Missing Network Devices/Computers

Irritating problem: When I fire up my systems, about 30% of the time one or more of the computers or the Network drive will be missing from the list of devices on the LAN and be inaccessable except from some programs. I have to power down all three computers then power them back up to get everything to show up and be accessable.

Configuration: Linksys router, WD Worldbook 1T drive connected via Ethernet, Toshiba laptop connected via wireless, two desktop systems connected via Ethernet. One desktop running Win 7 MSDN distro, other two running RC 7100. Computers use WD network drive for backup and Outlook 2007 mail. Computers and WD have fixed IPs.

32 bit or 64 bit computers ? or a mixture of both ?

How did you set up the network ?

As a Win7 HomeGroup or as a business work network ?

" Doc "

Sorry - should have included that info.

All computers are 32 bit, network is set up as a "home network", none are using HomeGroup - they are all in a workgroup called "HOME", and set to "Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers." Sharing is set for files and printers.

Nope, UPNP is not enabled on the router.

As I said originally, 70% of the time everything is visible. It's just occasionally that one or more of the elements are missing.

Thanks Squonksc, I'll give that a shot and report back.

Discovery On ?

Doc Brown - Yup, looks like your picture, except that 128 bit encryption is set.

I think it may be related to a delay in responding from the Linux-based WD network drive and the wireless laptop - they are the only ones that go missing.

Right now, here's what shows:
my desktop - my desktop, my wife's desktop, the WD (no laptop)
wife's desktop - my desktop, her desktop, the WD (no laptop)
Laptop - itself, my desktop, my wife's desktop (no WD)

In order to get the laptop to show on the desktop systems, and the WD to show on the laptop, I need to power all but the WD down, wave the magic chicken, and hope for the best.

I am by no means a win7 expert, but issues very similar to this were solved by using static IPs (I would just use the same address that they were assigned by the server). That took care of most of it, but I also set my wifes computer to be the master browser since it was rarely rebooted and mine and the laptops were. That fixed it for me. Before I set this, my XP Pro machine often was the master browser and my shares and the other machines took forever to be available.

some info about it, BTW, my master browser here is XP home. This seemed to help with boot times and shares/machines instantly being available with me figuring it elimitated the browser election process.


Preferred Master Browser


Now, there could be very good reasons this is a bad idea that I am not aware of, but I offer this as a way I was able to solve this with XP. YMMV and if one of the gurus suggests something else, do that first.

You can always set the browser back to auto or whatever the default was. Pick a machine that is always on and hardly ever booted (if you have one).

Best of luck