Windows 7: Homegroup - no join now option

Have two latops, both running Windows 7, both on home network linked to BT homehub. Once had homegroup working and found it very helpful. Not sure what created original problem but now can't reestablish link - despite many many hours of trying.

Can create homegroup on each laptop separately, but neither appears to 'see' the other. So once I have set up a group on one laptop, and go into the homegroup set up on the other, the 'join now' option never appears - all I get is the option to 'create a homegroup' on the second laptop. I can create a homegroup on both giving them the same passord etc but they still don't 'see' each other. Both laptops say they are joined to a homegroup, but when I click on the homegroup icon I get the message 'there are no other people in the hoemgroup'.

Have run all the usual troubleshooters - the time is the same on both PCs, they both have the same workgroup name.

Any ideas how to sort this much appreciated.

I'm not extremely familial with homegroups so someone else might have more knowledge with there problems and fixes, but since you can only have one homegroup on a network subnet is it possible that the 2 computer are on different subnets? Could you post the IPconfig /all option 2 of each computer specify which is which.

Ipconfig /all

Remove all PC from the homegroup. The recreate the homegroup, only home premium and above and create a homegroup.

Parman: my confmort zone with this is fairly narrow and I'm not sure that I understand what a subnet is. From a config/all command prompt I can see a range of different IP addresses Are these what you suggest I look at?

Bassfisther: one of the things I have done several times is to remove alll of them and start again - but each time I have the same problem: I can create a hoegroup easily enough on either laptop, but when I go to the second it does not detect that there is a homegroup on the network - so the join now option does not appear - only the option to create homegroup.

Dont worry about the subnets for now. Just post the output of each of the commands. Letting us know which PC is which. We will be able to tell you if they're on the same subnet.

You will need to do these on each PC to see if one is causing the problem.

in addition:
Check Services:
Press [Windows] + [R], type services.msc and press [Enter].
Check the following services are running:
HomeGroup Listener, HomeGroup Provider, Peer Name Resolution Protocol, Peer Networking Grouping and Peer Networking Identity Manager.

Public Folder sharing options:
Click on the Computer Icon in taskmanger and select Network and Sharing Center
Click "Change advanced sharing settings" in the Network and Sharing Center – expand "Home or Work", scroll down and verify that both Network Discovery and "Public Folder sharing" are On

Check your network type:
HomeGroups will only work on networks designated as Home not Public or Work. Verify this on each PC by opening the Network and Sharing Center – if necessary, click the link under the network name and select Home.

IPv6 Enabled:
Your PCs needs IPv6 enabled in order to connect to a HomeGroup: from the Network and Sharing Center click "Change Adapter Settings", right-click your network adapter and choose Properties, then verify the TCP/IPv6 entry is ticked.

Parman -Thanks - that looks vey clear -I'll have a shot at it this (UK) evening

Problem sorted - but not quite in the way I had hoped. The newer of the laptops came up with an I/O Boot/BCD error this afternoon - on investigation it turns out the hard drive is gubbed. So now that I only have one laptop setting up a homegroup is less of a priority!
Will maybe come back to you for more of your very helpful advice if and when I can get it repaired or replaced.