[RESOLVED] Lost connection between computers in the same network

I have my 2 home desktop computers connected to the internet through a D-Link G624T router and, at the same time, they are connected between them.

A few days ago this connection was somehow lost: both computers can now access the internet but they can't "see each other". I'd appreciate any clue for I'm at a loss.

They may have a connection to the router but not to each other. I find that the easiest way to check this is to run iTunes or something similar and see if a shared library turns up (make sure that shared libraries are turned on).

If I have any difficulties that cant be solved with a little bit of twiddling I find it easier to just reset the whole network and start again. Not too much work with just two computers?

try and see if you can ping each of the machines from each other if not see if there is any firewall rules in the router that might block this

run the network setup wizard again. Make sure you list the same workgroup name for both computers.

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Originally Posted by dark_shadow

try and see if you can ping each of the machines from each other if not see if there is any firewall rules in the router that might block this

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Ping was ok. Then I momentarily turned off the firewall and one of them was visible from the other, but not the other way round.
Maybe the firewall has something to do with it after all, but then the funny thing is I didn't do any changes in its configuration.

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Originally Posted by Lord Orwell

run the network setup wizard again. Make sure you list the same workgroup name for both computers.

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That's the first thing I did. But this time I chose a different (from the already existing) workgroup name, yet the same for both machines.

Can you define "lost"? Is it possible you did a factory reset or something and the subnet masks of the 3 items aren't in sync anymore?

Firewall would also be a second choice, but again - what do you mean by "lost", as a router losing a net connection wouldn't be able to affect these, you'd need to do a reset or firmware upgrade or tamper with the settings to alter these values...

Can you bring up a run box.

And type in the computers name and get to it that way?

\\Computer2 ?

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Originally Posted by alex_read

Can you define "lost"? Is it possible you did a factory reset or something and the subnet masks of the 3 items aren't in sync anymore?

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there at home they probally have either a default subnet or are on the same subnet

@krtxmrtz :another add on to Lerroy's comment if that doesn't work try using the ip of each computer to do it ex. instead of \\computer2 try \\ipaddress of computer2

have you been messing with your services? computer browser needs to run. Also have you done any recent updates? Sometimes an update affects the firewall settings.

Ahh, I just thought of something, is it a username and password problem perhaps? Are the usernames and passwords matching on both computers?

that shouldn't matter unless you are actualy browsing the other computer. For whatever reason, the firewall has started blocking the computer browser service. I would bet that you could still browse the other computer even though you can't see it by typing it's path in a run box.

Hi there folks.

After post #6 I've had to leave on a trip away from my hometown so I have no chance to try out your suggestions. Hopefully next week I'll give an update. In the meantime, thanks for your answers.

No worries, let us know when you get back.

Have a nice trip ;)

What Os's are those computers running? Sometimes there's a bit of a trick between OS's.

All right, I'm back and I'll try to answer each of your suggestions.

Both computers are running Windows XP Home Edition, sp2.
The run box doesn't work whether I use \\Other Computer's Name or \\Actual IP
Also I can't browse one computer from the other, but see my final comment at the bottom.
I don't think I've been messing with my services, at least not that I remember. It simply was working one day but wasn't the next day. Maybe my daughter did something but she says she hasn't.
The username and password happen to be the same in both computers but this never caused any trouble before.
As for updates, I couldn't say, though one of those minor Windows updates or occasional patches is quite likely.

What I did first thing when I got back was check the computers' names and work groups. Then I thought I'd found it because the work groups were different. I then changed this in one of the computers and re-booted, but still the problem remained: if I tried to browse the local network, the other computer just didn't show up.

I also tried to reset the router to no avail.

And the final comment: the problem seems to be unidirectional. From one computer I can see the other but not the other way round!

check to make sure the computer browser service is working.

When you ran network setup wizard did you tell it to turn on file/print sharing?

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Originally Posted by Lord Orwell

check to make sure the computer browser service is working.

When you ran network setup wizard did you tell it to turn on file/print sharing?

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I will as soon as I get home... your brand new skull makes me queasy :sick: LOL

Now that you have added them both to the same work group. Try pinging the other computer.

go to the command prompt and go

ping computername

You could try and set up a shared drive, say your C drive. On BOTH computers. Try to get to those shared files by typing in the computer name \ share name in the run box.

another idea ive had this actually cause a problem with me
on the computer you cant see go to control panel->administrative tools-> Local Security Policy->Local Polices->User right Assignment->then in the "Access this computer from the network make sure either the user account is in there or just put "everyone"

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Originally Posted by Lord Orwell

check to make sure the computer browser service is working.

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Not sure... my WinXP is in Spanish but I didn't spot anything in the list of services that could be the computer browsing service, at least among the non-activated services.

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Originally Posted by Lord Orwell

When you ran network setup wizard did you tell it to turn on file/print sharing?

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Yes

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Now that you have added them both to the same work group. Try pinging the other computer.

go to the command prompt and go

ping computername

You could try and set up a shared drive, say your C drive. On BOTH computers. Try to get to those shared files by typing in the computer name \ share name in the run box.

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The ping was ok, but after sharing the hard drive C I could get at the other computer from one of them but not the other way round.

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Originally Posted by dark_shadow

another idea ive had this actually cause a problem with me
on the computer you cant see go to control panel->administrative tools-> Local Security Policy->Local Polices->User right Assignment->then in the "Access this computer from the network make sure either the user account is in there or just put "everyone"

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There's no "Local Security Policy" tool among "administrative tools". Is it really supposed to be there in WinXP Home edition?

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Originally Posted by krtxmrtz

There's no "Local Security Policy" tool among "administrative tools". Is it really supposed to be there in WinXP Home edition?

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i would say it's probably not called that since home edition doesnt support domains.

Now it turns out the 'my network places' icon on the desktop does nothing when I double-click on it -on the computer that does not see the other- and the hourglass mouse pointer stays there (until crtl/alt/del).

Okay, in all honestly I have to ask. Why spanish?

Also I think you might want to start thinking about reinstalling Windows at this rate.

It sounds to be as if you have a string of problems.

Have you tried a system roll back? Do you have an image of your hard drive of when all of this was working?

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Okay, in all honestly I have to ask. Why spanish?

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Well, that's what you get by default in computer stores in Spain... doesn't it make sense? ;)

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Also I think you might want to start thinking about reinstalling Windows at this rate.

It sounds to be as if you have a string of problems.

Have you tried a system roll back? Do you have an image of your hard drive of when all of this was working?

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I may have some automatically generated images every week or so, but then, I wonder if I'm going to lose data if I roll back. Is is just some sort of snapshot of the register and basic configuration? In other words, would the only concern be reinstalling some very recenly installed applications?

I am not 100% sure what happens. I believe it will roll EVERYTHING back to that specific date.

Which will probably Un-install all installed programs.

I am not sure about personal documents etc.

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

I am not 100% sure what happens. I believe it will roll EVERYTHING back to that specific date.

Which will probably Un-install all installed programs.

I am not sure about personal documents etc.

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Well, if the issue can't be resolved soon then I'll start thinking seriously about this option, but maybe I'll have to make a backup copy of the entire disk to an external hd. Or maybe reinstall Windows.

THe only problem is were not physically there. Things always stand out when actualy at a computer.

I know we have done this before, but can we do it one more time.

IP Settings are all okay?
Subnet mask and Default gateway?

Are they connected through a crossover cable, or through a hub?

Are they both shared?

Do both computer have the ability to reach the internet?

How do you get to the internet.

Can you ping?

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

THe only problem is were not physically there. Things always stand out when actualy at a computer.

I know we have done this before, but can we do it one more time.

IP Settings are all okay?
Subnet mask and Default gateway?

Are they connected through a crossover cable, or through a hub?

Are they both shared?

Do both computer have the ability to reach the internet?

How do you get to the internet.

Can you ping?

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All right, I'll recap as soon as I lay my paws on the home computers...

I think this problem is bugging me just as much you!

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

I think this problem is bugging me just as much you!

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I guess it has become a matter of pride for you.

Indeed, usually it doesn't take me that long to solve computer issues, whether on my own or with other people's help. This one has been around since the first days of June.

a system restore point has a snapshot of the registry and a couple other important files. All data will be preserved on the hard drive, but the system will no longer know certain programs are installed if they were installed after the restore point was made.

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

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IP Settings are all okay?
Subnet mask and Default gateway?

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ipconfig gives for Computer1:
IP Address 192.168.1.2
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Predetermined gateway: 192.168.1.1
For Computer2:
IP Address 192.168.1.3
The other are the same.

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Are they connected through a crossover cable, or through a hub?

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Through a hub (router)

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Are they both shared?

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Some folders are shared.

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Do both computer have the ability to reach the internet?

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Both do access the Internet without any problem.

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

How do you get to the internet.

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Through a adsl router

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Can you ping?

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Yes, successful in both directions.

Okay. Good. So that crosses off alot of the connection posibilities

Do you log onto the computer with a password and username? If so, set BOTH of the computers to exactly the same usernames and passwords.

Make BOTH users administrators on BOTH computers, SO admin on comp 1 also is an admin on comp 2 and vise versa.

Are both computers joined to a work group? if so is it the same work group.

Are you able to open up a Remote Desktop Connection between both computers?

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Okay. Good. So that crosses off alot of the connection posibilities

Do you log onto the computer with a password and username? If so, set BOTH of the computers to exactly the same usernames and passwords.

Make BOTH users administrators on BOTH computers, SO admin on comp 1 also is an admin on comp 2 and vise versa.

Are both computers joined to a work group? if so is it the same work group.

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I use the same username and password on both computers, I'm administrator for both of them and they are on the same group. Yes, it's becomeing ever weirder, I know...

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Are you able to open up a Remote Desktop Connection between both computers?

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I'll have to wait till I go home to try. But I'm not sure how to do this, do you mean a remote control session like e.g. pcAnywhere?

Under Computer Management go to local users and groups, users, your username then right click and go to properties, go to Member Of.

Add to that group \\computer\administrators for both computers.

This should not matter but it might help.

This is making me want to break down and cry now!

Start - Programs - Accessories - Remote Desktop Connection.

It is a built in feature to windows.

What version of windows are you using for your computers?

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Originally Posted by Lerroy_Jenkins

Start - Programs - Accessories - Remote Desktop Connection.

It is a built in feature to windows.

What version of windows are you using for your computers?

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When I browse to select the computer I want to connect to and click on the workgroup I get this message that the workgroup does not contain any servers of the "Terminal Server" type -that's my translation from Spanish, the actual message for you may not be exactly that.

The firewall was it! :thumb:

In (only) one of these 2 computers, the local area address 192.168.1.1 was in the Internet zone rather than the Trusted zone. Thus, the computers could see each other but the resources of one (shared folders & printers) were not available to the other. A soon as I changed 'Internet' to 'Trusted' everything was restored and back to normal :)

Now, why this had happened in the first place I don't know, but maybe someone used the computer and for some reason was queried by the firewall about that network and just clicked somewhere without understanding the displayed message :mad:

Dark_Shadow & Lerroy_Jenkins, I have rated both of you up. Thanks to DS for first suggesting it and to LR for his insistence in trying to help.

glad to see its working :)

*Breaks down crying*

I am happy for you for getting it fixed!

But Sad for me for not even THINKING that!

ConGratz!

dark_shadow's suggestion slid past our attention, I don't know why... anyway, all's well that ends well.