Mixed XP/Vista/7 network setup problems-HELP!

[cfrussin]

I have spent at least 2 wks. trying to fix this. I've built dozens of computers (NewEgg)for my home,business and friends. And in 9 years I've only seen maybe 3 BSOD's. Networks have ALWAYS worked. Even w/ Win7 Beta, all was well. I just did a fresh install of Win7-7260 on my M1530 then did the same on my own computer. Specs are in profile. Then I put 7250 on my downstairs friend's M1530. We are all on the same network group named CovellRussin. No variations. We live in the sticks so security is not a problem. DLink 825 router/DLink 1522 AP/DLink Switches.
Wife's Laptop is XP, a WHS, 3-Win7's, 1 Vista Premium on a M1330.

Like I said, up until I loaded 7260, the network was fine. I have tried EVERYTHING I can think of and MY computer will not see my wifes Xp(which has the QBooks and Tax programs on it). My M1530 sees her XP, My Computer and itself. My computer sees itself and the M1530. Is there a tutorial on setting up a mixed network for Win 7? If I don't fix this fast, I'm going to change my mind about loving 7. I am willing to go step by step with someone. I'll pay if I have to. I need my sanity and my computer back!!!!!

 

[akramh]

hi cfrussin, note down the IP address of your computer and your wife's XP computer, try to ping from both sides and tell me what happens, first try pinging with hostname and if it doesn't work try pining with IP addresses.

take a look at the M1530, is there anything different with it compared to your computer? like software/firewall installed? protection software?

Do you have any firewall/protection software on your wife's XP system?

 

[cfrussin]

That's part of my problem. I installed 7260 on my laptop (m1530), then did it on my main computer. The M1530 sees the main and my wife's but my main computer see nothing. My wife's is a Dell E1405 that has never had a problem and just chugs along. It's running NIS09. My desktop has NIS2010Beta. The M1530 is running AVG 8.5. Sorry about the ignorance, but I'm not sure how to ping another computer. I've done it before, but I forgot. The router and switches all show activity and all computers are on and definitely on the same workgroup. Like I said, it seems to be SINCE I installed 7260. I was on the RC before. Just 7200......?

 

[akramh]

ok to ping, first you need to know the hostnames and ip addresses of your computers, bring a piece of paper, (please note that IP addresses can sometimes change when you re-boot if your using DHCP, unless you use static DHCP):

1) open a command prompt ( on xp stat-run then type cmd and enter , on w7 click start and in the search/run box type "cmd" then hit enter)
2) type hostname, note down the hostname
3) type ipconfig, note down the ip address

Now that you have a list of IP addresses and hostnames, try to ping hostnames, if it doesn't work then try to ping ip addresses ( if you can ping ip addresses but not hostnames this means you have a DNS problem)

if ping works, you can try accessing the computers, on XP goto start->run type in \\ followed by hostname of the computer you want to reach. for example if your computer is "mycomputer" then on your wife's computer you can type "\\mycomputer" to reach.

try to ping from both sides, and see if it works, let me know how this goes!