two machines cannot be seen on LAN

James1093 · 06 Mar 2021

Yet both can see and browse files ok.
One of then is running Win10 and the other XP. I can't see either when I try and remap the drives. I ran the networking diagnosis but it didn't help.
Just seemed to happen out of the blue. Any help appreciated.

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I may not have explained this too well. What info can I get/give to assist? The win10 machine was turned off and the trouble started after it was turned back on.I have looked under Settings-Network and everything seems right, Sharing on, Password Off.But no other machine on the LAN can see it... although it can see them. What sort of thing might cause this ?

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I have found a wee bit more. If I enter a comp name into Explorer Address bar, the comp then appears under Network and everything seems ok. But then after exit Explorer and come back, they are no longer visible under Network. But the mapped drives work.
How can I ensure the computer names stick under Network tree ? This is how it normally is.

dalchina · 08 Mar 2021

I can only suggest meticulously working through the configuration on each PC as given here:
Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10

Note that it is typical of Win 10 that by default it can take up to 20 mins or more for a PC to become visible on a network after logon- a simple script has been posted on tenforums which, when scheduled to run on log on, eliminates this delay.

Just seemed to happen out of the blue.

Did you receive an update in the background perhaps? (Update History).

As a matter of routine you can check your disk (e.g. Hard Disk Sentinel - SSDs too - excellent)

James1093 · 08 Mar 2021

Thank you dalchina I'll certainly do that. I really would like to get them all setup properly and reliably.
I'm puzzled by what appears under Network in Explorer (LH column tree). All machine names used to show there in all cases. Now one still does but takes a-g-e-s. Another doesn't even show itself. Is this indicative on anything? And a third shows 2 (of 4) computer names. I've also been told Explorer-Network is "buggy" and the problem I have is common. Would you agree?

Blackink · 08 Mar 2021

James1093 said:

Thank you dalchina I'll certainly do that. I really would like to get them all setup properly and reliably.
I'm puzzled by what appears under Network in Explorer (LH column tree). All machine names used to show there in all cases. Now one still does but takes a-g-e-s. Another doesn't even show itself. Is this indicative on anything? And a third shows 2 (of 4) computer names. I've also been told Explorer-Network is "buggy" and the problem I have is common. Would you agree?

Well I can agree that Windows 10 Explorer-Network is buggy. I have attached a snip of what now shows in the Network -left column in Explorer.

The NEWERPC (Windows 10 Pro) is the computer I am on every day and there are days when that, NEWERPC, doesn't show up.

When I am on the CRAIGSOLDPC (Windows 10 Pro) computer and look in the Network to see who is there, more times than not it can see NEWERPC from CRAIGSOLDPC but i CAN'T SEE NEWERPC on the NEWERPC computer, the one that I am on everyday.

BRENDA is running Windows 10 Home and that is a laptop that my wife uses. I won't even go there as to what shows up on certain days and what doesn't!!

Go figure!!!

two machines cannot be seen on LAN-networked-pcs.jpg

dalchina · 09 Mar 2021

I fully agree that setting up networking on several machines requires a PhD in patience and persistence. Not to mention the wait for PCs to show up sometimes.

The latter can be dealt with by using a script on each such PC, set to run on logon (e.g. from boot or resuming). Attached are 2 such examples. In one I've given a Nircmd line which I use in the task scheduler Action to supress the command box.

I've given these before in other such threads- do feel free to use tenforums as a searchable resource. Plenty of threads on networking.

James1093 · 11 Mar 2021

Thanks to all. And guess what? Today everything came right - and I hadn't done a thing!
One of the Win10 machines auto-updated so perhaps had some effect... but even the XP machine has come right under "MSHOME".
Not sure about applying the scripts, I may not know enough to run up properly.
I had contacted MS support but only got as far as a case number, no real help. I planned to systematically work through the list from dalchina.
Why is this so flacky. MS really should fix it.

dalchina · 11 Mar 2021

Setting up one of those scripts takes 3 or 4 minutes.
Put the script somwhere, note the path to it, and create a suitable task using the task scheduler to start at logon.

Feel free to find other threads here referring to them.

Certainly makes networking easier- i.e. PC is available on the Network without initial delay.

James1093 · 12 Mar 2021

dalchina, what do the scripts do and how do they work? I don't notice any delay as such and a bit concerned they may break something that currently works. Or is that not possible? It's just the whole windows networking thing seems very fragile.

dalchina · 12 Mar 2021

Read the scripts- they're very simple. No they don't do anything difficult, dangerous or complicated.

If you dont experience delays, nothing to do.

I've stayed with the same Windows build and my 2 PCs communicate stably. I did experience a delay sometimes, but not after scheduling the scripts which deal with the so-called 'master browser' induced delay.

https://petri.com/microsoft-computer-browser-service
https://social.technet.microsoft.com...tpronetworking

However I am wondering whether later builds of Windows may have dealt with this better, not using the Computer Browser service at all, having read about the link between the Computer Browser sevice, and deprecated SMB1 protocol.