PC invisible on network

[freddyzdead]

Hi guys,

This is a real head-scratcher for me. I've got 5 PCs on a home wireless network. The setup is so:

Netcomm ADSL modem operating in bridge mode

Netgear WG624 802.11g Access Point/router

Desktop PC connected to AP ethernet port

4 other PCs using various wireless adapters

All PCs are running Server 2003 except one using 2000 SP4.

The network only uses simple Microsoft File and Printer Sharing.

Now the story:

All PCs have internet access, no issues there.

All PCs can share files with each other, except -

Desktop PC, the one connected to the AP Ethernet port, (using Server 2003) is invisible to all

other members of the network. The reverse is also true; it cannot see any other members of the workgroup.

Desktop PC can successfully ping any other network member, and vice-versa

Desktop PC can tunnel with VNC and access any other network member. Vice-versa also.

Desktop PC appears to have network settings, file sharing, etc., same as all other PCs.

Yet it simply does not exist in the network. Workgroup in My Network Places is just empty.

The hardware must be ok, because everybody can ping everybody else. Ditto VNC.

What could possibly be wrong? I would add that this PC used to work fine, it just disappeared off the network one day. This is the machine that does most of the web browsing, etc. I have repeatedly checked it for viruses and trojans, checked the registry for bogus settings and so forth. I did find that the win.ini and system.ini files had some network entries added to them, and NET.EXE was repeatedly starting up as a result. These ini files are only there for 16-bit compatibility and are not normally used, so it's a cunning trick. Most people wouldn't think of looking there for trojans.

I have looked in the Netgear Router setup to see if there are any settings to do with bridging the wireless and ethernet, but there is nothing. This functionality seems to be automatic.

So, there. Everything seems to be ok, so far as I can tell, but that PC remains totally invisible. Could there be some other crafty trojan planted, or are there some troubleshooting tools that can diagnose the network at a higher level than what I've done? BTW, I tried the "repair" option on the network connection, but made no difference. Not too surprising, because it doesn't seem to be broken. It just doesn't network.

Any ideas would be bigly appreciated.

[freddyzdead]

I'm sorry, I wanted to edit the last post, but couldn't see any edit button.

I should have added that there are no software firewalls anywhere in the system. That is the most comman cause of this sort of trouble. I don't want it to appear that I'm that stupid.

Thanks.

freddy

[andsome]

I'm sorry, I wanted to edit the last post, but couldn't see any edit button.

I should have added that there are no software firewalls anywhere in the system. That is the most comman cause of this sort of trouble. I don't want it to appear that I'm that stupid.

Thanks.

freddy

For non subscribers the edit button is only available for a short time. I think it is for about fifteen minutes. Sorry I can't help with your actual problem.

[freddyzdead]

Ah, ...well, thanks for trying, anyway.

My latest stab in the dark was to tell the router to change the invisible PC's IP address, which has been fixed for a long time. No result, Workgroup is still empty.

Actually, not even itself is there. On other PCs, Workgroup often contains all network members, including the one you're sitting at. I wonder if that means anything.

[homecomputeraid]

I don't have much experience with setting up Windows 2003 Servers in a stand-alone/workgroup configuration. I'll look over your question more this evening and try to help.

[homecomputeraid]

Do you have all of your Windows Updates and working, up-to-date Antivirus on all computers?

Any reason you've chosen to use 2003 Server in a peer-to-peer network instead of a client-server, Active Directory configuration?

[Helgman]

Also you might want to take a look at the built-in Windows firewall.

I've had similar problems with Windows Server 2003 and found that the firewall had started and was not allowing File and Printer Sharing.

It's a long shot but ...

Good luck!