why do computer sometimes not show up in workgroup?

[ZippyDan]

this happens to me relatively often: a computer on my workgroup refuses to show up in the Workgroup computers listing (My Network Places -> MS Windows Network -> Workgroup), when it has shown up there just fine the day before and will probably show up just fine the day after. further more if i try to access the computer directly with // this will work (although sometimes it wont). pressing f5 to refresh does nothing. pinging the computer will sometimes fix the problem but not usually. rebooting one or the other computer will sometimes fix the problem but not usually. to make things even more frustrating, often the one computer that i cant see (Computer A cant see Computer B for instance), has no problem seeing the computer in the reverse situation (no problems with Computer B seeing Computer A). this has happened to me many times on many different home networks. in the latest circumstance, all computers are running Windows XP with all of the latest updates :/

 

[Atheus]

You can go entire network --> microsoft windows network --> machine name, etc.

This will refresh properly if you tell it to. For some reson windows does not see fit to regularly update network places from this list.

 

[Nothinman]

Because SMB/CIFS browsing is flaky.

 

[ZippyDan]

how long has MS Networking been around? youd think theyd have fixed this by now. its 2005. im using all WinXP Pro SP2. ive been having this same problem since Win98 or Win95 or maybe even Win 3.11

 

[SolMiester]

Isnt this master browsing function, pc's still fighting over who is master browser?

 

[Nothinman]

how long has MS Networking been around? youd think theyd have fixed this by now. its 2005. im using all WinXP Pro SP2. ive been having this same problem since Win98 or Win95 or maybe even Win 3.11

It's not a simple thing to fix and they probably don't care much since in large networks WINS and DNS would be used to make the browsing more consistent.