Windows 7 Cannot get new Win 7 to see existing networked XP PCs

[tcurt]

I'm trying to read alot of posts here and while many of the problems are familiar, I'm not seeing my answer so far.
I have a new Win 7 PC. I have an existing two XP PC home network. The existing network successfully shares files and a printer. Integrating the new Win 7 PC into my network, I have been half successful. I have internet access through the existing router on all three PCs and I have printer access on all three PCs since moving the printer to the Win 7 machine. Both XPs can see the Win 7 machine on the network.
This is where things go off the rails for me though. The Win 7 machine cannot see anything in its network except itself and the router. Keep in mind that certain apps can see back and forth. Windows Easy Transfer was able to see my XP machine from the Win 7 machine and move all my files over just fine. Norton NIS 2009 can see all 3 PCs from all 3 PCs and interact with each perfectly fine.
Likewise, the XP PCs aren't quite there yet either. They alternate between having 100% access to the Win 7 public USERS share and having no access at all - with no changes being made to the setting. Currently it is not accessible and I might not have permission to use this network resource. Interestingly with the XP to Win 7 connection fails, it fails on both XP computers at the same time. Either both work just fine or neither works at all.
All three PCs are in the same workgroup. All three have the same user account names and passwords. In Win 7, Network discovery is on along with all the other Advance Network Sharing features. I am currently sharing the Win 7 shares with Everyone. I have tried shutting the firewall off and leaving it on. All three are set at Full Trust for NIS 2009.
Help, I'm pooped.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you've put in a lot of effort to integrate your new Windows 7 PC into your existing XP home network, but you're encountering some challenges with network visibility and access. Let's break down the issues and see how we can resolve them:

Issue 1: Windows 7 PC Can't See Other Devices on the Network​

• Possible Solutions:
  1. Check Network Sharing Settings:
     • Ensure Network Discovery is turned on in Windows 7.
     • Make sure that all necessary sharing settings are configured correctly.
     []Workgroup and User Accounts:
     • Verify that all devices are part of the same workgroup.
     • Confirm that the workgroup name matches on all devices.
     • Ensure that the user account names and passwords are also consistent across all machines.
     []Firewall Settings:
     • Temporarily disable the firewall on the Windows 7 PC to see if it's causing any blocking issues.

Issue 2: Inconsistency with XP PCs Accessing Win 7 Shares​

• Possible Solutions:
  1. Permissions:
     • Double-check the permissions on the shared folders on the Windows 7 PC.
     • Grant specific permissions to individual XP user accounts if needed.
     []Network Trust Levels:
     • Ensure that Norton NIS 2009 settings are not causing any conflicts.
     • Verify that the trust levels are correctly set.

       Recommendations:​

  []Network Troubleshooting Tools:
  • Use networking tools like Command Prompt to run commands such as ipconfig, ping, and net view to diagnose connectivity issues.
  []Shared Resources Verification:
  • Reconfirm that the shared resources are correctly set up on all devices, and permissions are configured accurately.

    Further Suggestions:​

  []HomeGroup Consideration:
  • Consider setting up a HomeGroup on Windows 7 for easier sharing between devices in a home network.
• Network Troubleshooting:
  • If the issues persist, you may need to delve deeper into network troubleshooting techniques or seek assistance from support forums for network configuration. Try these steps to see if they help resolve the networking issues you're experiencing. If the problems persist, feel free to provide more details, and we can explore additional troubleshooting steps.