Get this

http://i45.tinypic.com/14ucp6b.png

I can see other people's computers in my network. I completely disconnected my wireless router, restarted my computer, and refreshed the "Network" window. Same deal. I asked my neighbors if one of the computers in my "Network" was theirs, and they checked and then said no, there computer name is not showing up in my "Network" window.

I can even access the files on one of them (the SLAPPY-PC), and the other one that I can access comes up with a username and password prompt (ANTHONYOLD). All the other ones (POWELL-PC, LIZ-PC, and ERIC) come up with an error window that says "Windows cannot access \\[computer name]. Check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be a problem with your network. To try to identify and resolve network problems, click Diagnose".

I live on a mostly empty street, with some old couple living way down the road, and then my neighbors (I live in a double house, so my neighbor's house and mine are connected, both sides are a mirror image of each other), and then way down the road it turns onto the main road with a bunch of other houses. I therefore ruled out the possibility of picking up other wifi connected computers, especially now that I disconnected all forms of wifi from my computer and router.

So, what's up with this? Some problem with my ISP's configuration of networking? I am thoroughly confuzzled.

(P.S., I tried this about 3 months ago, and the same exact thing happened, I could see different computers in my "Network" window but they were all different ones that the ones there now.)

EDIT: Just for clarity, PAUL-PC is my computer and JOHN-PC is my dad's. It's the others that are weirding me out.

 

Do you know a Jodie or a Dave? What happens if you remove all internet and network access completely?

 

I don't personally know them, but they might live around where I live. I'll have to ask my dad, he would know.

Also, when I disconnect the internet from my computer entirely, it says on a little bar that scrolls down from the top of the "Network" window that "This computer is not connected to a network. Click to connect..."