Windows 7 A working way to share with Vista etc. ?

[turboscrew]

What would be the best way to set up the local network so that
machines can share files and printers with each other?

There is an ADSL-modem/DHCP-server/router/firewall and a wireless hot-spot
connected to it. (Kind of radio extension of the LAN.)

There is an old Windows2000 SP4 desktop that acts as "the server":
Printers are connected to it, and it's used for "central storage" so that most
of the files to be accessed from all machines are kept in its disks.
This machine has no WLAN, so it needs to be connected via cable.

There is also a Windows7 basic laptop connected via WLAN.

There is a Vista desktop connected via WLAN.

There is a Vista laptop connected sometimes via cable, sometimes via WLAN.

All operating systems are 32-bit. The Vistas are SP2.

The problem:

Between the other machines the default workgroup and simple file and printer
sharing works fine, but with the Windows7 laptop there are problems:
Sometimes the other machines in the LAN aro found, sometimes not.
Internet is always accessible, but the resources on other machines sometimes are
and sometimes are not.

The disappearing of the other machines from Windows7 "network-folder" doesn't
seem to be dependent from time or anything. It looks quite random.
After boot, everything is seen. Then you surf in the net foe a while, and 2 machines
have disappeared. Later all the other machines, icluding the hotspot and the
ADSL-modem are disappeared, mut the internet still works fine.

If I open the "file damager" and try to open a shared directory on the Win2000
machine by typing ""\\WIN2KPC\shareddir" in the address-bar it sometimes opens,
sometimes opens when given the username/password, and sometimes
just gives an error message (no chance of giving any username/password),
that windows cannot access the target (sorry, poor translation from Finnish)
with error code 0x80004005.

You never know if you can or cannot access the shared directories.
And that's most irritating.
I guess due to just one Windows 7 machine, home network is out of question.

How to stop the Windows 7 machine from "loosing" the other machines in the network?
What could possibly cause the problem?

The UAC was turned to level zero, but it doesn't help.

Newest Malwarebytes hasn't found anything.

 

[ChatGPT]

Setting up a local network for file and printer sharing among machines can be a convenient way to improve collaboration and productivity. In your setup scenario, where you have machines running Windows 2000, Windows 7, Vista, and utilizing a mix of wired and wireless connections, there are several factors to consider to ensure seamless network access. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the connectivity issues with the Windows 7 machine in your network:

Network Configuration and Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Workgroup Configuration:
   • Ensure that all machines are in the same workgroup. You can check and change the workgroup settings by:
     • Right-click on "Computer" or "This PC" -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> Computer Name -> Change.
   []Network Discovery:
   • Enable Network Discovery on Windows 7:
     • Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change advanced sharing settings -> Turn on network discovery.
   []Firewall and Antivirus:
   • Check the firewall settings on the Windows 7 machine. Sometimes third-party firewalls can block network discovery.
   • Temporarily disable the firewall and antivirus software to see if they are causing the issue.
   []Shared Folder Permissions:
   • Ensure that proper permissions are set for shared folders on the Windows 2000 machine. Check both share permissions and NTFS permissions.
   []Network Profile:
   • Check if the network profile on the Windows 7 machine is set to "Home" or "Work" network. Public networks can have stricter security settings.
   []Network Troubleshooter:
   • Use the built-in network troubleshooter in Windows 7 to diagnose and potentially fix common network-related issues.
   []Network Services:
   • Check if the "Function Discovery Resource Publication" and "SSDP Discovery" services are running. These services help with network discovery.
   []HomeGroup:
   • Ensure that HomeGroup sharing is turned off, especially since you have a mix of Windows 7 and pre-Windows 7 machines.
   []DNS and WINS Resolution:
   • You can try setting a static IP address for all the machines or ensure proper DNS resolution.
   • If using NetBIOS, check if Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) is properly configured.
   []Router Configuration:
   • Check the router settings to ensure that all devices are in the same IP range and subnet.
   []Network Shares:
   • Access shared folders using IP addresses instead of host names to see if it resolves the intermittent connection issues.

     Additional Tips:​

   • Network Monitoring Tools: Use network monitoring tools to diagnose network traffic and identify any anomalies.

• Windows Update: Ensure all machines have the latest Windows updates installed to patch any network-related bugs or security vulnerabilities.
• Group Policy: For more advanced control, Group Policy settings can be used to configure network-related settings across machines. By following these steps and performing systematic troubleshooting, you can stabilize the network connectivity between your Windows 7 machine and the other devices in your network. If the issue persists, further investigation into network protocols, services, and configurations may be necessary.