Win7 Ultimate not communicating with home network

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  1. Posts : 20
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       #1

    Win7 Ultimate not communicating with home network


    I have a Windows 7 Ultimate PC that I have been running as a media server, accessing it from XBox 360's and PS3's through their media players, MacBooks through smb, Ubuntu with XBMC, and my Android smartphone through remote desktop.

    Recently, all of my devices have stopped being able to reach the server with 2 exceptions: remote desktop still works, only if I use my public IP address and use port forwarding to direct it to the server, and if I ping a MacBook from the server it will suddenly become accessible to said MacBook. Though I have HomeGroup set up on the server, if I bring another Windows 7 PC into the network, it will say there are no HomeGroups available, and the same happens if I set up a HomeGroup on the other machine and attempt to join from the server.

    I have made multiple attempts at disabling and re-enabling media streaming and file sharing, as this has helped in the past when a single console has been unable to access the server. I have also attempted using 3rd party software (PS3 Media Server) in the hopes that would show up on one of the consoles, but have had no luck. Pinging a console or Android gets me "Reply from 192.168.1.106: Destination host unreachable." (.106 being the server's local IP)

    I have made no significant software changes (I have installed Starcraft II), and no hardware changes since the last working configuration a month ago. All devices are on the same wireless network using WPA2 security, except for one XBox which is wired to the router. Other Windows 7 machines brought on to the network are accessible to the other devices, however my server is the only one permanently here.

    This is something of a recurring problem for me, as every time I have attempted networking a Windows PC since XP, there has been a point when it suddenly stopped working. In the past, the only solution has been to use a fresh installation, but I would like to find a proper fix. Any help figuring this out would be appreciated.

    System specs:

    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    ASUS P8Z68-V LE
    Intel i7 2700k
    ATI Radeon HD 5750
    AMD Memory PC3-12800 (2x4GB)
    ASUS PCE-N15 WLAN
    90GB SSD (SATA III, system drive), 1TB HDD (SATA II, media storage), 500GB HDD (SATA III), all Seagate
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #2

    Because the Homegroup is involved there is the possibility of a common problem that has been plaguing Homegroups since day one.

    After some extensive testing on my own network, this problem relates mostly to wireless machines. The symptoms are that you either can't leave the Homegroup or that you can't join the Homegroup with a message saying that a Homegroup can't be set up on this machine. The can't join problem with wireless machines I recently discovered after some serious testing sessions.

    Go to the location in the picture below, delete all files below the black line, your machines will probably show a longer list than mine. Do this for all Homegroup machines in your network, reboot all machines then test to see if you can connect to your Homegroup with the new machine.

    If that fails then you should leave the Homegroup on all machines and delete those same files on all machines, create a new Homegroup then rejoin from all machines. :)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Win7 Ultimate not communicating with home network-peer-networking-delete-white-pages-fix-homegroup-1.jpg  
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  3. Posts : 20
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I only had 4 files below the line, deleted and rebooted with no change. The media server is currently the only PC on the HomeGroup. I only noticed that other computers could not see the HomeGroup when I was working on a friend's computer, before that I only knew of the media sharing and remote desktop problems.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #4

    Derek5272 said:
    I only had 4 files below the line, deleted and rebooted with no change. The media server is currently the only PC on the HomeGroup. I only noticed that other computers could not see the HomeGroup when I was working on a friend's computer, before that I only knew of the media sharing and remote desktop problems.
    Why would you have a single machine in a Homegroup? I'm not sure why your other machines can't see the Homegroup on this Win7 server machine. I assume this is just a regular Win7 machine and not a Windows server like server 08.

    With this one machine in a Homegroup this will prevent other users from gaining access to that machines shares unless they are shared out to "Everyone" using the Homegroup style sharing options.

    If you want to free up the shares on your server you should remove it from the Homegroup.

    Most other Homegroup problems can be fixed by going through the link below. :)

    http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/wi...-to-homegroup/
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  5. Posts : 20
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    There used to be 2 in the Homegroup, however the other machine was having a lot of issues running Windows so I put Ubuntu on there in January. The media server remained on the Homegroup and had no issues sharing with the consoles until late February.

    Removed from the Homegroup and shared libraries with "Everyone," no change.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #6

    Derek5272 said:
    There used to be 2 in the Homegroup, however the other machine was having a lot of issues running Windows so I put Ubuntu on there in January. The media server remained on the Homegroup and had no issues sharing with the consoles until late February.

    Removed from the Homegroup and shared libraries with "Everyone," no change.

    You don't really need to use the "Everyone" share unless you are in a Homegroup and need to share with machines which are in the Workgroup but not part of the Homegroup.

    Is there a third party anti virus software or firewall involved in this network?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 20
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    I have AVG installed, disabling and even exiting changes nothing with shares. There is no other third party security software installed.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #8

    Derek5272 said:
    I have AVG installed, disabling and even exiting changes nothing with shares. There is no other third party security software installed.
    AVG causes countless problems, have you tried uninstalling AVG using it's special uninstall tool?
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  9. Posts : 20
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Uninstalled AVG using AVG Remover and there is no change to sharing. If AVG can be problematic, what antivirus software would you recommend?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 8,870
    Windows 7 Ult, Windows 8.1 Pro,
       #10

    Derek5272 said:
    Uninstalled AVG using AVG Remover and there is no change to sharing. If AVG can be problematic, what antivirus software would you recommend?
    Around here we use Msoft security essentials.

    Try rebooting machines then check for connectivity.

    Can you post a screen shot of the ipconfig/all from this problem machine?
      My Computer


 
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