New Laptop Can't find Home Network?

Howdy Major Geeks!

I just bought a new Dell Inspirion with Windows 7, we already have a home network both wired and wireless. The two desk tops run Windows XP (home) and are hardwired to the network, a linksys wired/wireless router. The two desktops are already on the network and we can file share as well as share the printer, however, the laptop cannot seem to find the network. It connects to the internet just fine-but does not seem to see the other computers on the network. I visited the web site

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/ and followed the instructions-however they didn't work. I have them both on the same workgroup-and the settings are the same.

Ack, please help. This laptop is to replace one of the desktops for working at home,however it won't work if I can't find the other computer or use the printer!

Thanks so much for your help in advance!!

G

 

What version of 7 ?
What are the IP's of the computers?
Can you give a quick run through of what is setup? You have a user on each computer that has the same name and password, network discovery is on, file and print sharing is on, password protected sharing is off, all are in the workgroup WORKGROUPX, ? Can the XP computer ping the win7 computer? The other way around too?

How are you trying to access the XP computers from win7? I've had luck using the IP and folder name in the RUN line. ex. Start > RUN > type in (your ip, this is mine) \\192.168.55.56\dannyshare Click OK I either map it then or make a shortcut to the folder on the desktop.

 

Hello, thanks for responding. Here's the answers to your questions.

1. WIndows 7 Home Premium
2. There is only 1 Ip address: 192.168.0.1
3. The set up is as follows. There are two Desktops all running Win XP home, two laptops Running Win XP and one Laptop running Win 7. All with the exception of Win 7 can access the network (one of the other laptops does not access the network either but we haven't tried it yet-its not super important for that one to access it yet). However they are all pluged into the router via wire-one laptop with Win 7 and one with XP are the only two wireless on the network. The modem is a wesfall and the router is a wireless/wired Linksys.
4. All of the hardwired computers can access the network, all can file share and print from the network printer. The two wireless cannot access the printer and do not show up on the network. None of the computers are password protected including the two laptops. Both wireless laptops can get onto the internet-however cannot file share or use the printer. All have sharing enabled, all are on the same workgroup. The Only password is for the wireless network-which they all already have since they are on the internet.
5.I don't know how to "ping". Or else I would try.
6. I have tried every which way I know how to access the win 7 computer from the xp and vice versa. I know that they can "see" each other because I originally tried to set up the network printer on the WIn 7 machine-I tried to install a network printer and had to manually install it. When I specified the path, it came back and told me that it couldn't install printer "name" because it was missing a driver. I had not entered the name of the printer into the path, so it found the name of the printer on it's own. So I know they are "seeing" each other they just won't speak.

I tried doing the "run>iP>etc. . . . here is the error it gave me:


Problem Found:

The remote device or resource won't accept the connection.

Thanks for your help!

G

 

To get the IP and to ping, go to Start > Run > type in cmd > click ok
the black box that appears is the command box.
type in ipconfig /all (press enter)
this will give the IP, the subnet, the gateway and the DNS server. Need all of those on each computer (you can say same where they are the same).
To ping, note one of the IPs. On the next computer, open the command box like you are going to run the ipconfig command. instead type in ping 192.168.0.X (number of the previous computer) (press enter) You will get 4 responses. It sounds like you will get answers all across the network.

With all of the IP addresses I can give you some alternative ways to connect to the other comptuers that might help

If you ran Run > \\192.168.0.1 --- that was to the router.

 

Thank you so much for your quick response. Ok, here is what I had for the Ip address for the Win 7 Lap top-

Ip Address: 192.168.0.100-Yes, thats it.

However-when I "pinged" the other computers,I got-
IP's of 192.168.0.101 and 192.168.0.102

When I typed RUN>IP(either one)>ENTER I was able to see their shared docs in my network file-I was even able to print-however the minute I closed the window or went back-it was gone and I would have to do the same command over again. I was unable however to PING the laptop from any other computer. I was also able to PING the other computers from each other, but the WIN 7 laptop was unable to get "ping"ed. So, now that I know that I can "see" the other computers, how do I get them to stay on the network (or get the laptop to stay on the network?)

Here is what the Laptop said after I did: RUN>cmd>ipconfig/all:

C:\Users\gigi>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : gigi-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-65-9D-E8-B8-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 88-9F-FA-B1-85-BC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom Virtual Wireless Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-65-9D-E8-B8-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : DW1501 Wireless-N WLAN Half-Mini Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-65-9D-E8-B8-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::e988:3904:a6c2:786%14(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 18, 2011 7:53:08 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 26, 2011 7:58:52 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 320628125
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-C9-0E-62-F0-4D-A2-CF-58-15

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{65377E8F-3479-4057-91A2-6327BE6F20B5}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{97385183-4C1D-49CD-8C6D-DC59689DBE15}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:1c2b:1421:9f07:1fe3(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1c2b:1421:9f07:1fe3%19(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{7AB9FEA2-8942-458A-A836-4556525407DD}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{2F83F77C-18A6-487D-B551-164A39685840}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Thank you so much for your help! I really apreciate it!!



Thanks,

G

 

I'm a little limited with windows7 networking, i haven't had to troubleshoot it much but it does seem to need a few extra pushes to make it cooperate. So far I only have a few systems on 7, the rest are on old reliable -- XP.

Seems like half of the battle is won though. Can you map xp drives on the windows7 computer? Hopefully someone else will have a suggestion for keeping that connection authenticated. I'll run a test tomorrow in the office to see if i can replicate your issue. I have shortcuts to XP shared folder on the desktop of 3 windows7 computers, i know it stays connected for me

You did set it up as a home network or private network?

 

Thanks so much for your help. Well at least now I can print, which was the major concern. I still can't file share, but hopefully, I'll get another response. I tried to map it but it wouldn't let me? Hmm? I don't really know what to do?

Thank you for all your help! It's very much appreciated!


G

 

Hey Gigig,

1. on Win7, go to control panel/network and sharing center.
2. within the View your Active Networks section, it will either display Home, Work or Public. No matter what it displays, click on the displayed name. Next, click on Home and follow the prompts.
3. Next, within the Active Networks section, look to the right and you'll see that win7 is Joined to the homegroup. Click on the name Joined and Leave the homegroup.
4. Next, within the control panel/network and sharing center click on the Change Advanced Sharing Settings link on the top left.
5. within the Home or Work (Current profile) section, verify that all sections are set to the top option except for Password Protected Sharing. Turn that one off. Save changes.
6. Reboot all computers.

Techsent

 

techsent,

Thanks so much for your reply. However, it does't work because only one computer is on Win7, Win XP doesn't have homegroups, and I have already done items 3-6.

Thanks for your help though, its appreciated.

G

 

no problem G.

Yes, since xp doesn't offer homegroups, the win 7 machine can't be in one either as they must all be in the same named workgroup. The previous steps were to set the win7 machine for the Home network option but not be in an actual homegroup.

go back to the network and sharing center and change the Home network option to Work.

then recheck the advanced sharing options.

also, go to control panel/windows firewall on all machines and make sure that the firewall is on with recommended settings. If there's another firewall running (norton, comodo etc..) turn those off for now.

reboot all machines.

Techsent