PC Not Accessible Over Network

Baffled · 09 May 2016

Hi All

I have 4 PCs on a home network. All are connected by ethernet cable (2 via TP Link round the electrical main) and all run either Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Ultimate.

The main PC, connected to the ZTE modem is running Home Premium.

All 4 PCs use ESET Nod 32.

From the main PC I can see and access all the other 3 PCs, but none of the other PCs can access mine!

Originally it kept coming up with a message saying I may not be authorised to access the PC and to contact the system admin, but now the other PCs cannot even see the main one.

All 4 have access to the internet without any problems. Only the main PC can access the shared printers. The other PCs cannot see them.

I have been researching this on the internet for weeks and have got nowhere. Other threads with a similar problem seem to relate to different editions of Windows.

I have checked all the network adaptors, the firewalls and everything else that I can think of, but still no luck.

It was all working properly but suddenly the problems started. System restore wouldn't cure it either.

Does anyone have any ideas as this is driving me nuts!

Thanks in advance for any help.

Main PC

PC2

PC3

PC4

rvcjew · 09 May 2016

Are they all in the same workgroup still, and why does PC4 use a different DNS server then the others? Have you set static address's for all the computers or are they using DHCP, you should definitely set your printer to at least a static address.

Baffled · 09 May 2016

Hi

Thanks very much for the reply.

Unfortunately I am teetering on the brink of my networking knowledge here!

I don't know why PC4 has a different DNS server. As far as I know they are all on Workgroup. They don't have static addresses.

What I can say for certain is that a few weeks ago it was all working fine (apart from PC4 which has never hooked up to the network properly, so presumably is DNS server related).

rvcjew · 09 May 2016

Try this first (even though you probably have already), turn off the all the computers, unplug your modem and router (sounds like you just have one box so it's a combo unit) leave it unplugged for a minute then plug it in and wait about 5 minutes for it to come fully back up then turn on your computers again and see if there is any change. If no change then go to the network and sharing center then change adapter settings on the left. Follow this guide: How to Assign a Static IP Address in Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, or Vista Make the address's on each computer the one it already has under preferred in the command prompt windows you posted before so write that info down before starting the process to the computers. For your subnet mask it will put it in for you but it should be 255.255.255.0 and your gateway should be in your case your combo box of 192.168.10.254 . For the DNS area for testing use the first line as your gateway again then put 8.8.8.8 on the second line (this is googles public DNS servers). Once all the computers have their address's as static then your at a better place to keep troubleshooting.

Baffled · 10 May 2016

Thank you so much for that.

I have done everything in your post, but nothing has changed regarding accessing the main PC, it still isn't visible to the other 3 PCs although the main PC can still access them.

Interestingly, and as an aside, I ran some Windows updates before I rebooted my main PC, running Home Premium, but when it rebooted it is now running Windows Ultimate!

Any ideas where I go from here?

rvcjew · 10 May 2016

Did you install an upgrade or did it just become ultimate or says it is? Can you post a pic of this screen, and did you buy your computer second hand?