Home Network Disappeared!

[Rich S]

I had set up and was running for 2-3 months a home network between my HP
Pavillion notebook running Vista Home and my Gateway 400 notebook running XP
Home and accessing network via wireless. All was working well until Sunday.
Rebooted XP machine and on "My Network Places" couldn't see the HP/Vista
machine, where the files reside.

Double checked: workgroups are both named WORKGROUP, permissions are all set
to yes, and even went through the wizard on both machines to redo the setup,
rebooted both machines, and still doesn't show up on either machine.

Am connected to internet on BritePort DSL modem, which is connected to
LinkSys wireless router (the Gateway/XP is wireless; the HP/Vista is on
ethernet cable to the router but also can be wireless if needed). Also have
a wireless HP All-in-One Printer that shows up and is visible and accessible
on both computers.
The only thing I haven't tried is to connect my Gateway to router via
ethernet while I re-do the setup. I don't remember if I had to do that
originally.
I just can't figure out what happened or what I'm missing.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I had set up and was running for 2-3 months a home network between my HP
Pavillion notebook running Vista Home and my Gateway 400 notebook running XP
Home and accessing network via wireless. All was working well until Sunday.
Rebooted XP machine and on "My Network Places" couldn't see the HP/Vista
machine, where the files reside.

Double checked: workgroups are both named WORKGROUP, permissions are all set
to yes, and even went through the wizard on both machines to redo the setup,
rebooted both machines, and still doesn't show up on either machine.

Am connected to internet on BritePort DSL modem, which is connected to
LinkSys wireless router (the Gateway/XP is wireless; the HP/Vista is on
ethernet cable to the router but also can be wireless if needed). Also have
a wireless HP All-in-One Printer that shows up and is visible and accessible
on both computers.
The only thing I haven't tried is to connect my Gateway to router via
ethernet while I re-do the setup. I don't remember if I had to do that
originally.
I just can't figure out what happened or what I'm missing.

Look at logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config server", and
"net config workstation", from each computer, and diagnose the problem. Read
this article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download
browstat!):
<http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[Rich S]

After going through Jack-MVP's suggestions, I have found that the two
computers are communicating, etc., etc.. Further, I can access the Shared
Files on the HP by running (on the Gateway XP computer), the Start/Run:
\\Richhp(computer's name) . This brings up the menu for all of the Shared
Files on the HP Vista machine, from which I can then operate normally,
opening any of them over the network as I need.

So, the problem seems to have simplified to: when I click "My Network Places
/ View Workgroup Computers" to see the icon for, and access, the HP machine,
the HP doesn't show, only the Gateway "workstation".

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

After going through Jack-MVP's suggestions, I have found that the two
computers are communicating, etc., etc.. Further, I can access the Shared
Files on the HP by running (on the Gateway XP computer), the Start/Run:
\\Richhp(computer's name) . This brings up the menu for all of the Shared
Files on the HP Vista machine, from which I can then operate normally,
opening any of them over the network as I need.

So, the problem seems to have simplified to: when I click "My Network Places
/ View Workgroup Computers" to see the icon for, and access, the HP machine,
the HP doesn't show, only the Gateway "workstation".

It's a browser problem, Rich. You need "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all"
logs.