Greetings, I am experiencing an issue that is very similar to many of the Windows 7 Networking forum posts (Ive perused many different forum sites) regarding workstations not being able to see other nodes in the Network folder, and mixing Windows 7 and Windows XP Pro/Home. However, for my issue, all my workstation nodes are Windows 7 64-bit (6.1 build 7600) machines. None are running XP. To expand on the background of the situation, the following is an explanation to give a foundation: I manage a small, 17-node peer network (for sake of discussion, lets call it ABC-1) that includes a wireless router, 24-port switch, three network printers, three network storage servers (basically large NAS drives, one for sharing, two for automatic backups only), and all remaining nodes are Windows 7 64-bit (6.1 build 7600) workstations. The wireless router also acts as the gateway and provides the Internet connection from the modem. The configuration and layout of the network is as follows: Router Make/Model: Belkin F6D4230-4 N150 Enhanced Wireless Router (Verified Windows 7 Compatibility) Node Name: ABC-1 IP Address: 192.168.x.1 Subnet: 255.255.255.0 Gateway: 192.168.x.1 DHCP Enabled: Pool Starting Address: 192.168.x.201 Pool Ending Address: 192.168.x.254 Lease Time: Forever Wireless Settings: Wireless Channel: Auto SSID: ABC-Guest Mode: 802.11b & 802.11g 802.11e QoS: On Firewall Enabled: Virtual Servers/ports enabled: only those that enable Teredo. No other holes are enabled. Client IP Filters: none No other allowances or holes are enabled or configured. NAS Drives Make/Model: LaCie Network2 D2 Node Names: ABC-S1, ABC-S2, ABC-S3 IP Addresses: 192.168.x.11, .12, .13 Subnet: 255.255.255.0 Gateway: 192.168.x.1 Workstations Make/Model: Independent builds (by local computer shop, verified OK) OS: Windows 7 (6.1 build 7600) obtained from each via winver.exe Node Names: ABC-10, ABC-11, ABC-12, etc Workgroup: ABC all are on the same workgroup IP Addresses: 192.168.x.100, .110, .120, etc all statically assigned, all below the DHCP pool. Subnet: 255.255.255.0 Gateway: 192.168.x.1 Network Printers Make/Model: Various All configured and placed on same 192.168.x subnet below the DHCP pool. Network Layout Internet---Modem---Router---Network Printer Guest (Ethernet connection) | | | Switch (Cisco SR224G) | | |-------Windows 7 64-bit Workstations | |-------NAS Drives | |-------Network Printers Virus Protection I am running a 3^rd-party virus protection, but its firewall settings are disabled (set to Windows Firewall). My Issue There are two workstations, lets refer to them as ABC-12 and ABC-15, in which no other nodes show up in the Network folder for both (ABC-15 eventually started working, see below), and no other nodes can see them, either. Again, all workstations are on the same workgroup: ABC. I can use other methods to connect to other nodes on both workstations, like typing \\ABC-14 into the navigation bar or into the search bar to get to ABC-14. However, some of the 3^rd-party software we use on ABC-12, or different 3^rd-party software on ABC-15, cannot locate other nodes on the network. For instance, the NAS drives use a 3^rd-party backup program that has its own navigation utility, administered from ABC-12, but it cannot find other nodes in the network. Also, Ive tried all the relevant tricks and tasks that were suggested by these forums, performing one change at a time, while re-logging/rebooting onto the network each time: Network Discovery enabled on all workstations File and Printer Sharing enabled on all workstations 128-bit encryption enabled on all workstations Password Protected Sharing currently enabled on all workstations, see below Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers enabled on all workstations Regarding Password Protected Sharing, Ive tried both enabling and disabling it for ABC-12 and ABC-15 with no change in behavior (again, logging off/logging on between each attempt). I know most of the forums Ive read suggest turning it off. Ive checked all the relevant Windows Services that I know of: Computer Browser running, auto DHCP Client running, auto DNS Client running, auto Peer Name Resolution Protocol running, auto Peer Networking Grouping running, auto Peer Networking Identity Manager running, auto PNRP Machine Name Publication Service running, auto I checked the WINS/NetBIOS settings: All workstations are set to Default: use NetBIOS setting from DHCP server. Again, all workstations are set to Default, but only ABC-12 and ABC-15 are/were experiencing problems. I tried setting it to Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP, but had no effect on the behavior. I looked into the IPV6 settings: All workstations had IPV6 enabled in the LAN adapter connection properties. However, when I unchecked IPV6 from ABC-15, the Network folder began to work again, and all other nodes can now see it, too (besides ABC-12). Not the same success with ABC-12, though. When I disabled IPV6 on ABC-12, there was no change in behavior. So, at this point, ABC-12 and ABC-15 have IPV6 disabled, but the remaining workstations have it enabled (and are not experiencing problems, other than not being able to see ABC-12). So, I guess my question relates to: can anyone please advise me on what I am missing or doing wrong with either my network setup or my Windows 7 setup thats causing this problem? While I am not an expert with IT/Networking, yet, I am not a newbie, either. I am familiar with Active Directory, Windows XP/Windows Server 2003/2008; again, not an expert, but familiar. Im less familiar with Windows 7. Maybe theres something I dont understand with the basics or intricacies of networking/OSI layers thats causing me to miss something? Or with Windows 7? Many thanks for any help/advice anyone can provide.

Ok, so my Network Layout didn't show up right in the post: The Cisco Switch is connected to the Router, not the Internet (duh)... :) I apologize for that mishap....things like that are one reason I'm a TrunkM0nk3y... :)

Hi, Can you help me collect the screenshot of the network layout? Did you install any virtual machine on Windows 7? Niki Han TechNet Community Support

Hello Niki, Thank you very much for your assistance. No, there are no virtual machines installed on our network. As for the network layout, I will grab a screenshot and get back to you with it. Kind Regards! :)

Hi, Here is a screenshot of the network map. I edited it to both show the full layout with network printer on the router, and to preserve actual node names. Not shown in the diagram are 2 additional network printers that are connected to the Cisco SR224G Switch. Thanks again :)

Hi, Do you try to connect the machines to the Windows 7 directly for the test to see if they can be seen in the sharing center? Is that all the unseen machines are connected with middle devices? Thanks. Annie

Hello, Nodes ABC-10, ABC-11, and ABC-13 through ABC-16 can all see each other in the Network folder just fine. They can also see and connect to the three network printers just fine. ABC-12 is the node that cannot see anyone else in the Network folder, but consistently connects if I type in \\192.168.x.x of the node I am attempting to connect to. Typing in \\nodeName, i.e. \\ABC-14 or any other, works intermittently. ABC-12 also can connect to the network printers if I use the IP addresses of the printers. This issue becomes a hindrance when setting up network paths for 3rd party software, but also when trying to map network drives to/from other nodes (mapping network drives fail no matter how I type in the path). Graphical navigation or manual setting of network paths in 3rd party software (typing in \\nodeName\directory\etc) do not work, and they also do not accept typing in IP addresses (I realize these minute details of the 3rd party software are not MS's issue). When we set up the 3rd party software on ABC-12, everything was mostly fine. ABC-12 would occasionally "go blind" in its Network folder for a little while (a reboot would usually reestablish correct network connections). However, when I got ABC-15 working again (after disabling IPV6 on ABC-15), ABC-12 "went blind" and hasn't come back. I then started troubleshooting, trying all the things I mentioned in my first post. I will try isolating ABC-12 and connect it directly to another PC. Thanks...

Hi, I understand that part of the pc cannot be seen in the topology. So if you remove all of the third-party on these pc, will they be seen in the topology? To try this, you can try the "clean boot" on the client to see the result. Clean Boot ========= a. Click Start, go to Run, and type "msconfig" in the open box to start the System Configuration Utility. b. Click the Services tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click Disable All (if it is not gray). c. Click the Startup tab, click Disable All and click OK. Then, restart your computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK. Note: Temporarily disabling the Startup Group only prevents the startup programs from loading at startup. This shouldn't affect the system or other programs. We may still manually run these programs later. Thanks. Best Regards, Annie

Hello, I apologize for my delay in responding the past few days. I've been unable to respond due to severe weather in my area in the past week that caused widespread power outages. I am in the process of setting up a micro-network to isolate ABC-12 from the main network. I will also try the "clean boot" you mentioned in your last post after I've isolated ABC-12. I prefer to troubleshoot one step at a time to help pinpoint causes/symptoms. I will get back to you with my results as soon as I can. Thank you again for your assistance. :)

Hi Annie, I successfully constructed a micronet to isolate ABC-12 from the main network, as well as performed the "clean boot" you advised. There is good news: I had somewhat of a breakthrough with this issue. I'll start with my efforts with the micronet. The first thing I did was build a small network that consisted of a spare router, switch, a Windows 7 laptop, and ABC-12. The network map is as seen below: After getting the small network set up, I configured the following settings on both ABC-12 and PC: Sharing Settings Network Discovery ONFile & Printer Sharing ONPublic Folder Sharing OFFUse 128-bit encryptionPassword Protected Sharing ONUse User Accounts & Passwords to Connect IPV6: Enabled on both ABC-12 and PC Behavior: With IPV6 enabled on both nodes, both were "blind" to each other in the Network Folder and to each other's NetBios Name (\\ABC-12 or \\PC didn't connect), but could connect via \\IP address. Modification 1: I disabled IPV6 on PC, re-logged both nodes back onto the network. Behavior: On PC, I could "see" ABC-12 in the Network Folder (expected) but still could not connect via \\ABC-12. ABC-12 still "blind" in Network Folder (expected) and could not connect via \\PC. Both still could connect via \\IP address. Modification 2: I disabled IPV6 on ABC-12, re-logged both nodes back onto network (IPV6 now disabled on both ABC-12 and PC). Behavior: PC could "see" ABC-12 in Network Folder, but could not connect to ABC-12 at all; \\IP address would not work, either. ABC-12 still "blind" in Network Folder and to NetBios, but could connect to PC via \\IP address... This behavior made no sense to me. Note: ABC-12, at this point, was back into the same configuration it was when connected to the main network. As such, since the behavior was not making sense, I moved on to the "Clean Boot" procedure. Modification 3: Performed "Clean Boot" as advised. The images below show the 3rd Party software Services and Startup items that were disabled: Behavior: BREAKTHROUGH! Upon ABC-12 reboot, I went to the Network Folder and pressed the "refresh" button and ABC-12 can now "see" PC. I placed ABC-12 back on main network, and it can now "see" everyone in the Network Folder and could connect to others by \\nodeName and \\IP address. However, others still cannot connect to ABC-12 either by \\ABC-12 or \\IP address (yes, re-logged others onto the network)... Future Troubleshooting: I will wait for your response before continuing to troubleshoot, but my plan is to go through the list of disabled Services and Startup items in msconfig one-by-one, turning them on one at a time and rebooting each time. My logic is that one of them will cause ABC-12 to go "blind" again... Am I right on this? Or is this breakthrough a result of a combination of the "clean boot" and my fiddling with the configuration settings for the isolated network? Thanks again! :)