Networking two Win7 computers

[PelicanHazard]

Ok, so I've come across this problem now that I've moved in with a friend.

I have two computers, a Dell laptop and a homebuilt PC, both running Windows 7. I've connected them to the wireless network, designated it as a home network, and turned on file sharing, file discovery, basically everything I did at my parent's house to let the two computers share files.

Here, they don't always do that. Sometimes, the two computers will be connected to the network and the internet, but they won't see each other. Or any other device on the network.

I don't have a ready fix. I just sort of bumble about the network settings until something happens and the computers see each other again, only to have them go back to not seeing anything the second or third reboot after that.

Can anyone tell me what's going on, and how do I fix it?

 

[Eye-Q]

In most access points/routers with built-in WLAN AP you can set an isolation mode so the WLAN peers can't communicate among each other. Which AP/router do you have?

 

[PelicanHazard]

It's a Belkin N150 F9K1001

 

[Eye-Q]

Well, the manual pretty much keeps shtum about the actual configuration in the web interface (just "how can I reset the router via web interface" and some other minor things). Somewhere in the web interface when you configure WLAN you should have a checkbox or something to enable/disable wireless isolation.

 

[PelicanHazard]

The only option I found that suggests something like isolation is "Block ICMP Ping".

EDIT: Disabling that did nothing.

Pinged other devices on the network from my laptop. One roommate's computer replied, another's timed out (I presume it is hibernating or something, but the IP address showed up on the DCHP client list), and my PC was unreachable. Not sure if/how that helps, I do not know troubleshooting like this.

 

[prizrak]

This is why I don't use Windows file sharing..... The reason for this is that SMB (Windows file sharing) is depending on each machine to broadcast its name and IP over the network, which does not work all that great most of the time.
First order of business:
Configure your DHCP server to always assign the same IP to the machines you want to share files with (including your own). If your DHCP doesn't have that option assign the IP's manually, just make sure they are all unique (I would turn DHCP completely off to make sure you don't run into any issues, if any of the machines need to connect to other networks put the manual assignment in the "Alternate Config" tab).
Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and put the ip address and host name for each PC you want to connect to in the hosts file (run Notepad as admin and open the file). You need to do this to all the machines that want to share files with each other.

Alternatively:
Set up regular sharing (not home network sharing) and map the drives between machines.

In most access points/routers with built-in WLAN AP you can set an isolation mode so the WLAN peers can't communicate among each other. Which AP/router do you have?

I was always under the impression that it separated the wired network from the wireless not hosts from each other. Live and learn I suppose

 

[PelicanHazard]

*prizrak's huge block of help*

Thanks, that partially did it! My PC can now see everything on the network, though my laptop can't see the PC (it can see my roommate's Mac, though, which is a step better than 5 minutes ago).

EDIT: Okay, the plot thickens! I set up static IPs for both computers. Now they don't see each other in the Network window, but if i manually type in the hostname in the Explorer bar, I can access the computers.

Good enough, I guess. Thanks for the help.

EDIT 2: Bah, Windows is being an ass; sometimes it displays the other computers, sometimes not, but it's connected to them regardless!

 

[prizrak]

Thanks, that partially did it! My PC can now see everything on the network, though my laptop can't see the PC (it can see my roommate's Mac, though, which is a step better than 5 minutes ago).

EDIT: Okay, the plot thickens! I set up static IPs for both computers. Now they don't see each other in the Network window, but if i manually type in the hostname in the Explorer bar, I can access the computers.

Good enough, I guess. Thanks for the help.

EDIT 2: Bah, Windows is being an ass; sometimes it displays the other computers, sometimes not, but it's connected to them regardless!

Damn, you are having all kinds of issues with this for some reason. I'd suggest you map the drives to the shares so that you don't have to type it in all the time. Also you could pin the folders to the Explorer shortcut (so they will also show up on right click)

 

[PelicanHazard]

It's been pretty stable since then, so I'll leave it as is for now. Next mystery is figuring out how to connect my laptop to my Xbox for media sharing...

 

[prizrak]

That's easy, go into your WMP settings and enable sharing from there For something a bit more stable you can install TVersity server (they have a free edition) and set it up for sharing to the 360.

 

[PelicanHazard]

That's easy, go into your WMP settings and enable sharing from there For something a bit more stable you can install TVersity server (they have a free edition) and set it up for sharing to the 360.

I did do that, but the Xbox doesn't see the laptop and the laptop doesn't see the Xbox. It's not terribly out of the ordinary; I only got it to work once at my parent's place before a reboot severed the connection. Looking into TVersity...