Home Network Computer Visibility

[Art_P]

I use 3 desktop computers and a tablet on my home network which works for some computers but not all. I have done everything within my knowledge base to make everything work but am left with problems depicted by the attached diagram as follows: 1. Two desktop computers with the same Windows 10 operating system and same LAN controllers with same driver update don't see each other. 2. The tablet can't access the Windows 7 desktop files while all the other computers can.

Any ideas?

 

[Art_P]

Problem 1 is resolved. While the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support box was filled, there were no checks in the expanded list for this feature. I put checks in SMB1.0/CIFS Automatic Removal and SMB 1.0/CIFS Client (which is the same as set on the tablet) for both Windows 10 desktops and they now see each other.

 

[SamirD]

Can you ping the tablet IP from the windows 7 system?

 

[Art_P]

Can you ping the tablet IP from the windows 7 system?

What would pinging the tablet from the Windows 7 desktop tell me? The desktop sees all of the other networked computers and has access to their shared files, including the tablet. The tablet sees all of the other computers with access to shared files except double-clicking the Windows 7 desktop icon in Windows explorer results in the message "You do not have permission to access \\ART_DESKTOP. Contact your network administrator to request access.". I don't know how to get access permission since Windows 10 did away with homegroups, and all I know about networking is to barely be able to follow instructions.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I don't know how to get access permission since Windows 10 did away with homegroups,

That's what I thought, too, but when I right-click a Folder in Explorer, there are HomeGroup options. Running Win10 Pro 64-bit 1903. Maybe they're back in 1903?

 

[Art_P]

when I right-click a Folder in Explorer, there are HomeGroup options. Running Win10 Pro 64-bit 1903. Maybe they're back in 1903?

Oh, I see that running the Home version. However, I don't have an issue with the Windows 7 computer accessing shared files on the Windows 10 tablet, but rather an issue with the tablet accessing shared files on the Windows 7 computer. I know of no way to make the tablet a part of the homegroup that the Windows 7 computer is in.

My uneducated guess as to why the Windows 10 desktops can access the shared files on the Windows 7 desktop is because they were part of the homegroup prior to the Windows 10 v1803 update. The tablet was not. Another guess is that homegroup has nothing to do with it, and the issue is that the tablet is connected to the network by WiFi and the desktops are wired to the network.

 

[mxnerd]

Windows 10 does not support Homegroups anymore after 1803 update.

Try

How to Disable the HomeGroup Feature in Windows (and Remove It from File Explorer)

HomeGroups make sharing files and printers with other PCs pretty simple. But if you don’t use it and would prefer not to see it in File Explorer at all, it’s not too hard to disable.

www.howtogeek.com

to remove Homegroup from Windows 7

 

[Art_P]

Windows 10 does not support Homegroups anymore after 1803 update.

Yes, but reintroduced somewhat in Windows Explorer by v1903 per VirturalLarry?

Can Windows 10 computers access shared files on a Windows 7 computer that has the HomeGroup feature disabled?

 

[mxnerd]

Yes, but reintroduced somewhat in Windows Explorer by v1903 per VirturalLarry?

Can Windows 10 computers access shared files on a Windows 7 computer that has the HomeGroup feature disabled?

1. I don't know. My own Windows 10 v1903 does not show Homegroup option.
2. It should. You just revert Windows 7 back to traditional file sharing.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, I had heard that Windows 10, past a certain version, had removed HomeGroups as well. Plus, I'm on Pro.

I don't really know how it re-appeared, either a Windows Update did it, or possibly I was hacked, and they're reading all of my data.

 

[SamirD]

What would pinging the tablet from the Windows 7 desktop tell me?

If you don't get a reply, some sort of firewalling or other software issue is going on with traffic in general.