Lost my network somehow...

[Danster]

Ok this is a weird one. Until a few days ago, I could see every computer on my network. I don't recall changing anything and somehow, only a few computers are still seeing each other: the Win7 computers.

I have 3 computers that have Win 7 and they are still sharing whatever I have chosen to share on these computers. The other 3 older computers, which are XP based, are no longer part of the network. My net is called MINE and they all used to talk to each other. Now, Win 7 are the only talking leaving out my older computers. What might've triggered this?

Like I said, I haven't changed anything. When I click on My Network, all 6 computers shows me MINE but when I click on it with the older XP computers, it tells me that I have no rights and I should contact the administrator of that network.

I even checked on my router and there isn't anything out of the ordinary, it is still assigning the DHCP like usual. This is just really weird.

[dennism3]

Probably Windows Update...trust MS. Check to make sure your other gear is part of the group still. I think you have to re set up those non 7 machines.

I had directories as well as the root of a drive acessible and now the root is gone.

[timlocke]

Have your Win7 computers decided to be a "Homegroup" ? rather than an old fashioned "Workgroup". I believe that Homegroup, which appears to be the native mode for Win7 machines excludes non-Win7 machines.

[Danster]

I'll have to check if it changed it. What really baffles me is if I click on MINE network, it won't let me access any of the drives. However, if I type \\server\ , I will be able to get to the drives that are shared on that computer. It just won't let me through the proper door.

I checked the web last night and it appears that I am not the only one in the past week. MS must've done something in one of the updates that they sent last tuesday.

It had to be this week because last weekend, while building my poker machine in my woodshop, I was streaming MP3's from my main server with no problem. The computer in the workshop is XP based and it also lost access to the Win 7 drives. Very weird.

[Danster]

Now this is just getting more bizarre. I recreated a brand new network called WORKGROUP. All the computers talk to each other. Reboot one of the XP computers and I loose connection to the Win7 computers. Power on and off the Dlink and all the computers work like they should.

Does this look like my Dlink is starting to drop my connections? It doesn't happen with internet just the home LAN side connections.

[Coop]

My DIR-655 has dropped my connection about 5 times in the last 3 months, but the wifi was still working. (confirmed via my iPhone) The first time it happened I rebooted my modem and every thing came back but at that time I never noticed if my phone was still connected. Every other time I rebooted the router because I could still connect via my phone. I wonder if its a firmware problem but than I'm sure there would be others here posting about similar issues so I think it may just be the router giving up.

[Danster]

Well I can't get the firmware updated anymore because they stopped supporting it a long time ago. I think it's over 7 years old or so. I mean this thing is on 24/7 all the time so I'm sure it has seen better days.

I see Staples has the dir-601 on for $49.99. I'll bring their flyer to FS and hope to get the 10% difference. I don't need anything bigger cause I don't do much wireless surfing. I'm still with the 802.11g on all my computers and whatever computers that I have, they are all connected on gigabyte switches.