I have setup home workgroup network for three computers, using a wired hub. The network worked for three weeks, then all of a sudden it stopped. By checking connections and reenabeling some connections I was able to reestablish network for two computers, but cannot get the third one working with the other two. When viewing workgroup computers, it only shows its own icon. There were no physical changes to cables, and the hub shows all three computers connected.
I used manually assigned IP numbers.
John,
Please provide ipconfig information for each computer.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\ipconfig.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.
Identify operating system (by name and version) with each ipconfig listing.
Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF or third party)? If so,
you need to configure them for file sharing, by opening ports TCP 139, 445 and
UDP 137, 138, 445, and / or by identifying the other computers as present in the
Local (Trusted) zone. Firewall configurations are a very common cause of
(network) browser, and file sharing, problems.
Between the problem computer and one other computer, check shares visibility
(use actual name / address of each computer as appropriate):
Start - Run then:
1) \\ThisComputerByName
2) \\ThisComputerByIPAddress
3) \\OtherComputerByName
4) \\OtherComputerByIPAddress
Report visibility of shares / error displayed in each test (8 tests total).
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
