Hi guys, I have two machines a desktop and laptop that are both running Windows 7 Ultimate x64. Both machines were setup using a WG called Home and both connected to the same Homegroup. This has worked for a few months without any problems whatsoever and also when I was running the RC clients. However, this morning when I went to get on my laptop I found that I couldn't connect to my desktop via the network. Nothing has been installed or changed in the last few days. No Windows updates or any other software/hardware drivers/etc. My desktop at the moment sees my Laptop on the network, but when trying to connect it fails. I receive an error along the lines of "Your device is configured correctly but cannot connect to the other device." What I've tried: - Tried first leaving the homegroup on both computers as well as changing the WG to workgroup, restart, then changing back to home, restart. - Tried running ipconflig /flushdns, ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /release all in elevated CMD to no avail. - Tried restarting the networking services in services.msc. - Tried disabling IP v6, nada, re-enabled, still nada. Peculiar things: - My desktop sees my laptop still in the networking section of explorer. - My laptop shows NOTHING in the network section of explorer. Not the desktop, but not even the laptop itself. In the past when the other computer was down it'd still have itself listed. - My laptop and desktop both have full internet activity and no other issues going on. I would really like to find an answer to this as I've had no problems with networking before at all. And since both machines are running W7 the different options for talking between XP/2000 machines shouldn't be an issue. Any help to this is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Hi, Based on my research, I suggest you try the following steps. 1. Temporarily turn off firewall on each machine and check the result. 2. Modify relevant settings on Windows 7 machine. a. Click Start and open Control Panel. b. Open "Network and Sharing Center" and click "Advanced sharing settings". c. Expand the current network profile (such as "Home or Work"), and then select the following options: "Turn on Network Discovery", "Turn on file and printer sharing", "Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in the Public folders", "Turn off password protected sharing" 3. Assure the following services are started: Computer Browser, Server, Workstation 4. Open Command Console and run a Ping test between the two machines. Can them ping each other? 5. Write down the computer name for Desktop. Click Start button in laptop and type \\Desktop computer name, and then press enter. Can you access the Desktop machine now? Thanks, Novak

Hi Novak, thanks for the reply. Disabling the firewall had no effect whatsoever. The settings you mentioned under Advanced were already both on those settings with the exception of password protect being off. I did turn it off, but to no avail. All services are started and running. Between the computers neither one can ping each other. They can both ping the router, websites, etc., but not themselves. Typing in the computer name was one of the first things I tried to direct connect. It still pauses momentarily then tells me that it cannot find the device. To maybe help narrow down the problem I was able to move the laptop within close proximity of my router and get another patch cable. Upon going to wired mode and disabling the wireless switch toggle everything went back to normal. Under my network on both computers I had XXX-Main, XXX-Laptop, and XX-Laptop. The last was an attempt at trying to change the computer name and see if it would register. My desktop could see it in wireless mode and the new name, just not connect. The laptop still saw nothing. However, in WIRED mode everything works wonderful. This leads me to believe something with the wireless protocol or settings has been corrupted somehow. Aside from doing what you asked I also uninstalled/reinstalled the Wireless device driver. Removed/re-added the network connection as well as reset my router and checked to verify the wireless mode settings were correct and not changed. My main issue is that the laptop literally has nothing listed under the Network section in explorer the moment its in wireless mode. It can access the router and connect to the internet, but for some reason in wireless mode its like it has 'networking' turned off or blocked/corrupted. Thanks again in advance for any help. :)

In addition, I would like to share the following with you for your refernce: Troubleshoot problems finding computers on a home network Thanks. Nicholas Li - MSFT

Do you have DHCP enabled on your router? What address is being assigned to the troubled computer?MCSA Windows 2003 MCP Windows NT 4 Workstation

A while ago I used to have DHCP with fixed private IPs, however I ran into problems with that when my PS3 and other media devices didn't play nice with my gateway modem/router. So at the moment its a free floating private pool. I did try pinging the local IP to no avail as well. My main was being assigned 192.168.1.100 while the laptop was 192.168.1.101. This problem really doesn't make sense to me and I'm wondering if its a corrupted issue in Windows 7. Edit: As of 5am this morning when I left for work the problem still existed. I just now was checking something on my desktop and noticed that my homegroup was active again with my laptop. Upon clicking it instantly recognized it and is working. I'm truly baffled as again nothing was changed while I was at work. Automatic updates and what not are all turned off to manual. While I'm glad this is now working again, is there any idea to what might have caused this issue? I'm hoping that its not recurring and would like to take preventative measures if I can diagnose it. Thanks all for the advice up until now, I'm going to glare at my laptop for a while.

Hi, This issue can occur by several factors, such as incompatible third party programs, incorrect Wireless network settings or firewall settings. Since everything is working fine now, I suggest you create a System Restore point to avoid some unexpected situation. Regards, Novak