Workgroup Network Problems

[tesco]

I have three computers on the network:
Computer 1 (Mine)
Windows 7
Username: tesco

Computer 2
Windows 7
Username: tesco

Computer 3
Windows Vista
Username: somethingelse

All three are in the same workground, have windows firewall disabled, and do not have third-party firewalls installed.
All three computers have at least one folder shared.

Computer's 2 & 3 can connect to eachother just fine. They can also both connect to computer 1 just fine.
When connecting, each will ask for the username and password to access that computer. Once it is entered I am able to browse the shared folders just fine.

The problem is with computer 1. It cannot connect to either computer 2 OR 3.
I do not get a username/password prompt at all, it just goes straight to "The network path was not found".

Any ideas?

An update: I was mistaken. The vista machine can access either win7 machine, but the win7 machines cannot access anything at all.

[Cabalo]

Have you tried connecting to PC 2 or 3 using their LAN IP instead their netbios name ?

[tesco]

How do I do that?

[Cabalo]

Open IE, and in the address put \\the-remote-pc-ip
For example, \\192.168.1.2

You do know which IPs are attributed to each one? Are you using DHCP or manually assigning IPs ?

[c0ld]

Disable the Homegroups on the W7 computers. It causes no end of buggy behaviour on mixed networks.

[tesco]

Disable the Homegroups on the W7 computers. It causes no end of buggy behaviour on mixed networks.

You might be on to something, but I can't figure out how to turn it off.
When I click on "Leave the homegroup..." it says "Windows couldn't remove your computer from the homegroup".
I'm not sharing anything in the home group.

edit: Just managed to 'leave the homegroup'. That didn't help me.
Wasn't a total loss though. It got rid of that pesky homegroups icon from my windows explorer.

Open IE, and in the address put \\the-remote-pc-ip
For example, \\192.168.1.2

You do know which IPs are attributed to each one? Are you using DHCP or manually assigning IPs ?

Ya I know the IPs.
I'm just getting the same error "Windows cannot access \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx"

[Cabalo]

Ok, so try do the following:
1st - Check if the time and date are correct on each machine. Sometimes people mistake AM with PM. Then try to connect. If it works, ignore the 2nd part of the post.

2nd - click the start button and type secpol.msc in the search function. Browse to "Local Policies" -> "Security Options". Now look for the entry "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level" and open it. Click on the dropdown menu and select "Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated". Apply the settings.
In the Advanced sharing settings page of Network and sharing center, you need to have it set as Work/Home profile. Try
-Enable network discovery
-Turn on file and print sharing
-Turn off password protected sharing
-Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers
The other settings such as encryption I have set as use 128 bit encryption.
Please check related policies.
1. Enter “gpedit.msc” in the Start Search box.
2. Open “Computer Configuration”/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Security Settings.
3. In the right pane, enable the following policies:
Network access: Allow anonymous SID/name translation
Network access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users
Also please disable the following policies.
Network access: Restrict anonymous access to Named Pipes and Shares
Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts
Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares

[darkstate01]

I'm amazed no one has asked can you ping the ip of the rogue pc?
And as cabalo has said in great detail make sure you add the user to the folder permissions.Can you post some screen capture pics of your errors as well and any info your event viewer is giving you.
Event viewer is god of info on your pc.

[backlash]

I found that I had to share the folder with everyone. Sharing tab > advanced sharing > permissions > add everyone there.

[tesco]

OK I've just realized something.
When I posted this thread I didn't have access to Computer 2 (win7).
I just went on it now and it's also not able to connect to either of the other computers.
This means the vista machines can access both of the win7 machines, but the win7 machines cannot access anything (neither win7 nor vista).

Ok, so try do the following:
1st - Check if the time and date are correct on each machine. Sometimes people mistake AM with PM. Then try to connect. If it works, ignore the 2nd part of the post.

2nd - click the start button and type secpol.msc in the search function. Browse to "Local Policies" -> "Security Options". Now look for the entry "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level" and open it. Click on the dropdown menu and select "Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated". Apply the settings.
In the Advanced sharing settings page of Network and sharing center, you need to have it set as Work/Home profile. Try
-Enable network discovery
-Turn on file and print sharing
-Turn off password protected sharing
-Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers
The other settings such as encryption I have set as use 128 bit encryption.
Please check related policies.
1. Enter “gpedit.msc” in the Start Search box.
2. Open “Computer Configuration”/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Security Settings.
3. In the right pane, enable the following policies:
Network access: Allow anonymous SID/name translation
Network access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users
Also please disable the following policies.
Network access: Restrict anonymous access to Named Pipes and Shares
Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts
Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares

Just checked all of your suggestions and then logged out/in (as I was told when applying one of the settings) and it hasn't helped.

I'm amazed no one has asked can you ping the ip of the rogue pc?
And as cabalo has said in great detail make sure you add the user to the folder permissions.Can you post some screen capture pics of your errors as well and any info your event viewer is giving you.
Event viewer is god of info on your pc.

All computers can ping all other computers. This is confirmed.
Infact I can even connect using Remote Desktop Connection. I used the computer name to connect, ip also works.
It is just the file & printer sharing that is a problem.

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