# Solved: Can't See Other Computers on Network



## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I have a linksys wireless router and a windows xp pro network with less than 5 computers, 2 running windows media.

I have a laptop running media. It is connecting to the internet but it is not seeing other computers on the network.

I have the free version of zone alarm installed and windows firewall turned off. I went into the zone alarm firewall settings and put the 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.255 range in as trusted.

I can not figure out why I can't see them. They can see each other, and even the laptop shows up in the list of computers on them, although they can't open it.

I turned off zone alarm and still have the same problem.

I don't know what else to do.

Oh, yeah, one of the computers has an ip address of 192.168.1.103 and when I pinged it I got a response. :O

I also have file and printer sharing turned on.

Thanks


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## axis77 (Aug 31, 2004)

so when you browse My Network places and you see all your pc's including the laptop, and then you clikc on the laptop, what message does it say? is your network a workgroup?


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

It's peer-to-peer network. The name is Mshome. It doesn't matter if it's caps or not on all does it?

When I look at 2 of the computers they see each other and access shared files, etc.

When I am on the wireless laptop running xp media center, I pull up Network Places, see workgroup computers, mshome, and I see THIS laptop, not the others.

When I am sitting at the other computers and look at the workgroup computers, it shows this laptop, but when I click on the icon it says it can't connect to it.

I ran the network setup wizard and made sure file & printer sharing was turned on.

When I go to the dos screen I can ping 192.168.1.103 which is the ip address of one of the computers on the network.


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I uninstalled all the network adapters and rebooted so they would reinstall. 

I know something is working right because I just renamed this computer to Toshiba from toshiba-user and it is showing up on other computers' workgroup computers as "toshiba" although they get a message "not accessible" when i click on the icon.

on this computer in the workgroup computers, i see this machine "toshiba"

they all have mshome as the workgroup name.

it has to be firewall related but i can't see what else i can do in zone alarm basic to allow the network.

and if i turn off zone alarm the problem persists.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You could try uninstalling Zone Alarm until you get the workgroup issues solved.


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I'll try that next - thought of it but didn't do it. :O

Wouldn't it be the same to right click on it in the taskbar and tell it to shut down?


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I uninstalled zone alarm and still can only see my compuer.

i also tried turning off windows firewall and still see only my computer.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Turn off any firewalls for debugging. If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses. Note that some firewalls must be completely uninstalled to stop them from affecting your networking.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* to open a command prompt for the following commands:

PING each remote computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name. Open a command prompt as described above and type.

PING _<ip address>_ 
or
PING _<computer name>_

Where: 
_<ip address>_ - is the x.x.x.x IP address
_<computer name>_ - is the computer name

*A failure to PING is almost always a firewall configuration issue. Any failure to PING needs to be corrected before you go any farther.*

_*Note:* You can obtain the IP address and computer name of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing *IPCONFIG /ALL*. This should work for any Windows version. The IPCONFIG /ALL display will provide a wealth of useful information for debugging your network connection._

Check your Services are Started on all PCs: 

Computer Browser
DHCP Client
DNS Client
Network Connections
Network Location Awareness
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Server
TCP/IP Netbios helper
Workstation

_*Note:* You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services._

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic.

All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly. File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from. You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Neighborhood, make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login.

While the default NetBIOS setting is correct for normal network configurations, it's possible for it to be altered, and it costs nothing to make sure it's correct. NETBIOS over TCP/IP must be enabled for normal network browsing.


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I can ping them all. I just can't see them in the network neighborhood. I uninstalled zone alarm on the laptop and turned off windows firewall. the only other security type program I have running is avast antivirus.

attaching screen shot if ipconfig /all


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Did you continue down the list? Pinging is just the first step.


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

admin tools services - both network ones were set to manual. i changed them to automatic

all the others were started and automatic.

i rebooted and still can only see this laptop, not the other computers.


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

how do i check the enabling of netbios over tcp/ip?


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

found where to enable netbios over tcp/ip -im still alone in network neighborhood.

antsy daschun pup in my lap not withstanding  separation anxiety sucks


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Your ipconfig /all shows that NetBIOS is OK--don't see "NetBIOS disabled." Your ipconfig /all also showed the problem! 99% probability you can now mark this 'solved' using the Thread Tools at the upper right.

(from a JohnWill post)

The Peer-Peer node is the issue.
Create a file with the following contents in NOTEPAD. Save it as NETFIX.REG from the File menu of notepad.

--------------------------------------- Include data after this line ---------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters]

"NodeType"=-
"DhcpNodeType"=-
---------------------------------- include data before this line -----------------------------

Double click the file and say Yes to the merge question. Reboot and see if you're cookin' again.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

WOW, how did I miss the Peer-Peer!


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I figured you were just giving me a chance to be the "hero."


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

Running to try this now. How do you guys figure this stuff out? :O I consider myself an advanced user and this is the first time I've run across this.

How did it get screwed up do you think?

I brought the machine home to my own unsecure network (hush! lol) and I can see the Mshome icon but can't access it. My network has a different name than mshome.

Ok, going to try the peer thingy.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"How do you guys figure this stuff out?"

Pretty easy for me. I just watch John solve several similar problems and then make a copy of his solution! 


"How did it get screwed up do you think?"

There's a bumper sticker that explains it. I can't quote it exactly in this family forum, but it's something like "Stuff Happens."


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## BratDawg (Sep 23, 2004)

I think it's working now. thanks guys.  I'm going to start a blog or zoho page on weird tech things like this i think. :O


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You're welcome. When you are convinced that it's working please mark this 'solved' using the Thread Tools at the upper right.


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