win 7 nextworking = nothing but problems

[SterlingY]

For starters, let me say that I never had an issue with networking until Vista rolled around, but I stayed away from Vista. Now I'm told that Windows 7 is easy to setup.

Easy to setup was Win2K and earlier. I plugged the computers in, and I had access to every machine from every machine.

Anyway.... I now have about 10 machines with a combination XP 64bit and Win7 x32 and x64.

This is a network in my house and it's behind a highend firewall.

I liked the old "workgroup" networking setup and I'd like to keep it that way, if possible. Maybe I am wrong, but Homegroup, with it's categories of what types of files to share, seems like it assumes where my files are located, and I have my own complex file structure. I don't use the "libraries" folders.

Now I have trouble getting access between computers. They seem to disappear from the network. More recently, a computer running win7 x64 RC, works as a file server and other computers have mapped drives pointing to that machine. After some time passes, none of the machines can access the file server. I'm told to login in, but it won't let me, stating, "The local device name is already in use." If I reboot the machine, then I get access again.

Any recceomendations as to how I should set up my network?

Extremely frustrated user,

Sterling

 

[DocBrown]

Don't use the HomeGroup setup, Use a Work/Business setup for your home network. Win7 only likes to play well with other Win7 machines on the HomeGroup..

" Doc "

 

[SterlingY]

okay, so I change my computers network type to "Work Network," on one machine, network name is "Network" while on another the network name is "work," does this matter? I can't seem to change those names. They are members of "workgroup." Perhaps the name discrepancy is a reult of different builds of Win7.

This may be another problem I have: In the past, all my machines had my user name and password, so they all would see each other. Is this still acceptable, or is it not a good idea to have several machines logged into another with the same account?

-Sterling

 

[zigzag3143]

networking

okay, so I change my computers network type to "Work Network," on one machine, network name is "Network" while on another the network name is "work," does this matter?

This may be another problem I have: In the past, all my machines had my user name and password, so they all would see each other. Is this still acceptable, or is it not a good idea to have several machines logged into another with the same account?

-Sterling

It should be the same workgroup. It will make ieasier to find if nothing else. Even if the UID/pword is the same it will still have a diff machine like My_PC/ken/pword, on another it would be his_pc/ken/pword. Win 7 plays ok w others its just different and its taking me some time to get used to it. By the time I do win 8 will be out

Ken

 

[DocBrown]

They all need to be on the same workgroup "Network" & "work" is 2 different groups.
I use "linksys" as my workgroup as it's the name of my router. some of the other names are too common or too generic. You might even add you initials + a name to make it unique. I don't use any passwords on my home network as me & my wife control it completely, so we will have to get other opinions on the passwords.

" Doc "

 

[SterlingY]

Even if the UID/pword is the same it will still have a diff machine like My_PC/ken/pword, on another it would be his_pc/ken/pword.

Well then I assume I have it set up correctly,. So.... why do I get this error "The local device name is already in use."

-Sterling

 

[DocBrown]

Did you re-boot each machine?

 

[SterlingY]

Did you re-boot each machine?

Wasn't told to reboot. I can do that. Then in a couple hours we'll know if the problem is fixed.

I'll keep you posted

-Sterling

 

[SterlingY]

Well.... For a while now, things seemed to be okay, but I'm back to where I started with computers disappearing off the network.

I have converted all of the win7 machines to "work network."

After a while certain mapped drives of go offline as well as the hosting machine not being listed as "on the network." If I reboot, everything goes back to normal.

Ideas?

Cheers,

Sterling :sarc: