall is off Any ideas of how I can fix this? --- Replace you know what by j to email
From: Jud McCranie on 9 Sep 2006 10:13 On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 10:10:38 -0400, Jud McCranie <youknowwhat.mccranie(a)adelphia.net> wrote: >We have three computers on a home network that has been working for a >long time. Now they can't see each other, but they can all access the >internet. Two of the computers are using XP home, SP2. The other is using XP Media Center 2005. All updates have been installed. The router is a Linksys BEFSR 41, ver 4, which replaced a similar version 1 one. --- Replace you know what by j to email
From: Malke on 9 Sep 2006 10:58 Jud McCranie wrote: > On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 10:10:38 -0400, Jud McCranie > <youknowwhat.mccranie(a)adelphia.net> wrote: > >>We have three computers on a home network that has been working for a >>long time. Now they can't see each other, but they can all access the >>internet. > > Two of the computers are using XP home, SP2. The other is using XP > Media Center 2005. All updates have been installed. The router is a > Linksys BEFSR 41, ver 4, which replaced a similar version 1 one. Just to add to Chuck's always-excellent advice, since you have MCE (a superset of Pro) the following applies to you: If one or more of the computers is XP Pro: a. If you need Pro's ability to set fine-grained permissions, turn off Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create identical user accounts/passwords on all computers. b. If you don't care about using Pro's advanced features, leave the Simple File Sharing enabled. Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it matters in your situation. Then create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users' home directories (My Documents) or Program Files, but you can share folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the Shared Documents folder. If that doesn't work for you, here is an excellent network troubleshooter by MVP Hans-Georg Michna. Take the time to go through it and it will usually pinpoint the problem area(s) - http://winhlp.com/wxnet.htm Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
From: Jud McCranie on 9 Sep 2006 12:12 On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 07:34:22 -0700, Chuck <none(a)example.net> wrote: >When you say "I have sharing on for all computers", do you mean that you enabled >the "File and Printer Sharing" network component (which you must do), or that >you enabled "Simple File Sharing" (which is optional, and won't affect >browsing)? I told it to share when I ran the network wizard, and in My computer, if I right click on the HD, sharing is on there. More info: the two XP home computers see themselves and each other. They don't see the MCE one (although they used to). The MCE one doesn't see anyone - not even itself!! I go to Entire Network, MS Network, MSHome, and after 20-30 seconds it says that MShome isn't access able. >Make sure that all 3 computers are in the same workgroup, and that NetBT is >enabled on all. I wasn't able to understand the material about NetBT, but all are in the same workgroup, MSHOME, except that the MCE computer can't even get to MSHOME. I've run the network wizard two or three more times. I thought I'd delete MSHOME and run the wizard again, but I can't find any way to delete it. --- Replace you know what by j to email
From: Jud McCranie on 9 Sep 2006 12:16
On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 12:12:29 -0400, Jud McCranie <youknowwhat.mccranie(a)adelphia.net> wrote: >More info: the two XP home computers see themselves and each other. >They don't see the MCE one (although they used to). The MCE one >doesn't see anyone - not even itself!! Additional information: a few days ago I took the MCE one off the router and connected directly to the cable modem for a short while to test an email problem. I don't know if this matters. --- Replace you know what by j to email |