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Unable to connect to other connected devices
I have 2 PC's connected to my router. The first is my desktop which is wired via Ethernet. The 2nd is my Laptop which is connected via WiFi.
Recently, neither device can see the other on the network.
I'm unaware as to how this happened.
With both devices powered up and running on the network. I went into the router's web based network admin settings to view what the "attached devices" said for each of these PC's. Each showed their own PC device, 3 cell phones, one printer and one Xbox device.
The Desktop did not show the Laptop device and the Laptop did not show the Desktop device.
Can you advise how I can resolve this ?
Jim_Elma, I guess some examples might be in order...
NEW VIEW (run from a CMD prompt):
===============
C:\>net view
Server Name Remark
--------------------------------------------
\\IRV8700 Irv's 8700
\\LARAINE-XPS8500 Laraine's XPS8500
\\READYSHARE readyshare
The command completed successfully.=================
As you can see, although I also have an Amazon Echo and FireTV Stick, as well as 2 iPad's on the LAN, only the PC's (mine is wired, wife's is wireless) and the USB drive on the router have 'shares' on the SERVER NAME.
One can do a NET VIEW on any SERVER NAME and see the shares available, like:
========
C:\>net view \\laraine-xps8500
Shared resources at \\laraine-xps8500
Laraine's XPS8500
Share name Type Used as Comment
---------------------------------------
C_disk Disk
D_drive Disk
E_drive Disk
The command completed successfully.==========
Since I know her IP Address I can also get to it that way (bypasses SMB1 by the way):
==========
C:\>net view \\192.168.1.40
Shared resources at \\192.168.1.40
Laraine's XPS8500
Share name Type Used as Comment
---------------------------------------
C_disk Disk
D_drive Disk
E_drive Disk
The command completed successfully.=======
Now the USB drive on the router using the Server name and IP Address:
============
C:\>net view \\readyshare
Shared resources at \\readyshare
readyshare
Share name Type Used as Comment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Movies Disk read:all-no password;write:all-no password
USB_Storage Disk read:admin;write:admin
The command completed successfully.
C:\>net view \\192.168.1.1
Shared resources at \\192.168.1.1
readyshare
Share name Type Used as Comment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Movies Disk read:all-no password;write:all-no password
USB_Storage Disk read:admin;write:admin
The command completed successfully.=============
You can use the DIR command to see what is the Server's share, like :
================
C:\>dir \\readyshare\usb_storage
Volume in drive \\readyshare\usb_storage is USB_Storage
Volume Serial Number is 8A4E-F8FB
Directory of \\readyshare\usb_storage
04/29/2018 12:14 PM <DIR> .
01/01/2015 04:00 AM <DIR> ..
05/10/2014 01:54 PM <DIR> $RECYCLE.BIN
11/10/2017 09:25 PM 423,489,144 Audio_Driver_PKGMR_WN32_6.0.1.7564_A01.EX
E
05/30/2013 07:15 PM <DIR> AUTORUN
07/23/2009 02:07 PM 28 AUTORUN.INF
11/14/2016 04:00 PM <DIR> netgear_downloader
03/27/2018 06:08 PM 48 norton_2018.txt
10/30/2016 12:42 PM <DIR> Pictures
08/18/2017 01:25 PM <DIR> share
04/29/2018 10:49 AM <DIR> System Volume Information
04/29/2018 10:47 AM <DIR> W10_image
04/15/2005 08:48 AM 6,722 WDLOGO.ICO
04/29/2018 10:47 AM <DIR> WS_HOLD
4 File(s) 423,495,942 bytes
10 Dir(s) 417,499,398,144 bytes free============
You can substitute IP Address for the Server name above too.
Now the NET USE command:
==============
C:\>net use t: \\readyshare\usb_storage
The command completed successfully.
C:\>dir t:
Volume in drive T is USB_Storage
Volume Serial Number is 8A4E-F8FB
Directory of T:\
04/29/2018 12:14 PM <DIR> .
01/01/2015 04:00 AM <DIR> ..
05/10/2014 01:54 PM <DIR> $RECYCLE.BIN
11/10/2017 09:25 PM 423,489,144 Audio_Driver_PKGMR_WN32_6.0.1.7564_A01.EXE
05/30/2013 07:15 PM <DIR> AUTORUN
07/23/2009 02:07 PM 28 AUTORUN.INF
11/14/2016 04:00 PM <DIR> netgear_downloader
03/27/2018 06:08 PM 48 norton_2018.txt
10/30/2016 12:42 PM <DIR> Pictures
08/18/2017 01:25 PM <DIR> share
04/29/2018 10:49 AM <DIR> System Volume Information
04/29/2018 10:47 AM <DIR> W10_image
04/15/2005 08:48 AM 6,722 WDLOGO.ICO
04/29/2018 10:47 AM <DIR> WS_HOLD
4 File(s) 423,495,942 bytes
10 Dir(s) 417,499,398,144 bytes free
C:\>net use
New connections will be remembered.
Status Local Remote Network
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK T: \\readyshare\usb_storage Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.
C:\>net use t: /d
t: was deleted successfully.============================
What I did was assign the share to my PC's T: drive. I can do whatever I wish with it now direct from my PC. The NET USE will show you what is used too. the command with the drive a /d will release the drive letter.
All you have to know is the SERVER name shown on NET VIEW, and the share names on the individual devices. On possible drawback (same as using the LAN method to access another PC) is you'll need ACCESS to the shares, which you probably already have.
Another thing, unless you've set up RESERVED IP ADDRESSES you can not rely on using the IP Address method as they can change depending on which device comes on-line first. In my case I did reserve specific IP addresses for ALL PC's.
Hope this helps. Reply back if you need more info or details.
9 Replies
> I have 2 PC's connected to my router. [...]
Windows? Version(s)?
> Recently, neither device can see the other on the network.
"can't see" is not a useful problem description. It does not say
what you did. It does not say what happened when you did it. As usual,
showing actual actions with their actual results (error messages, LED
indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or
interpretations.
> [...] Each showed their own PC device, 3 cell phones, one printer and
> one Xbox device.
"Each" _what_ showed what, exactly?
> The Desktop did not show the Laptop device and the Laptop did not show
> the Desktop device.
At what, exactly, are you looking?Running Windows 10 by any chance?
If so you need to enable SMB1 Client on all W10 PC's. Control Panel, Programs and Features, Turn Windows Features on or off, scroll down to SMB 1.0/CFS File Sharing Support, open it and enable the Client. Should fix the problem.
I am running Windows 10 v1709 on both machines.
My research on the web when this issue started last week suggested that I turn on the SMB1 client on all PC's which I did. Following that change I was able to see all the PC's on the network. However, that was apparently a temporary band-aid fix as it is no longer working.
As I tried to explain in my original inquiry, we have a total of 7 devices in our household that could link to the network when active. This includes the following:
2 - PC's (Desktop & Laptop)
3 - Cell Phones (mine, wife, son)
1 - Printer (wired to desktop, Bluetooth to laptop)
1 - Xbox (son's games)
When I log into the Netgear Web Admin service from my Desktop and view the devices attached to the network, it gives me an icon and IP addresss for 6 devices on the network. The missing device is the Laptop (even though it is on and active).
When I log into the Netgear Web Admin service from my Laptop and view the devices attached to the network, it gives me an icon and IP addrress for 6 devices on the network. The missing device is the Desktop (even though it is on and active).
FYI - When I read about SMB1, it said that this was a change that Microsoft made to protect businesses for security purposes. They knew it would impact home users but put the change in anyway. It said that home users security would be at risk is this was turned on. I turned it on anyway.
One additional note:
When I turned on SMB1 client, I also turned on these additional related switches:
SMB1 Server
SMB1 Automatic Removal
Is it possible that these are causing my issue ?