Laptop loses network connection

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cube
  • Start date Start date
C

Cube

I have a home network with 2 W2K (SP4) machines and a laptop running XP.
When I return home with the laptop and plug in the network cable, it is not
visible on the network until one of the W2K machine is rebooted. Can anyone
tell me if this is normal behaviour. Sorry if the question sounds stupid as
I'm new to all this networking stuff.

Thanks in advance.
 
Cube said:
I have a home network with 2 W2K (SP4) machines and a laptop running XP.
When I return home with the laptop and plug in the network cable, it is not
visible on the network until one of the W2K machine is rebooted.
Click to expand...

Not if it is generally visible at other times.

It should only take a few minutes (10-20 probably)
for it to be "visible".)
Can anyone
tell me if this is normal behaviour. Sorry if the question sounds stupid as
I'm new to all this networking stuff.
Click to expand...

Not stupid at all. You see something that isn't desirable
(to you) and you don't know how or even "if" you can fix
it.

BTW, that machine may be perfectly accessible on the
net and yet not be "visible" in network neighborhood.

Are you using the same WORKGROUP NAME as the
other machines? (OR same domain name if you use a
domain -- workgroup should equal domain name if you
have a mix.)

Can you ping? By name OR JUST by IP?

ping nameOfMachine
ping addressOfMachine

(Ping might fail due to XP Service Pack 2 even if
other things are working)

Can you "Net view"

Net View \\ServerOrMachineInQuestion

Net View
(just see what it shows for all machines on net.)
 
If the laptop is not visible in MyNetwork, I am not
qualified. If it's visible there, but you get a message like
"The drive or directory name x:\ is invalid", you might wish
to read the second message in the 3rd thread after this one:
Disconnecting and reconnecting automatically.
Good luck
 
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