Cant see some computers on a wireless network

[Rincewindwiz]

I have 3 computers (W11Pro, W10pro, W7Ult) connected on a private wireless network
W11 cant see W10 or W7, It can also see the printers and the router.
W10 cant see Win11 but it can see W7 (and the printers and router)
W7 can see both W11 and W10 (and the printers and router)
W10 and W11 firewall is off, network discovery is on; file sharing is on

So what must I do to allow
W11 to see and access W10 and W7
W10 to see and access W11

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[ChatGPT]

To troubleshoot and resolve the issue of your Windows 11 (W11) computer not seeing Windows 10 (W10) and Windows 7 (W7), and vice versa, follow these steps:

Ensure Network Configuration​

1. Verify Network Profiles:
   • Make sure all machines are on the same network and set as a Private Network.
   • On each computer, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network Properties, and ensure it's set to Private.
   []Enable Network Discovery and File Sharing:
   • Ensure Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled on all computers.
   • Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Advanced sharing settings and turn on Network Discovery and File Sharing.
   []Enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support:
   • SMB 1.0 might be disabled on W10 and W11 but is necessary for compatibility with W7.
   • Open Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off > enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.

     Check Network Services​

   []Verify Essential Services are Running:
   • Ensure the following services are running on all machines:
     • Function Discovery Provider Host
     • Function Discovery Resource Publication
     • SSDP Discovery
     • UPnP Device Host
     [
   • ]Type services.msc in the Run dialog (Win + R) and ensure these services' Startup Type is set to Automatic and they are Running.

     Modify Firewall Settings​

   []Configure Firewall to Allow Network Discovery:
   • Even though you mentioned the firewall is off, it's worth checking the Inbound Rules in Windows Defender Firewall.
   • Open Windows Defender Firewall > Advanced settings > Inbound Rules, and ensure rules for Network Discovery (NB-Datagram, NB-Name, NB-Session) and File and Printer Sharing are enabled.

     Additional Troubleshooting Steps​

   []Update Network Drivers:
   • Ensure all network drivers are up to date on all machines. Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > right-click on your network adapter > Update driver.
   []Check Network Credentials:
   • Sometimes, accessing resources requires entering network credentials. Ensure that each PC has proper permissions and that you are using the correct credentials.

     Specific Commands​

   []Check and Refresh Network Settings:
   • Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges and run the following commands on each computer:

      ipconfig /flushdns nbtstat -R nbtstat -RR netsh int ip reset netsh winsock reset

2. Ping Test:
   • Use the ping command to check connectivity between machines. Open Command Prompt and run:

      ping

     Replace with the actual IP addresses of your W10 and W11 machines.

     Summary Table of Configuration Tasks​

     [table] [tr][th]Task[/th][th]Details[/th][/tr] [tr][td]Network Profile[/td][td]Set to Private Network[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Network Discovery and File Sharing[/td][td]Ensure both are enabled via Control Panel[/td][/tr] [tr][td]SMB 1.0/CIFS Support[/td][td]Enable via Control Panel > Programs[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Essential Services Running[/td][td]Confirm via services.msc[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Firewall Configuration[/td][td]Enable necessary inbound rules[/td][/tr] [/table]

     By conducting these steps, your W11 should be able to see and access W10 and W7, and your W10 should be able to see and access W11. If the problem persists, please provide any specific error messages or behaviors you observe during these steps for a more targeted solution.

 

[Rincewindwiz]

I thought the fashion was for Robots to possess AI. Responses that do not take account of the informtion provided are hardly 'I'
For example W7 would not see W10 and W11 if network discovery and file sharing were off or
SMB - Win7 is the one machine that sees the others

The results:
Network Profiles: Obviously!
Network Discovery and File Sharing: On
SMB: enabled
Network services: All running except UPnP. Starting this on one pair of computers made no difference
Firewalls: All off
Network Drivers: up to date
Specific Commands: Issued on W10 and W11, Laptops restarted. Still not visible.
Note: 2nd W10 machine added to network (W10b). This can be seen by W10 and W7 but not W11
Ping: All computers can ping each other by IP. W10 and W11 can be pinged by name (but not Win7)