Can't Find Networked Compuiter by name -- only by IP address

[Jay Somerset]

I have three computers on my LAN (192.168.0.x) connected through an Ethernet
hub. One of them, a Sony Vaio laptop, is "invisible" to the others if
addressed by its name. Only if its explicit IP address is used, can it be
seen and files shared.

All computers on the LAN have their IP addresses set explicitly
(192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.3, 192.168.0.6 etc). I can't figure out why this
one machine has to be addressed by IP address. All machines are in the same
workgroup -- none are domain machines.

 

[rickiez]

If it's XP, disable the firewall or allow ports 137,138,139,445 TCP.

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Disabling NetBios could explain these symptoms - Make sure NetBios is
enabled on the Sony.

Doug sherman
MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Jay Somerset]

Disabling NetBios could explain these symptoms - Make sure NetBios is
enabled on the Sony.

It is enabled as "Allow Netbios over TCP/IP" for the adapter
(Propeties|TCPIP|Preoperties|Advanced|WINS). Is there anywhere else netbios
must be enabled? One thing I forgot to mention is that the laptop's netbios
name is sometimes visible in Network neighborhood on other systems, but any
attempt to access it yield the message "network not accessible" (or similar
wording).

 

[Pat Coghlan]

You didn't mention if you are set up as a workgroup or a domain. I
suspect a workgroup.

Some things to check:

- Are all computers members of the same workgroup?
- Can the computers ping each other by name?

I'm more familiar with domains that have a DNS server, in which case I
would run nslookup and make sure that the computer name appears under
the right domain.

It's always been a mystery to me how Windows composes the list of
computers that are visible under a domain/workgroup, since it (Windows)
seems to treat the first token of a domain name special. Just try
introducing a new DC for domain x.sub1 into a physical subnet containing
only workstations that belong to domain x.sub2 (DC in a different
physical subnet) and you'll see what I mean.