My laptop is not reliably visible to my desktop

I have a laptop and desktop both running Win7 x64 and connected to a 100baseT Ethernet network (hardwired). The desktop usually comes up under Network in Windows Explorer on the laptop, but the laptop only occasionally comes up under Network in Windows Explorer on the desktop. The laptop tends to be visible on the desktop after I boot the laptop, and then will disappear when it goes to sleep and then wakes up later. Is there some way to force some sort of network "refresh" on either the laptop or desktop? Something else I should try? Thanks.

Involute said:

I have a laptop and desktop both running Win7 x64 and connected to a 100baseT Ethernet network (hardwired). The desktop usually comes up under Network in Windows Explorer on the laptop, but the laptop only occasionally comes up under Network in Windows Explorer on the desktop. The laptop tends to be visible on the desktop after I boot the laptop, and then will disappear when it goes to sleep and then wakes up later. Is there some way to force some sort of network "refresh" on either the laptop or desktop? Something else I should try? Thanks.

You can try turning off some of the power saving options via the control panel "Power Options".


You can also try turning off the power saver for the network connection via Device Manager>Network Adaptors> right click on the device you are using to connect to the internet then choose Properties, then choose Power Management and uncheck the power saving option for the network adaptor.

Thanks, and I'll try the network adapter power saving suggestion, but the real issue is how to get the laptop to reappear to my desktop after it awakes from being asleep.

Involute said:

Thanks, and I'll try the network adapter power saving suggestion, but the real issue is how to get the laptop to reappear to my desktop after it awakes from being asleep.

You can try restarting your NIC.