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From: SecureLend on 1 Jan 2010 14:23
i have 3 computers that used to be in a home workgroup and they could all
share and everything was fine. Now for some reason only one computer at a
time can see the workgroup and the other computers. If i turn off the
computer "A" that can see the workgroup and go to the other computer "B" and
run the network wizard then B can now see the workgroup and the other
computers but now when i turn on A it can even see itself in the same
workgroup anymore. Something is causing a conflict so that only one computer
can show the workgroup at a time?
From: John Wunderlich on 1 Jan 2010 18:07
=?Utf-8?B?U2VjdXJlTGVuZA==?= <false(a)email.com> wrote in
news:51A146E9-B758-4BE3-B806-E8D2C346DAAF(a)microsoft.com:

> i have 3 computers that used to be in a home workgroup and they
> could all share and everything was fine. Now for some reason only
> one computer at a time can see the workgroup and the other
> computers. If i turn off the computer "A" that can see the
> workgroup and go to the other computer "B" and run the network
> wizard then B can now see the workgroup and the other computers
> but now when i turn on A it can even see itself in the same
> workgroup anymore. Something is causing a conflict so that only
> one computer can show the workgroup at a time?
>

One computer is elected as "Master Browser" and maintains a list of
computers on the subnet that is returned to any computer asking for
it. It sounds like you are having problems with the Master Browser.
From my experience and from your description, I would guess this is
caused by a firewall on your computer "A" that is not allowing NBT
(NetBios-over-TCP/IP) broadcasts to pass. Check your firewall
programs. Also check hidden firewalls like the one in the Cisco VPN
Client. More info:

"Internet firewalls can prevent browsing and file sharing"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298804>

"Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188305>

HTH,
John

From: SecureLend on 1 Jan 2010 20:21
i turned off the windows firewall and enabled windows file sharing in Mcafee.
I still have comp A showing computers A and B in the workgroup and comp B
shows the workgroup icon but when i click it still says network path not
available. i dont see how A can show B in its group and B cant open the group
or at least show itself in the group

"John Wunderlich" wrote:

> =?Utf-8?B?U2VjdXJlTGVuZA==?= <false(a)email.com> wrote in
> news:51A146E9-B758-4BE3-B806-E8D2C346DAAF(a)microsoft.com:
>
> > i have 3 computers that used to be in a home workgroup and they
> > could all share and everything was fine. Now for some reason only
> > one computer at a time can see the workgroup and the other
> > computers. If i turn off the computer "A" that can see the
> > workgroup and go to the other computer "B" and run the network
> > wizard then B can now see the workgroup and the other computers
> > but now when i turn on A it can even see itself in the same
> > workgroup anymore. Something is causing a conflict so that only
> > one computer can show the workgroup at a time?
> >
>
> One computer is elected as "Master Browser" and maintains a list of
> computers on the subnet that is returned to any computer asking for
> it. It sounds like you are having problems with the Master Browser.
> From my experience and from your description, I would guess this is
> caused by a firewall on your computer "A" that is not allowing NBT
> (NetBios-over-TCP/IP) broadcasts to pass. Check your firewall
> programs. Also check hidden firewalls like the one in the Cisco VPN
> Client. More info:
>
> "Internet firewalls can prevent browsing and file sharing"
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298804>
>
> "Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service"
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188305>
>
> HTH,
> John
>
> .
>
From: John Wunderlich on 1 Jan 2010 23:02
=?Utf-8?B?U2VjdXJlTGVuZA==?= <false(a)email.com> wrote in
news:1B721CE8-3456-4876-9F34-102B3DA24CAC(a)microsoft.com:

> i turned off the windows firewall and enabled windows file sharing
> in Mcafee. I still have comp A showing computers A and B in the
> workgroup and comp B shows the workgroup icon but when i click it
> still says network path not available. i dont see how A can show B
> in its group and B cant open the group or at least show itself in
> the group
>

Your first step should be to establish that each computer can
communicate with the others over NetBT protocol. From each computer,
bring up a command prompt window (Start -> Run -> "cmd") and enter
the command:

nbtstat -a computername

do this several times where you substitute the name of each computer
in your network for "computername". Do not include the double
backslash (\\) in front of computer name. Repeat on each computer in
your network. Each computername should respond with about four or
five lines. One (and only one) computer should include the line:
...__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered
This would be the computer that is elected the master browser.

Hopefully this will reveal if one of your computers is refusing to
communicate.

HTH,
John
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