Windows 7 Computer Suddenly Can't See Computers on Network

When I tried to connect to my desktop computer from my Windows 7 Laptop, it doesn't see any other computers on the network but itself. I did check the firewall. I'm using McCafee Internet Security. It came with the laptop. I tried disabling the firewall, and I still couldn't see any of the computers on the network. When I go into McCafee and look at a network map, there it shows all the computers on the network. But when Looking at my network in windows, I don't see any other computers. I have tried to ping the computer on the network that I want to connect to and it times out. I checked the other computer, restarted it. Still nothing. Yesterday it was fine...today it can't see any of the other computers on the network.

I have a Dell Studio Laptop 4gb of ram 500gb hard drive Windows 7 64bit. If you need any other info, please let me know.

Mizmelzy said:

When I tried to connect to my desktop computer from my Windows 7 Laptop, it doesn't see any other computers on the network but itself. I did check the firewall. I'm using McCafee Internet Security. It came with the laptop. I tried disabling the firewall, and I still couldn't see any of the computers on the network. When I go into McCafee and look at a network map, there it shows all the computers on the network. But when Looking at my network in windows, I don't see any other computers. I have tried to ping the computer on the network that I want to connect to and it times out. I checked the other computer, restarted it. Still nothing. Yesterday it was fine...today it can't see any of the other computers on the network.

I have a Dell Studio Laptop 4gb of ram 500gb hard drive Windows 7 64bit. If you need any other info, please let me know.

McAfee is pretty much famous for causing problems like this. It's sometimes best to uninstall it using the tool for this in the link below.

It can also be configured to work with Windows 7 by allowing the range of IP's you are using through it's firewall but you may need to go to the McAfee forum to figure out how to do this.
|MG| McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.5.109.1 Download

Thanks for the info. I've uninstalled McCafee and installed the recommended Microsoft product. I can see my other computer now. Just can't see the other one, but that's not important because I don't connect to it. When a friend comes over he uses my wireless internet. When he's online I can usually see his computer connected to the network too. But now I can see my other computer, just not his. But that might be because I changed the network name too. So, I'll change it back and I'll probably see him again.

Thanks for the heads-up about McCafee. :)

Mel

Mizmelzy said:

Thanks for the info. I've uninstalled McCafee and installed the recommended Microsoft product. I can see my other computer now. Just can't see the other one, but that's not important because I don't connect to it. When a friend comes over he uses my wireless internet. When he's online I can usually see his computer connected to the network too. But now I can see my other computer, just not his. But that might be because I changed the network name too. So, I'll change it back and I'll probably see him again.

Thanks for the heads-up about McCafee. :)

Mel

I have nothing but luck using Homegroup but it's required that all machines are Windows 7 if you want to use it, if not then setting up a workgroup is the best option.

I've tested Homegroups six ways to Sunday on 7 completely different machines and it works flawlessly for me.

You are welcome for the info about McAfee, otherwise known as malware.

Okay, I uninstalled McCafee with the software provided. And then changed back to my old network name. I could see everybody on the network just fine. I go to start up my computer tonight and guess what, I couldn't see my other computer again. I typed in the address to it //MEL and the folder popped up and all the folders were accessible. I can print and everything seems to be working, but I just can't see my other computer under networks. I tried restarting my computer again, and turning off and on my wireless network. I restarted the other computer nothing. I then changed the network name again, and whala.... I could see the other computer again.

So, if McCafee was the problem, why is it still happening? I've done a full virus scan, malware scan and nothing came up. So I'm thinking it's something with Windows 7. Just not sure what.

Anyone else have any ideas?

I think I may have and idea of whats causing it, I just don't know why. Sometimes if I'm going to be away from the computer even for like 10-15 minutes, like if I'm doing laundry or something, I just just the laptop. This way my cats don't walk all over it. This puts it in hibernate. When I come back I open it it up again and enter my password and log back on. I did this tonight while bringing my laptop into the bedroom and it did it again. And thinking about today when it happened before, it was in suspend mode. I was distracted when my niece came over. So the laptop was suspended then too.

However when I type in the location and the new window pops up. Under network on the left side where the folders are it appears under Dell. But if I click on network the right pane doesn't show it. Just Dell. This time I shut down the computer let it sit for 20 seconds and then restarted it, and this time it found it again.

So I'm thinking suspend mode is what's doing it, I just don't know why. It never did it before.

Mel