XP Network Question - Whaaaa?

[Australis]

I have the oddest thing happening with my home network, especially the 2 PCs on my desk. For some time, one has not been able tio see all the PCs on the network. They are in the same workgroup, but they just aren't there. By the same token, other PCs (my kids') can see it, no problem. If I want a file from their PC, I have to phisically go to it and move it from there.

Now the other PC is doing the same thing. here's the odd part. I turn off my monitors at night, leave the boxes running (yes I know, not environmentally good, yeah yeah). So I come in this particular morning, and the 2nd PC can't see anyone. I start checking settings, and lo! the workgroup has somehow, without my intervention as far as I know, set itself to 'Workgroup'. So I set it back, reboot as per usual... but still no dice. Can't see the others. No, not true, can see the one on my desk, which goes through the same switch (note my switch is then connected to another switch where the others are connected).

Whichever method I try, I get this type of system msg:
"[pc name] is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of the server to find out if you have access permissions. The selected server cannot perform the requested operation."

One - it's not a server (as such)
Two - the setting haven't been changed on the other PC

Just to muddy the waters a little further. The PC I'm trying to connect to is the one that controls the internet, and as you can tell, I can see that fine.

So going in through 'Map network drive' doesn't work, going into Explorer and typing the PC name with 2 backslashes doesn't work, what the hell could it be?!

Any help appreciated.

 

[Noname Given]

I have the oddest thing happening with my home network, especially the 2 PCs on my desk. For some time, one has not been able tio see all the PCs on the network. They are in the same workgroup, but they just aren't there. By the same token, other PCs (my kids') can see it, no problem. If I want a file from their PC, I have to phisically go to it and move it from there.

Now the other PC is doing the same thing. here's the odd part. I turn off my monitors at night, leave the boxes running (yes I know, not environmentally good, yeah yeah). So I come in this particular morning, and the 2nd PC can't see anyone. I start checking settings, and lo! the workgroup has somehow, without my intervention as far as I know, set itself to 'Workgroup'. So I set it back, reboot as per usual... but still no dice. Can't see the others. No, not true, can see the one on my desk, which goes through the same switch (note my switch is then connected to another switch where the others are connected).

Whichever method I try, I get this type of system msg:
"[pc name] is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of the server to find out if you have access permissions. The selected server cannot perform the requested operation."

One - it's not a server (as such)
Two - the setting haven't been changed on the other PC

Just to muddy the waters a little further. The PC I'm trying to connect to is the one that controls the internet, and as you can tell, I can see that fine.

So going in through 'Map network drive' doesn't work, going into Explorer and typing the PC name with 2 backslashes doesn't work, what the hell could it be?!

Any help appreciated.

Just curious, do you have Microsoft autoupdate enabled to where it's allowed to atomatically check and install any new critical updates it finds on the MS Ipdate website?

 

[Australis]

No. For various reasons.

 

[sojourner]

Do you have dns setup properly? either on one of the switches or on one of the PC's? can you ping the other pc's by name? by IP address? are all of the pc's pointing to the same DNS?

 

[Australis]

I can ping the others by name, which shows their IP address (though we are all set on 'obtain IP adress automatically'). Umm, you might have tio run through the dns setup process. I think they are all pointing to the same dns.

Thanks.

 

[Australis]

Soooooo... no further thoughts?

 

[Australis]

Okay, major weirdness.

Last night still couldn't connect. Came home today, thought I'd try.

It worked. On BOTH PCs Hasn't worked on one for months. Now successfully mapped to the other drives. No problems, no issues, working as it should.

Asked son, "did you change any settings?" "Nope". "Do anything different?" "Nope" "So it just... works?" "Yep."

So whatever you guys did... thanks!