Router works, but nobody in net neighborhood

I can't seem to get the other computers on my network to show up in Network Neighborhood. All are running Win XP. All have internet access through a Linksys N router. Al have TCP/IP box checked. We can each ping our own IP addresses, but not the others. I've run the Network Setup Wizard and been through Microsoft's troubleshooting ideas. I'm missing something, but I sure don't know what.

Any ideas?

 

So, is this only your computer or all of them.

Forgot what was the option, but do you have file sharing on? Are your Network computers sharing ANY folders? If there isn't even a single folder shared on any of the computers, of course you would not be able to see them.

Basically, right click on any folder, go to properties and there should be options for letting that folder be shared. After enabling sharing see if you can access the folder through Net Neighborhood. This might pinpoint/solve the problem.

Another thing is, that on my network, if I turn off the adapter and then turn it back on later, I cannot see other computers until maybe 20 min after. So waiting a while might be an option too.

 

Make sure that "windows zero config" is on.

 

If you're running _Vista on the computer in question, then you're going to have to install the Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) Responder on the XP machines in order that the _Vista machine can see the XP machines.

Basically, because of differences in how _Vista and XP "see" networks, _Vista cannot "see" XP machines without this app.

 

I assume you're all in the same workgroup?

If you can't even ping each other, I'd suspect that it has something to do with the Windows firewall settings. You don't by change have the "block all incoming connections" box ticked? For troubleshooting purposes, disable the firewall temporarily on all of the machines. If that fixes it then you know where to start looking for a permanent fix.

 

Thank you all for your responses.

I do have file sharing on a number of folders on each machine. And I've turned off the network adapter and turned it back on. No change.

Only one of the computers in question is wireless, so I tried turning off Wireless (or Windows(?)) Zero Config, and that just screwed up my whole connection - internet, router, etc. so I turned it back on. No change.

We are all in the same workgroup. On two of the computers, I tried changing them to a different workgroup to see if they would "see" each other. They didn't, so I changed it back. Still no change.

Windows firewall is turned off on all machines. But I do have Norton Protection Center running on all machines, and that firewall is on. But even when I turned it off temporarily, the computers couldn't see each other.

Re: Vista - Here's the wierd thing. One of the computers (wired) is running Vista Home Premium. When I click on Start > Network, I only see the one computer. But if I click on Network and Sharing Center > Connect to a network > View networks and connections, there's an dropdown for "Network". When I click it, my workgroup it there and when I select it, all of the computers on the network (other than my wireless computer) show up. ALMOST THERE!!

But a) it doesn't see those computers by default (I have to go through this click sequence), b) I'm not aware of any comparable sequence in XP, and c) my wireless machine is still not visible.

Another wrinkle... Could it be my new Linksys N Router? Read the manual (ugh!) but didn't recognize anything relevant.

Getting closer, closer, closer.....

 

Download the update for Windows XP from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=70582, this will load the LLTD responder so XP can "respond" to Vista inquiries so it can be seen in the network topology.

 

Well, that worked, sort of.

I can now see the missing computers on my Vista machine. But when I dbl-click on one, I get "Windows cannot access \\computername". Clicking the "Diagnose" button gets me the following explanation... "Check the spelling of the name, make sure the computer is turned on and connected to the network or contact your network administrator." How did it find the computer to include it in the graphic if the name was mis-spelled?!?!

From the XP machines, I still can't see any other machines.

 

Have you tried adding each of the other computers through the add a network place?

 

I assume you mean the Network Setup Wizard. I did. On the odd chance that it was different, I even created a CD from one of them and used it on the other (it was the identical wizard).

 

in some of the newer routers there is a option to prevent the pc's from communicating w/ each other

i forget what it is called, but that box could be checked by default on your new router........