Two Windows 7 laptops sometimes can't find each other

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PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#119123 21-May-2013 17:10

Just thought someone here might know what's going on. My wife and I have our own laptops. Our offices (former children's bedrooms) are both wired to the router (which also supports 2 VOIP lines), as is the printer. It's been that way for quite a while. We connect via cable when we're both in offices - but often use the laptops in the living area where we connect wirelessly. But there are times when we cannot see each other on the network. We can always see the printer - but often only one or none of the machines.

We suspect the wireless network may be giving us problems - but can't pinpoiint it. Right now (which prompted this message) I can see her machine (on wireless) but not mine (cabled). That's actually not bad because I don't have a need to connect to mine via the netwoirk - so works well . But often it's the other way around - or we can't see either machine. And the problem does seem to occur when we're both in our offices.

Our networking is very simple - we use it as work rather than home - but if anyone have any idea what might be causing this I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#823047 21-May-2013 17:12

How do you know you cant see each other?

is this Network Neighbourhood?

it might be a name resolution thing, can you try IP instead of name?

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PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823232 21-May-2013 22:05

We just sometimes can't see the other - sometimes try and open a file on the other computer and it doesn't work. Network doesn't sow the computer(s). A program we use called TreeCompare seems sometimes it might have more success but often also doesn't work. We often swap files we're working on and this is very frustrating - although probably 60-80% of the time it works. I just checked my network now and guess what - both computers are there now. Yet earlier only one was. The computers haven't been moved - network settings not played with - it's just too weird for a mere mortal.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#823236 21-May-2013 22:11

What does "can't see" mean?

Are you mapping a drive?

Are you connecting with UNC path? \\server\share ?

If so try \\1.1.1.1\share

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#823256 21-May-2013 22:35

PhilANZ: Just thought someone here might know what's going on. My wife and I have our own laptops. Our offices (former children's bedrooms) are both wired to the router (which also supports 2 VOIP lines), as is the printer. It's been that way for quite a while. We connect via cable when we're both in offices - but often use the laptops in the living area where we connect wirelessly. But there are times when we cannot see each other on the network. We can always see the printer - but often only one or none of the machines.

We suspect the wireless network may be giving us problems - but can't pinpoiint it. Right now (which prompted this message) I can see her machine (on wireless) but not mine (cabled). That's actually not bad because I don't have a need to connect to mine via the netwoirk - so works well . But often it's the other way around - or we can't see either machine. And the problem does seem to occur when we're both in our offices.

Our networking is very simple - we use it as work rather than home - but if anyone have any idea what might be causing this I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

It is quite possible your wireless router/modem could be at fault. If you have the telecom thomson piece of junk throw it in the bin (my experience only, I've heard others say they are OK).

Usual story, upgrade the wireless ap firmware, make sure win7 updated fully.

Try to borrow another wireless ap from someone and see if that helps. I know the telecom pace v5542 gives problems with contacting other lan devices.

Check if you can use the ip address directly , could be a netbios name resolution error.

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823613 22-May-2013 16:20

It's not a Telecom device - either Cisco or one of their cheaper brand names - not at home to check right now.

I think the firmware is up to date - but will check when I'm at home. But its not a new device so I'd have thought it was stable by now. But I have had my previous router partially die - seemed OK but some irregularities crept in.

Windows 7 is up to date.

I'm confused about netbios - I thought that went out of simple networking some time ago. When I had eComstation I always used netbios - but since a stroke forced me to depend solely on Windoze I thought netbios was irrelevant. Certainly neither my wired nor wireless network settings show any ref to it.

As for borrowing another device for testing, it's probably easier to just use sneaker net for the times when it doesn't work. .

tigercorp

667 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823626 22-May-2013 16:30

PhilANZ: ...

Our networking is very simple - we use it as work rather than home -

Just to clarify, do you mean both computers always have 'Work' set as the Network Location shown in the Network and Sharing Center? Is the same location set when the computers can't see each other?

What happens when they can't see each other and you disable the Windows firewalls?

wellygary

8218 posts

Uber Geek

#823627 22-May-2013 16:31

nathan: What does "can't see" mean?

+1

you say " Right now (which prompted this message) I can see her machine (on wireless) but not mine (cabled)."

Your terminology is odd,

How are you able to see her machine on the network if you are not connected to the network?
(which you say you are not, but are cabled, [thus in my understanding you are "on" the network, )

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#823636 22-May-2013 16:36

Maybe confusing Netbios with NetBEUI

can you setup a HomeGroup?

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823654 22-May-2013 17:15

Hi Tigercorp

Should have thought about checking my firewall settings - will do that when I'm at home. Mind you I wouldn't have thought that would cause variability like we're getting - even not working and then working without any relocation of either machine.

As for using work rather than home networks, don't see any benefit of extra home options, so we always use work. We both work from home - so the terminology suits. I tried changing it to home to diagnose the problem, but nothing seemed to improve so went back to work settings.

Thanks

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823674 22-May-2013 17:33

Hi Wellgary

Sorry my terminology seems odd - years ago (before my stroke) I was quite involved in LAN's - simply because no-one else wanted to take them on. As the accountant I discovered they had a Novell network in one office and a 3Com in another. I settled on 3Com for all 8 offices - and of course the rest is history. Now I'm quite renowned for getting words mixed up - especially those I don't use on a daily basis.

So right at this time I'm not connected - I'm at the hospital having dialysys. Sadly that means my right (dominant) hand is out of action - so typing is slow. But this issue occurs when we're at home where we are normally connected via cable, but sometimes we connect wirelessly. The problems seem to occur more often when at least on of us is wireless, but can occur when we're both wired.

Hope that's clear.

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#823676 22-May-2013 17:37

Hi Nathan

Of course you're right - that's the danger with me being a bear of little brain.

I have in the past as part of trying out Windows 7 - but it didn't seem to add anything so we've never used it.

rwkell

15 posts

Geek

#829069 31-May-2013 22:38

Hi Phil,

I hope the dialysis went well!

It seems that you use Network Neighbourhood (or My Network Places) to locate the other computer to browse and open files. Is that correct?

A number of Windows applications (Network Neighborhood, Net view command etc) use the Windows browser mechanism to identify other computers on the network. At any given instance in time, the Windows browser is notoriously inaccurate. It can show a computer that has been switched off for 10 minutes, or not show a computer that has been switched on for 5 minutes. Looking for resources on another computer using one of the Windows browseable tools is going to have the problems you describe.

A reliable way of referencing the other computer is to create a shortcut to that computer's resources using a UNC reference. For example if the other computer is called SALLY and sharing a folder as DATA, you could create a shortcut on your desktop called \\Sally\Data. This shortcut will always open that folder on Sally's computer as long as the computer and folder are available, irrespective of whether you can "see" the computer in Network Neighbourhood or Explorer.

I hope this helps!

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#829092 31-May-2013 23:40

Dialysis is three times a week but leaves me feeling fantastic. And thanks for your info. Much appreciated.