Problem networking 7 machine with Vista and XP machines

7 put up a network wizard as soon as I started the machine and I answered questions as best I could. I had trouble renaming the workgroup but think I've done that ok and was connected to the internet immediately, but wouldn't argue if you told me I had created a problem somewhere along here.

Our setup is:
Desktop running XP, which is connected to the wireless router by cable
Laptop running Vista
Laptop running 7

The problem is mainly on the (new) 7 laptop. When I go to network, only the Vista laptop appears above the line (not even the 7 laptop itself!) and below the line are media devices with the name of the 7 laptop and the name of the XP desktop.

When viewing the network map I see the 7 laptop connected by solid lines to a large question mark named "Unknown", which is in turn connected by solid lines to the router, which is connected by solid lines to the internet. The Vista laptop is connected by broken lines to the router.

The XP desktop has no trouble seeing both laptops and the Vista laptop has no trouble seeing the 7 laptop and the XP desktop. The problem is only with the 7 laptop not being able to see the XP desktop.

JaneV said:

7 put up a network wizard as soon as I started the machine and I answered questions as best I could. I had trouble renaming the workgroup but think I've done that ok and was connected to the internet immediately, but wouldn't argue if you told me I had created a problem somewhere along here.

Our setup is:
Desktop running XP, which is connected to the wireless router by cable
Laptop running Vista
Laptop running 7

The problem is mainly on the (new) 7 laptop. When I go to network, only the Vista laptop appears above the line (not even the 7 laptop itself!) and below the line are media devices with the name of the 7 laptop and the name of the XP desktop.

When viewing the network map I see the 7 laptop connected by solid lines to a large question mark named "Unknown", which is in turn connected by solid lines to the router, which is connected by solid lines to the internet. The Vista laptop is connected by broken lines to the router.

The XP desktop has no trouble seeing both laptops and the Vista laptop has no trouble seeing the 7 laptop and the XP desktop. The problem is only with the 7 laptop not being able to see the XP desktop.

Jane Hi and welcome

Are you using "homegroup" in win 7 for networking? Homegroup is for win 7 machines only, in mixed environments workgroup should be used. Its pretty easy to do. Just create a new network using the workgroup connection. Let us know if you need help with that


Ken J+

Thanks Ken, that does sound likely. I did spot 'homegroup' and was in some doubt whether I had managed to join myself to our workgroup instead. I may not be understanding the terms right, but I don't want a new network, really, I want to join the existing one.
So yes, I probably do need help with this, please, not least to untangle what I have or haven't done already.
(We are both reasonably computer literate, but time after time networking is a complete mystery to us and is the one area we can never work out without help.)

Hi Jane,

Your problem definitely sounds workable. Check out this thread on Microsoft Answers, it addresses a very similar situation, and provides a solution that seemed to work for others: Sharing a printer on Windows 7 Vista XP network

Good luck!

Walker
Windows Outreach Team

EDIT: I realize the original post in that link is about printer sharing, but the answers provided address general networking and file sharing between XP, Vista, and 7 machines. :)

Thanks, Walker. I will make a note of that link and come back to the problem after Christmas. I will be wanting to add the network printer anyway so that part will probably prove useful too.

Strangely, today when I select 'network' I can see the XP desktop machine. It's still represented by a question mark in the network map, though.

Hello Jane,

Here is a quick tutorial that may help when you revisit your setup: Networking home computers running different versions of Windows.

Happy holidays!
Tara

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions.

Weirdly, when I switched the XP desktop on again after taking the 7 and Vista laptops away for a Christmas break, the XP desktop is viewable as it should be!

However, I now have two further, related questions.

1. Sharing the printer. I read through the tutorial on sharing a printer but it seemed to be for sharing the printer installed on a 7 machine. My printer is installed on the XP machine, which, perhaps confusingly, is named JANE.

I got as far as remembering how we set up the sharing on the Vista laptop and did the following:

add printer
create port
named port - \\JANE\EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 (Copy 1)

(this is exactly how the printer is named on the XP desktop)

It seemed happy to proceed with this but then asked me to select my printer from a list of Epson printers and the R1800 is not listed. Clicking on update only brought two other printers (not Epson).
I do have the disc for my printer, but there doesn't seem to be a way of proceeding until Windows has recognised the name of the printer. Any ideas about this?

2. I followed the instructions in the tutorial video and tried to implement sharing of certain files on the 7 laptop with the XP desktop only, but couldn't seem to type in anything it liked to identify as an identity to share with. I was able to share with the whole workgroup but would like to have some sharing just between the 7 laptop and the XP desktop if possible. Can you tell me exactly how I should represent the identity of the desktop when trying to share a folder?

TIA

Jane