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Invisible Computers in My Network Places [Update: Problem gone]

  • Thread starter Thread starter AC
  • Start date Start date
A

AC

Senior member
All right. I need some info and help with this one from all you networking gurus. I'm running Windows ME (where "My Network Places" = Win98's "My Network Neighborhood&quot😉. I occasionally can't get other computers/printers that exist on the network to show up and therefore can't share files with or print to them. My computer is invisible to them too. I tried resetting all the computers on the network with no results. What is causing this and how can I fix this?

[Edit]
It is a peer-to-peer network, in other words, there is no NT server to login to nor is there a domain controller.
 
Are all the IP addresses setup to be in the same subnet (subnet mask the same??) That leads to problems. Try using 255.255.255.0.

Derw
 
Hi AC, I've had this problem when connecting win95 machines to win98 machines on the same network. First try to ping from one machine to the other. If the other machine doesn't reply, then your IP configuration isn't setup right or your ethernet cables are faulty or not plugged in right. I've seen people plug one cable into the uplink port on the hub, which won't work. Just don't use the first or last port on the hub and you should be fine.

Sometimes you need to go to "Search" (it might be "find" in 98) under the Start menu and find computer. Type in the file sharing name of the other computer and see if you can find it that way.
 
AC,

use Add Network Place to map the drives/folder you want to share.

They should always show up then.

I had 1 comp that would show up and one that was there but didn't show up until I mapped it.


 
I'm at a college dorm. I can only set TCP/IP to autodetect, else I can't get my computer on the network. Browsing and internet games work fine.

I can ping and tracert all the other computers. "Search" for "Computers" doesn't turn up anything.

"Entire Network" has nothing in it (not even I show up which is wierd), so I can't map anything.

I have the following installed:
[Client] Client for MS Networks
[Client] MS Family Logon
[Adapter] 3Com EtherLink 10/100 PCI NIC w/ 3XP Processor
[Protocal] 3Com Diagnostic Communication Module
[Protocal] TCP/IP
[Service] File/printer sharing for MS Networks

TCP/IP is configured as:
[Bindings]
[X] Client for MS Networks
[X] File/printer Sharing for MS Networks
[X] MS Family Logon

[Advanced]
Allow Binding to ATM [No]

[NetBios]
[X] I want to enable NetBios over TCP/IP *grayed-out*

[DNS Configuration]
[X] Disable DNS

[Gateway]
None

[WINS Configuration]
[X] Disable WINS Resolution

[IP Address]
[X] Obtain an IP Address Automatically
[X] Detect connection to network media


I also have this same problem with one computer on my home network, but I could never figure it out:
3 Win98SE PCs
1 Win95OSR2 PC
4 Linksys 10/100 NICs
1 Linksys 10/100 Cable/DSL Gateway/Router/Hub
1 Linksys 10 5-Port Hub *uplinked to gateway*
1 Linksys 3-Port Printserver

Again, internet access is fine, but it can't see any of the other computers. It is one of the Win98SE PCs.

Thanks.
 
AC I have a network similar to yours. the only thing that I have different is I have DNS enabled. Under host I just put the name of the computer( I don't really think this matters, as long as you have something in this field). Under DNS server search order put in the IP address for the DNS server.
 
Ok, I made the following changes:

installed:
IPX/SPX compatible Protocal

TCP/IP:
[DNS Configuration]
[X] Enable DNS
added DNS Servers and Domain Suffixes

[WINS Configuration]
[X} Enable WINS Resolution
added WINS Server

changed "Primary Network Logon" to Client for MS Networks


Now, I can see two shared folders in My Network Places ("Automatically search for network folders and printers" is enabled in "Folder Options&quot😉, and I can see my computer in my workgroup, but none of the other workgroups or computers exist.

My Network Places stopped working about a week ago (worked fine for the last 2 months). Weird huh?
 
I wonder if there is a weird virus that has been killing people's network settings because I started having problems a week ago too. 🙁

Can you find the other computers when you search for them??
 
Thanks so far guys.

The search doesn't yield any results except for my own computer and the 2 other strangers in the same workgroup(who each have a folder shared that Windows detected on startup), but I am trying to connect to my roommates computer and the kid nextdoor (who are also in the same workgroup).

So, I can search for these 2 strangers' computers, but they don't automatically show up in the workgroup.

Besides that, nothing else shows up.

Is there a network cache somewhere that I can reset? I remember reading about something like that somewhere.
 
Who are the 2 strangers in the workgroup? I'm guessing these aren't the ones that you are trying to find??

I've got that problem here at home, but the IP's aren't in the same 'network' range and I think that's what's happening. Usually making sure the subnet masks are the same works, as mine are 255.255.255.0 and 255.255.255.128
 
right. not the ones i'm tring to find.

the ip address is set to obtain an ip address automatically. if i change it, i can't get onto the internet.

any other suggestions?
 
I've heard about some weird problems with windows family logon. Maybe take that out and see what happens. Otherwise ??? for now.
 
if you cannot get on a network, make sure you have the currecnt network name in the identities tab of networking
 
AC are the computers you are trying to find on the same workgroup? Under the Identification Tab there is a workgroup field. If you are not in the same workgroup and not in the same Domain then you won't be able to see each other.
 
First let me say I am NOT an expert.
However here's my 2cents. 1)hardware and cabling must be right because you can successfully ping the other computers. 2)you may be invisible to other computers and vice-versa because you(they) have no shared folders.
You may be seeing the "strangers computers and folders" over your internet conection. If you do not set up your network properly someone can see your files also. Try these two links for more info.



Text
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Yeah, it's in the same workgroup. We are on the same router.

It worked for 2 months up to about a week and a half ago. Right now, my friends' computers can see that I am there, but the connection times out when they try to access mine. Mine can't see them at all.
 
If the setup has worked for a while and you are sure you have not changed anything then I would try to check hardware. Try a differnt Network card, difrerernt cable, differnt port on the router. (not all at the same time or at least not until you have done them seperatly) then try uninstalling and reinstalling all the protocals in the network setup.
 
The problem I believe is with the WINS resolution protocol. If you computer is configured to use Wins, and there is no Wins server this could cause various problems. I have a weird problem when nothing will show up in network neighborhood, however, I could map any computer by directly specifying its name (i.e. \\computer\folder). I think what we have to do is fool WinME into using broadcasts, instead of querying non-existet server. I'll try playing with it as soon as I get home tonight. I'll let you guys know how it goes.
 
Disabling/enabling WINS had no effect. I'm going to try reinstalling everything tonight.
 
You probably need to enable file and printer sharing in network neighborhood for all the computers on your subnet; this took care of the problem for me in the past.

Also, make sure you have one computer running which is the "browse master".
 
it is enabled.
i reinstalled all the network components, but it still doesn't work.
i am on a college dorm network.
how do you set-up a "browse master"?
 
If you are asking me how to setup a browse master, chances are you never disabled it 🙂 By default, Windows sets this on "AUTO" (the option is somewhere in the Network settings). Sorry then, I don't know what else you can try 🙁

Let's try this. Say computer "A" cannot see computer "B", ok? Now, make computer "B" share one of its drives; when you share the drive, call it "G". Now on computer "A", right-click over Network Neighborhood, and go to "Map Network Drive". On the path, type: \\B\G
then press enter (\\computername\sharename). Let us know if the content of drive "G" shows up on computer "A". We can then work from here... 😉
 
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