I am running 3 computers on a local wired network. two comps are running vista Ultimate 32bit one is using Vista Ultimate 64bit.
Networking is via a netgear 834GT router.
Two are desktop computers. One is a laptop.
One computer can connect to both the laptop and the other desktops.
but the other desktop can only connect to the other desktop.
The laptop can connect to one of the desktops but not the other. The one it cannot connect to can also not connect to the same laptop.
All are set to network discovery the same on all comps and file sharing is actuated on all. Public folders are shared on all comps.
The network tree shows all connect comps but when click on the icon for laptop say from the one desktop I get error that name is not recognised DNs name or message similar (may not be exactly what said).

Have been through all settings I can find, even upgraded the router firmware to latest version but no result still get same error and fail to connect.

Does anyone know any further checks I need to do to resolve this. Have already re-install Vista Ultimate on laptop twice with new 128GB SSD hard drive.
Router sees all comps that are connected. And so does Network & Sharing but will not open just gives above errors.

Things to check.

Does it work with the firewall's turned off?
Can you ping the machines by name & IP?
Can you browse to the machines by going to "run" then typing \\nameofmachine
Are they all on the same workgroup?
Are all the network locations set to home or work?
Have you tried turning simple fuile sharing off and setting permissions manually?
Are you still reading at this point?

Thanks for your response Saspro.
The answers to your uestions are as follows:
1. No still does not work with firewall off.
2. Don't know how to ping.
3.Tried the run option and just says "cannot access etc"
4. yes all machines are on same workgroup called "workgroup" the default for Vista.
5. Yes all are on home (private in vista) locations.
6. No as do not know how to.
7. No have fallen asleep

Strange thing is problem is only between the laptop and desktop #2 that will not connect to each other. network tree shows all but display network devices does not show the laptop or desktop #2 depending on which machine i am looking from.
both the laptop and desktop #1 can connect to each other. Although settings are the same for all.

Getting desperate as important for my Laptop to be able to be mapped to desktop #1 for sync with my work files via ViceVersa. Not so important for Sync with desktop #2 as is my sisters comp.

Do all the machines have passwords?

To ping simply type "cmd" without the quote marks into the run/search box then type "ping computername" and hit return.

Thanks again Saspro

1. All machines have password protection sharing turned off.
2. Tried ping as you said but came up with "ping request could not find clive-laptop. Please check the name and try again".

Seems like it just cannot find the laptop same as view computers and devices in network and sharing folder. Although it lists it in the full view option.

Thanks again for taking time to help.
Regards
Clive

Find the IP address of clive-laptop (run ipconfig from a cmd prompt) and try pinging that.

Thanks again Saspro

Tried pinging the IP address which shows in router page as connected but came up with same can't find error as before.

Any more ideas?

Thanks again
Clive

Are you sure that was the error? You shouldn't get a "not found" if you use the IP address. You might get a "request timed out" but not a "Ping request could not find host" unless you mistyped it.

Can you open the command prompt on the effected machines and do:

IPCONFIG /ALL

what do you get?

Hi again

Done that but how do I copy all the info to this post from a command prompt as can select all but lose the selection as soon as I right click to copy?

Both net adapters show correct IP as shown in router.

Thanks again

I don't know about vista but in xp unless your guest accounts are all there they won't play nicely ( even if you don't use a guest account ), maybe worth checking in vista?

Hi again
Just checked my user accounts in all comps there are no quest accounts set up in any of them. Do I need to create one? if so how?

the only thing that is strange is the laptop can connect no problem with the second desktop and same other way round only the first desktop is unable to connect. yet all have no quest account.

Is it possible that pinging has been blocked on either the laptop or second desktop or both?

Thanks again

If the selection disappears, then you probably have "quick edit" enabled and you've already copied it.

Hi JJW009

What is this quick edit option in command prompt window, and if it has already copied it how do I find it to post on here. Although I do not know how to post pictures etc on this site

Hi JJW009
Manage to get ipconfig info on here for your info.
This one from the desktop with vista Ultimate 64bit

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Clive>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Clives-Desktop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet #
2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-60-5E-EB-89
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-60-5E-E5-D5
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::11ec:278d:c496:5373%8(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 21 May 2009 19:22:11
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 24 May 2009 19:22:12
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{02BA2EC1-3DD9-403B-A454-9614D64F7
5DB}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{23B94C7F-45FA-439F-B93C-7ED950E03
E46}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\Clive>

You paste it the usual way; right-click paste.

Here's a (rather poor) video of me showing you. Note the options I wiggle the mouse at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTqMNjH4wFs

:update: - d'oh! You already sussed it.

Is that the desktop that can see the laptop, or the one that can't? It looks fine. What I was most interested in was the gateway and the DNS, which are both set to your router. What are the other two like?

I'm wondering if IPv6 is confusing it, but I don't have it installed on anything so I can't check...