One Machine can see network; network can't see machine

mendopaul · 24 Mar 2010

I have 4 computers on a wired network and two laptops on a wireless LAN. I've just been upgrading all of them to Win 7. My wife's machine can see the network machines but none of the other machines can see my wife's machine. This applies to both the network tree and the homegroup listing. I've been through the sharing screens several times but I'm not familiar with the permissions screens if they are a problem. All machines are set to share everything with no passwords.

TheSchaft · 24 Mar 2010

mendopaul said:

I have 4 computers on a wired network and two laptops on a wireless LAN. I've just been upgrading all of them to Win 7. My wife's machine can see the network machines but none of the other machines can see my wife's machine. This applies to both the network tree and the homegroup listing. I've been through the sharing screens several times but I'm not familiar with the permissions screens if they are a problem. All machines are set to share everything with no passwords.

Are you using Homegroup or a Workgroup? If you're using Homegroup, try switching all the machines to the same Workgroup.

(There seem to be a lot of problems with Homegroup use, mainly they seem related to IPv6.)

From an earlier posting I made:

I set them all in the same Workgroup by going to Control Panel (set to view small icons) System -> Advanced System Settings -> System Name. There change the Workgroup name to be the same for all computers.

In Network and Sharing -> Advanced Sharing Options click the top option for all but the bottom two. Turn off Password Protected Sharing and under Homegroup Connections set "Use User Accounts and Passwords to connect to other computers."

On the systems, set up the shared folders and permissions you need.

mendopaul · 25 Mar 2010

Actually, I'm using both Homegroup and Workgroup. All machines show the same Workgroup name and All machines show the password for the Homegroup. It's really odd that my wife's machine acts like it is totally a member of both groups but no other machine can see my wife's machine either on the homegroup or the workgroup! There has to be some little setting I've overlooked that is preventing this one machine from being seen on the LAN. But what is it?

manhunter2826 · 25 Mar 2010

Can you double check that the TCP settings on all machines, including/esp. that of your wifes, are identical. Is File and Printer sharing ticked on all machines? Can u also omit any wireless for the meantime by merely connecting ALL machines via a wired connection - any difference after this?

underitall · 25 Mar 2010

It's possible your wife's "shares" are not setup or sharing on her laptop has been disabled. This would explain her being able to see others but none seeing her...

mckillwashere · 25 Mar 2010

Make sure that all the computers are on the same work group,
Make sure the network discovery is turned on.

mendopaul · 25 Mar 2010

Thanks everyone! All sharing on all machines is turned on; network discovery on wife's machine is turned on; I'll check the TCP/IP addresses shortly and report back. Wife's machine is actually a desktop wired to the LAN. All her sharing is ticked. More later.