Unable to find Windows computers on mac

[07ketnec]

There are some times when my MacBook Pro can find my windows vista and xp pro computers. But most of the time it just won't see that they are there. I'll reboot the mac and nothing happens. I installed that software for windows computers to see macs and since then they see each other once in a while. The windows computers don't see the mac either. I'm not sure why this sometimes work and other times it doesn't.
This is my first try on a Mac computer so I don't know a whole lot about them.
Please Help. Im confused.

Thanks

 

[Cerebrus' Maw]

How are you sharing the computers? Via a router on the same network? directly over ethernet?
Get the IP address of each computer, and then ping that address from the subsequent machines. Checks to see if there is a path to each computer.


More then likely, its some firewall setting maybe, either on the Mac or on the windows box.