Help with home LAN mixed Windows 7 and Mac OS X mystery please

[hotkey]

Here's my configuration/situation:

Home LAN. 2 Windows 7 PCs. 1 Macbook Pro OS X Snow Leopard. 1 NEW WRT610N Linksys router.

Connections are:

1 Win 7 PC wireless. 1 Win PC wired. Mac wired.

Before I changed the router out from old D-Link G router, all computers could see everything. I "upgraded" to new Linksys N router and now the Mac can browse to ("see") the 2 Win 7 PCs BUT the 2 Win 7 PCs can no longer "see" the Mac. I can however ping the Mac from them both.

Hope I can get the experts to solve or refer me to someone who could.

[Winni]

We usually charge EUR 240,-- per hour to fix such issues. But even then we'd need a DETAILED description of your network and router configuration as a starting point. "I've upgraded from D-Link to Linksys" basically says nothing about your (changed) network topology.

[mcprobie]

Did you read this article ?

It might help you out for the time being ... It might be a setting that is not enabled on your new router and was on your old one (eg: UPNP)

[Eric M]

...in your case the best thing to do would be to assign static IP to each computer on your network so you could do with something like:
1st PC [ win7 ]
IP: 192.168.1.100
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1 [ this is just an example, but I think that linksys still uses 192.1681.1 as a default address ] [ or you can use your ISP's DNS settings here, or you can just use the routers address and open DNS... ]

2nd PC [ win7 ]
IP: 192.168.1.101
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1

Mac [ OS X 10.6.x ]
IP: 192.168.1.103
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1

Make sure that your Win7 PCs are configured to share files/folders and that the "automatically discover networks" option is checked in network settings.
Also, make sure that the workgroup name is the same on all PCs and on a Mac go to System Preferences>Network>[ select active interface "Ethernet" ] >Advanced>WINS> [ enter workgroup name there under "Workgroup" ]>OK>Apply

Restart your PCs / Re-launch finder and test it - should work just fine...
If it doesn't - disable DHCP on the router and try again with just STATIC settings. Ah, and make sure you do have shares enabled on all computers...

Securing the lot is just another story...
Good luck.

...one more thing though...

Firewall.

[crazzyeddie]

how to make your pc and mac share stuff like best friends

[hotkey]

Originally Posted by mcprobie

Did you read this article ?

It might help you out for the time being ... It might be a setting that is not enabled on your new router and was on your old one (eg: UPNP)

I read the article and think I'm following to the letter. I did try the IP address connect and that did work but is listed as the IP not as the computer name as it was before and does not last after reboot.

I don't find any settings in the router that look weird to me although it seems like it ought to be in there since that's the only thing I've changed. I should re-insert my old router and see what happens.

[mcprobie]

Originally Posted by hotkey

I read the article and think I'm following to the letter. I did try the IP address connect and that did work but is listed as the IP not as the computer name as it was before and does not last after reboot.

I don't find any settings in the router that look weird to me although it seems like it ought to be in there since that's the only thing I've changed. I should re-insert my old router and see what happens.

Ah yes ... If you still have the old router connect it and compare settings ... take screenshots or write things down if you are not able to connect both ... Maybe it is a setting ... Worst case, your new router blocks certain traffic on the LAN, but I doubt this.

[hotkey]

Originally Posted by mcprobie

Did you read this article ?

It might help you out for the time being ... It might be a setting that is not enabled on your new router and was on your old one (eg: UPNP)

I did and although I had to relate to newer operating systems, I think I'm good. But still Win 7 PCs cannot see Mac

[hotkey]

Originally Posted by Eric M

...in your case the best thing to do would be to assign static IP to each computer on your network so you could do with something like:
1st PC [ win7 ]
IP: 192.168.1.100
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1 [ this is just an example, but I think that linksys still uses 192.1681.1 as a default address ] [ or you can use your ISP's DNS settings here, or you can just use the routers address and open DNS... ]

2nd PC [ win7 ]
IP: 192.168.1.101
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1

Mac [ OS X 10.6.x ]
IP: 192.168.1.103
SM: 255.255.255.0
Router/Gateway/DNS: 192.168.1.1

Make sure that your Win7 PCs are configured to share files/folders and that the "automatically discover networks" option is checked in network settings.
Also, make sure that the workgroup name is the same on all PCs and on a Mac go to System Preferences>Network>[ select active interface "Ethernet" ] >Advanced>WINS> [ enter workgroup name there under "Workgroup" ]>OK>Apply

Restart your PCs / Re-launch finder and test it - should work just fine...
If it doesn't - disable DHCP on the router and try again with just STATIC settings. Ah, and make sure you do have shares enabled on all computers...

Securing the lot is just another story...
Good luck.

...one more thing though...

Firewall.

Lots of good stuff. Thanks. I've set up static IP thru DHCP reservation in router and followed your suggestions above and still Win 7 PCs cannot see the Mac.

I CAN connect to the Mac from Run command line by entering \\192.168.1.101\Jack but it wont connect to \\Macbook Pro\Jack.

[hotkey]

Originally Posted by crazzyeddie

how to make your pc and mac share stuff like best friends

This is maddening! I've never had problems sharing network stuff before. I followed the tutorial you posted. Best I've read so far although most refers to VISTA set up which differs slightly in Win 7. Still.....Win PCs cannot see the Mac.

I CAN connect to it b y using RUN command and \\192.168.1.101\Jack. But cannot with \\Macbook Pro\Jack.

[hotkey]

Originally Posted by mcprobie

Ah yes ... If you still have the old router connect it and compare settings ... take screenshots or write things down if you are not able to connect both ... Maybe it is a setting ... Worst case, your new router blocks certain traffic on the LAN, but I doubt this.

Searched but old router gone. I've spent another 4 hours on this today and am no closer! I don't know what to do next.

[hotkey]

Well I'm ready to slash my wrists. I've Goggles until my fingers are number. Found info on registry hacks, etc. here and here but still nothing shows up in the Network listing like it did before the router swap.

I have managed to connect via run command typing \\Macbook\Jack, input user name and password, and then mapped the shared folders. But its still a long way from being a smooth, professional way of doing things.

I just can't believe that its this hard. Any further ideas appreciated and thanks for all the help so far.