Weird.I am using ESET Smart Security 4.0.437 (64-bit). It installs without incident even with Windows 7 (64-bit) Firewall fully enabled. AFter ESET is fully installed and updated I can continue to see all of the systems on our network, but only for a short time. Eventually, Windows Firewall is automatically shutdown, by who or what, I don't have a clue. And eventually I loose sight of the other systems on our network. The only thing that allows me to see the other systems again is RUN>\\Server\Share and a subsequent Refresh of the Network folder. But, this is only a per-session work-a-round. If I reboot I have to do the RUN>\\Server\Share again in order to see the other systems on the network.I have scoured the Firewall rules thoroughly and reset them over and over, tried numerous other rules and tweaks and still cannot not maintain seeing the other systems without RUN>\\Server\Share after a reboot.Could this be more of a Windows Security thing rather than the ESET Firewall?GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

ESET will automatically turn off windows firewall after the first reboot after you install it. As for the sharing, have you changed the ESET firewall to allow sharing? Open the main window --> Setup --> personal firewall --> Change protection mode of your computer on the network. This should be set to allow sharing. Do you still get the same issue if you disable ESET firewall? Aaron

Yes.I actually import the settings. TheFirewall is set up for file sharing as far as I can tell.I have run the ESET Firewall on 3 different modes: Automatic, Interactive, and Learning. All resulting in the same issue of only a per-Windows session only after I do the RUN>\\Server\Share bit. It is most perplexing to say the least.Unless it has something to do with the many custom GPO settings that I made. Most of them are for Internet Explorer though. I don't recall any of them having any connection with this networking issue....unless it something to do with this:Network access: Do not allow storage of passwords and credentials for network authentication This security setting determines whether Credential Manager saves passwords and credentials for later use when it gains domain authentication. If you enable this setting, Credential Manager does not store passwords and credentials on the computer.If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Credential Manager will store passwords and credentials on this computer for later use for domain authentication. Note: When configuring this security setting, changes will not take effect until you restart Windows. Default: Disabled.I have it enabled in Windows 7. Could it be this setting that is giving me the problems? Even though it's just for storing passwords?All of the XP Pro systems have the above mentioned setting ENABLED as well and they have no problems seeing each other, but they all cannot see Windows 7 too untilI do the RUN>\\Server\Share bit.I'm getting ready to install ESET right now on a fresh restore of Windows 7. GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

I'm wrong again.I do not not that setting on ENABLED in Windows 7. I never changed it from the default.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

Is it just that the other systems aren't visible in the network and sharing center, or are they completely absent? Can you ping them? Try by name and IP. I'm not sure about the credential storage as I don't run on a domain, so I just don't touch anything domain related. In the Advanced sharing settings page of Network and sharing center, you need to have it set as Work/Home profile. Try -Enable network discovery -Turn on file and print sharing -Turn off password protected sharing -Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers The other settings such as encryption I have set as use 128 bit encryption. This works on my set up and I can see and browse the other machines without any problems. There do seem to be a lot of people having network related problems with Win7. Aaron

I tried with your setup...still doesn't work.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

Do you have IPv6 turned on for the network adapter? For some people it works only if IPv6 is on and for some only when it's disabled. Network and sharing -> Change adapter settings -> Right click -> Properties and see if IPv6 is checked. if not turn it on or vice-versa if it's already on. Hopefully someone else will weigh in here, I'm running out of ideas! How is you network set up? Is it a domain or just a router? I'll also add to check that the following services are running - Computer Browser DHCP Client DNS Client Network Connections Network Location Awareness Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Server TCP/IP Netbios helper Workstation

The IPv6 box is checked but I don't think it's working. When I use the command prompt>ipconfig /all it says the IPv6 "media disconnected".We're all on the router here (wired).I've got all of those services enabled except DNS Client. Shouldn't have anything to do with it.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

No problems with pings either.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

Enable the DNS client and reboot. Then try browsing your network. Even if you don't think it should matter, it's never a good idea to not try when you have no other ideas. If the DNS is not running, the computer is not caching computer names, which may explain why you have to run the \\server\share.

It's gotta be the ESET Firewall. I just disabled it and re-enable the Windows Firewall. Clicked on Refresh in the Network folder and all the systems popped up in a fash.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

Enabling the DNS Client had no effect, just like I predicted.Even went in to the commannd prompt and messed around with ipconfig toolsfor a while. No help.In regards to my last post about disabling the ESET Firewall...yeah, I disabled it, enabled the Windows Firewall, refreshed the Network folder and the other systems popped up. Rebooted, ESET's firewall took over again, Windows Firewall got the axe and I was back to not seeing the other systems on the network again.GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

don't know if this will help, but with AVG firewall, I had to "Allow" some UDP ports in order for Homegroup to work. I believe it was UDP 1900. For HomeGroup to work on AVG firewalled Windows 7 machine, I added Homegroup listner as a service and then added TCP 445 and UDP 1900.That allowed my Windows 7 machine to "see" other machines on the network.Hope it helps

Well, demenace -I don't know why you injected HomeGroup into this discussion.I'm not even in a HomeGroup. HomeGroup is totally pointless since I've got the only system using Windows 7 on the network. There is only one other system on our netork with the possibility of using HomeGroup becauseit's usingVista Home Premium. I'm not even totally sure if that Vista system supports HomeGroup or not, regardless, that Vista system produces no communication issues at all.All the other systems are either XP Pro SP3(4 systems),XP Media Center Edition [this (1) system is in a totallyprivate workgroup so nobody seesit at all nor can it see anyone else] or Windows 98SE (2 systems).All of the other systems have no problems communicating over the network with the other systems, of course the exception being with the Windows 7 system (if I don't do the Run>\\Server\Share thing).GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...

I have found a solution. Whether it is a permanent or temporary fix remains to be seen.For some reason the ESET Smart Security Firewall (by default) is blocking incoming/outgoing NetBIOS requests on my system. I reconfigured the Firewall to run in Automatic but with exceptions (user defined rules) mode and then went into the Advanced settings and disabled the default rules for the incoming/outgoing NetBIOS requests. I can now see all the systems (within the same Workgroup) on my network. So far they're sticking after several reboots. GA P35 DQ6 Mb, Intel Wolfdale 8600 3.33Ghz C2D CPU., 4x2Gb Mushkin DDR2 1066 PC2 8500 Ascents Memory Mods., PNY-nVidia GE Force 8800 GTS (640MB), 4-Western Digital Caviar SATA(2) HDD's (internal), 1 EIDE-USB External; Hauppauge PVR 1600 TV tuner, Dual Monitor: (1) Standard up top, (1) WideScreen below; Altec Lansign Speakers...