Need help with home network

Question

There are 3 pc's connected to the internet. My Dell is the computer with the router, the other 2 dell's are running a wireless connection to this router.

All 3 pc's can access the internet, secured connection of course, but when I go to set up a home network to share files, like being able to print documents from the wireless pc that has the printer, it doesn't ever show each others computer.

I had it working before, now I don't know what to do.

I turned off windows firewall, I have charter firewall enabled, all settings haven't changed with that before when it was working and now when it isn't.

I have tried creating wireless home network, a regular home network, nothing is working. I've deleted internet settings, created static ip's, restarted computers, I cannot figure this out.

This is the only thing not working with any of the computers. They run flawlessly, but this is getting to the point where I just want to trash everything.

Please help.

So here it is again.

PC 1 is wired, and has the router
PC 2 is wireless
PC 3 is wireless and has the printer

Only pc 3 can print files now.

volcano11 · Answer

It is more than likely an improperly configured firewall.  Disable all firewalls to test this.  Since you are behind a router, there is very little danger in temporarily disabling firewalls.   Steve

InTheZone · Answer

no one else knows, wow? I guess only a few people own pc's or go online.

volcano11 · Answer

I gave you a suggestion that works 99.999% of the time.  If you are not even going to report whether or not you followed the suggestion, it is unlikely that anyone else is going to barge into this thread to offer suggestions that just disapper into the ether.  Just as a note - all of my networks work just fine because I have all firewalls properly configured to allow network access to work.  That's probably true of all other network users that have working networks.     Steve

InTheZone · Answer

I stated in my initial post that the firewall settings have not changed at all, before or after it was working.

volcano11 · Answer

Until you disable all firewalls and report back that it still doesn't work, I will not respond further.   Steve

InTheZone · Answer

thank you for your help, I was just hoping there was more than one person who read these boards.

volcano11 · Answer

Why are you so unwilling to disable the Charter firewall to help troubleshoot this problem?  There are other people that may respond.   Start a new thread and perhaps someone else will provide an answer.  If you decide to disable the Charter firewall temporarily, and test it to see if it does or doesn't solve the problem, then post back to this thread and I'll continue to try and help.  If you decide to start a new thread, I'll ignore it and let someone else respond.   Steve

InTheZone · Answer

@volcano11 wrote: Until you disable all firewalls and report back that it still doesn't work, I will not respond further.   Steve

LJmalenurse · Answer

Steve, I am a new Dell user and a techno-idiot. I read your posting on the firewall issue. Sounds like my problem. When I try to import my old Outlook addressbook and other stuff, I get this you don't have permission message, what's up with that? I am the administrator of these glorified typewriters. I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can give, and report back. LJ

volcano11 · Answer

LJ,   Do you have firewall software running on your computer?  Note that all newer model Dell computers ship with some kind of security software pre-installed.  This may be McAfee Secuirty Center, Norton Internet Secuirty, Zone Alarm, or something like this.  Each of these packages have firewall software that by default blocks all local network access.   If you can figure out which security package you have, we can probably help you figure out how to configure it so that it allows local network access.    Steve

JMHESS50 · Answer

you may want to check the name of the network.  If the network name has changed, the main pc won't be able to recognize them.  Make sure your wireless security is in place and make sure the computers are all on the default network 'mshome'.  If you renamed the network originally to set it up, sometimes it will reset one or more pc's to the default and then you can't find them.  Go into the network and check for workgroup computers after that.

LJmalenurse · Answer

No I dhut down the firewall, I keep getting a message that I don't have permission. The firewalls are shut down on both computers on my network. Now I can't get my new computer to recognize my old one even tho they are connected. lj

LJmalenurse · Answer

yeah i did change the mshome to another name, gonna try that right now. lj

LJmalenurse · Answer

gave me a starting point. had to make sure that workgroup and subnet masks were the same. finally got it to see the other computers on my network. thanks lj

JMHESS50 · Answer

How did that work?

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Need help with home network

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