Still can't network my home computers (trying for years)
I have two degrees in CS and a CISSP certification. I've only used Windows machines pretty much my entire computer career (only now learning Linux). Of my friends, family, and closest business associates, I'm the one who knows the most about Windows that I know. So why is it so hard to get my computers to network together properly? For years, sometimes my network functions properly and then it suddenly stops for what seem no apparent reason. But enough of that, let's get this fixed finally shall we? I have three Windows 7 computers. I'm trying to start by getting just two (only TWO) to talk to each other. To make this easier, I uninstalled my firewalls and will use win firewall only (for now). I'm using Avast anti-virus. I have no other security software. Both computers have static IPv4 addresses in the 10.x.x.x range with 255.0.0.0 subnet. The router is Verizon FIOS at 10.10.10.1 Network discovery ON File and printer sharing ON Sharing for anyone to read and write public ON Media Streaming ON 128 bit encryption ON Password protected sharing OFF Windows manage homegroup ON Both computers are set identically Both computer connected wirelessly to the same router (of course). Both can browse the Internet fine. Both can ping the router, but not each other. I used to have a problem with my virtual machine network connection messing up the network, but I removed the virtual machine entirely. I used to have a problem with connecting Win 7 to an older XP machine, but I upgraded that machine to Win 7 so I thought everything would be fine (it's not). I have a special folder on each computer designed for file transfers that is completely open to the world. Share permissions are set to allow read/write access to everyone, network, and homegroup. I've replicated these permissions both on the "Share" dialog and the "Permissions" dialog (accessible from the Share tab on the folder's properties). Homegroup settings are set to share EVERYTHING (all libraries and printers, streaming on). I'm just trying to get it to work so I'll open it to the world (even though I shouldn't have to). Still can't see the homegroup I made on computer 1 over on computer 2. Other than hiring a flipping networking technician, what the HALIBUT am I supposed to do to make this work?
April 27th, 2011 8:48pm

Try using dhcp ip instead of static, change the IP to dhcp from the router config page, next save and exit. Next go to both/all of the windows 7 pc and ensure the following is turn on or shared under network & sharing center>advanced sharing setting Network discovery: ON File & Printer Sharing: ON Public Folder Sharing: ON File sharing connection: Use 128bit Password protection sharing: OFF Home group connections: Allow windows to manage home group connection Make sure the home group of your network are using the same homegroup password. Once done. Go to either pc and map the network path using it's IP or comp name. Prior to doing that ensure no third party firewall is install on any of the pcs
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 28th, 2011 3:40am

Thanks, but I have already done everything you said minus DHCP (which is in my above post though I know it's hard to read because it kept removing my linebreaks). I expect DHCP will solve nothing as I've used it before to little effect, but even assuming it does, am I forced to use DHCP for some reason?
April 28th, 2011 7:44am

MS_Forums_ID wrote: Thanks, but I have already done everything you said minus DHCP (which is in my above post though I know it's hard to read because it kept removing my linebreaks). I expect DHCP will solve nothing as I've used it before to little effect, but even assuming it does, am I forced to use DHCP for some reason? Forget about homegroup and home-network. Set your network to workplace-network (or whatever is the correct name in English) instead of home-network, setup a common workgroup-name for all PCs instead of homegroup and configure (advanced) sharing as you would do in an office setup. This maybe oldfashioned, but it works and you have full granular control over your sharing permissions. Be sure to use the same usernames and passwords across your network, to make connections easier, otherwise you will have to enter seperate credentials for every networked resource you want to access. But your problem seems to be deeper on the network connection level. If both machines can't ping each other, no sharing can take place. As a first test put the firewall down on both PCs and try to ping in both directions. If that fails with firewalls down you will have to investigate your access point settings, maybe you have blocked packets between PCs connected on the same network and only allowed packets between each PC and the internet. Wolfgang
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 28th, 2011 8:56am

You mention that the computers can both ping the router, but not each other. Are you pinging the computer name or the ip address, as to me it sounds like you have a name resolution issue. What do you have the DNS set to on each computer, is it the router's address or your ISP's DNS servers (my guess is the latter in view of your difficulties)? I would suggest going with Daniel's suggestion as enabling DHCP will also make the router act as your internal DNS server, allowing your internal machines to locate each other.Alan Moseley
April 28th, 2011 9:21am

I'm pinging IP. It could be the router, but it's odd how it works for months and then not... I didn't want to have to dig into the router settings, but I guess I'll have to. All I know for sure is that when the router does DHCP it shows connected machines by their names, but when I do static IP, it doesn't (it shows them, but not by name). (Have to wait until I'm home to try :/)
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 28th, 2011 10:43am

Are you sure that you have all devices subnet masks set to 255.0.0.0. If you have perhaps inadvertently entered 255.255.255.0 for example then this would cause you problems like those that you describe. If you are unable to ping by IP then realistically it can only be a firewall or ip settings at fault. Perhaps you could post an ipconfig /all from both of your workstations so that we may double-check the settings for you. I am not suggesting that the router is a problem, far from it, but using its DHCP would make sure that all IP addresses, subnet masks, DNS entries are all consistent. Just for your information, I would personally recommend using a class C network address for home usage, such as 192.168.0.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. This allows for up to 253 devices on your network which I would hope is enough for private use. Using 10.0.0.0 isn't wrong, but this would ordinarily be used by a large company requiring thousands of devices.Alan Moseley
April 28th, 2011 11:25am

I looked through my router for any options that might help. At best, I set the DNS manually for the static IP computers. The network worked for about an hour then suddenly didn't. In desperation, I set all computers to DHCP and reset the router to factory defaults. Now I'm using the 192.168.1.1 net and I guess I can live with that. I also just found out I can use VNC with computer names instead of IP addresses so I guess I can live without Static IPs too. Still, it seems like a pretty shallow victory to have to abandon the setup I wanted which was fine the way it was. Thanks for those that helped!
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 28th, 2011 7:56pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics