Vista cannot see XP machines

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill
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Bill

I am very new to Vista. I have a small home network. The three XP
machines on the network use static IP addresses. One of the XP machines
shares a printer. When I open Windows Explorer on the new Vista
Business machine and click on Network the only computer listed is the
Vista Business machine. Network Discovery is turned on on the Vista
machine. The workgroup name is set to WORKGROUP on both the XP and
Vista machines.

I cannot find any way to search for a computer by entering the computer
name or IP address as I can in Explorer on XP. I have no idea what the
search box in the upper right corner is supposed to do but it does not
work. As soon as I type any character in the box it says "No items
match your search."

I can ping the XP machine from a command window on the Vista machine.

If I do DIR \\COMPUTERNAME\PRINT$ at the command prompt on the Vista
machine the directory on the XP machine is listed.

I can see the Vista machine in Explorer on the XP machine.

What must I do to allow Vista to see the other computers on the
network??? Thanks.
 
I am very new to Vista. I have a small home network. The three XP
machines on the network use static IP addresses. One of the XP machines
shares a printer. When I open Windows Explorer on the new Vista
Business machine and click on Network the only computer listed is the
Vista Business machine. Network Discovery is turned on on the Vista
machine. The workgroup name is set to WORKGROUP on both the XP and
Vista machines.

I cannot find any way to search for a computer by entering the computer
name or IP address as I can in Explorer on XP. I have no idea what the
search box in the upper right corner is supposed to do but it does not
work. As soon as I type any character in the box it says "No items
match your search."

I can ping the XP machine from a command window on the Vista machine.

If I do DIR \\COMPUTERNAME\PRINT$ at the command prompt on the Vista
machine the directory on the XP machine is listed.

I can see the Vista machine in Explorer on the XP machine.

What must I do to allow Vista to see the other computers on the
network??? Thanks.
Click to expand...

To search for a computer, type its name in the Search box preceded by
two backslashes:

\\COMPUTERNAME

Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing
Center. Make sure that Network Discovery and File Sharing are turned
on. Configure the network as a private network.

If there's a firewall program (Norton, McAfee, etc), configure it to
allow access by other computers on the local area network. Note that
some antivirus programs have firewall components that have to be
configured, such as Norton Antivirus' "Internet Worm Protection".
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
 
The way I Network XP and Vista!

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.

Permissions/Share info is there as well.

If using Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro I.S., make sure file and printer
sharing is enabled in THEIR firewall (or LAN allowed, depending on how their
Exceptions are worded in their Firewall)

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords (passwords can be different) on ALL computers in your Network) If
you have it ON, you will be asked for a username and password when you try to
access a Vista computer from an XP computer, or a Vista computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home or Small Office Network File and Printer Sharing
Wizard to include Vista in your “New†Network, even if you had an XP Network
set up prior to adding a Vista computer to it(redoing the Wizard seems to
work for XP machines!).

In “My Network Placesâ€: “Set up a Home or Small Office Networkâ€
OR under Accessories > Communications > Network Setup Wizard > Allow File
and Printer Sharing.
 
Thanks for the reply.
To search for a computer, type its name in the Search box preceded by
two backslashes:

\\COMPUTERNAME
Click to expand...

Now that is intuitive, user freindly and discoverable.:(
Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing
Center. Make sure that Network Discovery and File Sharing are turned
on. Configure the network as a private network.
Click to expand...

Network Discovery is on. The network is a private network.
If there's a firewall program (Norton, McAfee, etc), configure it to
allow access by other computers on the local area network. Note that
some antivirus programs have firewall components that have to be
configured, such as Norton Antivirus' "Internet Worm Protection".
Click to expand...

There is no 3rd party firewall or anti-virus program installed.
 
Mick Murphy wrote:

I have checked everything in your list. Note that the XP computers can
see the Vista machine. My problem is that the Vista machine cannot see
_any_ XP machine. This has now happened with two different Vista
machines on two different networks (one Vista Home and one Vista
Business).

Sorry but I do not understand what I am supposed to look at in the
article you referred to or what the article has do do with my problem.
The article appears to be exclusively about shareing resources on
Vista. That is not what I am trying to do. I am trying to get Vista to
see shared resources on XP machines.
Also, run the XP’s Home or Small Office Network File and Printer
Sharing Wizard to include Vista in your “New†Network, even if
you had an XP Network set up prior to adding a Vista computer to
it(redoing the Wizard seems to work for XP machines!).
Click to expand...

I do not understand what you mean by "to include Vista in your
“New†Network". This is not a new network. I am adding a Vista
machine to an existing network of three XP machines. The network, the
XP machines, sharing files between the XP machines and sharing printers
between the XP machines works perfectly.

The problem is solely and exclusively with Vista. I can ping the XP
machines from the Vista machine but beyond that Vista cannot see _any_
XP machine on the network.

It is really frustrating that Microsoft has managed to make something
that was so simple in XP so complex (if I can ever get it to work) in
Vista.

Thanks for your help.
 
Thanks for the reply.


Now that is intuitive, user freindly and discoverable.:(


Network Discovery is on. The network is a private network.


There is no 3rd party firewall or anti-virus program installed.
Click to expand...

"\\COMPUTERNAME" to refer to a networked computer is hardly intuitive,
but that's what Windows has used since the days of Windows 95, and
possibly earlier.

You didn't say whether File Sharing is turned on.

Turn Network Discovery and File Sharing off, then turn them back on.
Go to the network connection properties and un-bind "Internet Protocol
Version 6". Those steps sometimes get file sharing to work on a
stubborn Vista computer.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
 
Steve said:
"\\COMPUTERNAME" to refer to a networked computer is hardly intuitive,
but that's what Windows has used since the days of Windows 95, and
possibly earlier.
Click to expand...

I meant as compared to the Search button in Explorer in XP where all
you have to do is click Computer and type the name.
You didn't say whether File Sharing is turned on.
Click to expand...

File sharing and Network Discovery are on.
Turn Network Discovery and File Sharing off, then turn them back on.
Go to the network connection properties and un-bind "Internet Protocol
Version 6". Those steps sometimes get file sharing to work on a
stubborn Vista computer.
Click to expand...

I unchecked IPv6 for the wireless network connection. Then I turned
Network Discovery and File sharing off then back on. Then I did a cold
boot. When I logged in all of the icons but 4 were gone from my
desktop. I logged out and logged in again and the desktop was back.
There is only one account on this PC so I know I logged in as the same
user both times. Unfortunately, I still cannot see the XP computers on
the network. I also turned off Windows Firewall then clicked Start |
Network but still cannot see the XP computers on the network.
 
I also attempted to download and install the LLTD Responder on one of
the XP machines. It refused to install saying that the SP level was
newer than the LLTD update so installation was not necessary. At least
that resolves the question about whether the Responder is necessary on
XP SP3.
 
I also turned Public Folder Sharing on and was able to see and edit
files in Public on the Vista machine from an XP machine. Whatever the
problem is it only involves see XP machines from Vista.
 
I also attempted to download and install the LLTD Responder on one of
the XP machines. It refused to install saying that the SP level was
newer than the LLTD update so installation was not necessary. At least
that resolves the question about whether the Responder is necessary on
XP SP3.
Click to expand...

The LLTD Responder isn't necessary on any version of Windows XP.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
 
I gave you advice; you won't take it!
"New" is in inverted commas; and I gave you the reason WHY to run the wizard!

You DON'T read posts!
 
Mick said:
I gave you advice; you won't take it!
"New" is in inverted commas; and I gave you the reason WHY to run the
wizard!

You DON'T read posts!
Click to expand...

Mick, I appreciate your help and I went through every single step in
your message including running the wizards. I did every step including
the wizards twice with a cold boot in between just to make sure that I
had not missed something the first time. When that did not work I
posted my preceeding message thinking might have misunderstood your
instructions. I apologize for not providing a more detailed explanation
of what I done.

With Steve Winograd's help I was finally able to connect to an XP
machine and add a shared printer although I still cannot see the XP
machines in the Network and Sharing | View Network Devices window.

FYI, Steve's solution that worked was to enter \\computername in the
Start | Search box. That opens a windows that shows the XP machine and
all of its shared resources.
 
I am glad Steve sorted it for you Bill.
Even Steve questioned my reasons, a while ago, for redoing the XP's Wizard!
It was something that worked for me!
So, I deleted it from my Generic response, then he posted back it was a GOOD
idea, and he was going to use it in XP Networking advice!

So, I put it back in, lol.
 
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