[SOLVED] Laptop can't see itself on Windows 10 Network

[Clueless in Seattle]

Up until a few days ago I had a laptop and a PC hooked up together via cables to my Comcast modem/router on a Windows 10 home network.

I'm an old guy with countless debilitating chronic health issues so I have to spend a lot of time resting in bed, so I was using Windows Remote Desktop from the Laptop, to do work on the PC.

That arrangement is still working. but a few days ago the laptop vanished from the network. The PC could no longer see the laptop on the network, and the laptop couldn't even see itself on the network. But in spite its seeming disappearance from the network, the laptop could still see the PC, and could still access the PC via Windows Remote Desktop.

However, there are times when I'll be sitting up and working at the PC and need to access a file on the laptop, so I'd like to find a way got get that laptop to reappear on my home network.

I took a look at the "Connected Devices" setting on the router, and found that the PC was set to "Reserved IP" but the laptop was set to "DHCP." So I tried changing the laptop to "Reserved IP" and assigned it IPV4 Address 10.0.0.5. I didn't change any of the other settings. But when I rebooted the laptop, it was still invisible to both itself and the PC.

I'd be grateful for some suggestions on how to troubleshoot this problem.

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"

 

[Ralston18]

Which model Comcast modem/router?

Any other network devices: printer, NAS...?

From both the laptop and PC run "ipconfig /all" (without quotes) via the Command Prompt and post the results.

 

[Clueless in Seattle]

Hi Ralson! Thanks for coming to my rescue again!

Here's the info your requested:

1. Which model Comcast modem/router?
ARRIS TG862 Residential Gateway & Router

2. Any other network devices: printer, NAS...?
Here's a list from the modem setup on the router
(Question marks mean I'm guessing which device):

Win 10 PC Lenny DHCP Ethernet
Win 7 PC BOB DHCP Ethernet
Win 10 Laptop Delbert DHCP Ethernet
VOIP? OBi302 Reserved Ethernet
LG Tablet? android-8eb0f6d850485ee0 DHCP -55 dBm Wi-Fi 2.4G
XP PC HDNWP4 DHCP Ethernet

3. From both the laptop and PC run "ipconfig /all" (without quotes) via the Command Prompt and post the results.

PC ======================================================
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.1198]
(c) 2019 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\user>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Lenny
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.wa.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Ethernet 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.wa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 44-37-E6-E2-3E-05
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2601:602:9580:a60:f4b2:1a95:22d3:23eb(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2601:602:9580:a60:6d59:3270:3277:4b8a(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f4b2:1a95:22d3:23eb%17(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 19, 2020 8:30:58 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 26, 2020 8:30:58 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::200:caff:fe11:2233%17
10.0.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 407123942
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-26-92-2B-2A-44-37-E6-E2-3E-05
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:558:feed::1
2001:558:feed::2
75.75.75.75
75.75.76.76
2001:558:feed::1
2001:558:feed::2
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

LAPTOP ================================================
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.1198]
(c) 2019 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\user>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Delbert
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.wa.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.wa.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 78-45-C4-C8-1E-32
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2601:602:9580:a60:d8f2:8f87:3db:9e39(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2601:602:9580:a60:3c85:a2e6:520f:68bb(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d8f2:8f87:3db:9e39%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.5(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, November 18, 2020 6:11:58 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 26, 2020 9:56:36 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::200:caff:fe11:2233%11
10.0.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 192431556
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-26-AE-5D-44-78-45-C4-C8-1E-32
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:558:feed::1
2001:558:feed::2
75.75.75.75
75.75.76.76
2001:558:feed::1
2001:558:feed::2
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6235
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B4-B6-76-B8-9F-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B4-B6-76-B8-9F-B7
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B6-B6-76-B8-9F-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B4-B6-76-B8-9F-BA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\user>

 

[Ralston18]

Does the following User Manual link a match to your router?

https://setuprouter.com/router/arris/tg862/manual-1370.pdf

And you administratively log into the router via a browser using 10.0.0.1 - correct? Entering your admin name and password and not the defaults - correct?

NOTE: Do not post the admin name and password you are using.

Router IP = 10.0.0.1

PC IP = 10.0.0.2 (Lenny) 44-37-E6-E2-3E-05

Laptop IP = 10.0.0.5 (Delbert) 78-45-C4-C8-1E-32

3 other devices listed on router. (No printer?) You can use ipconfig /all to look at those devices as well.

I am thinking that there is an IP conflict - that reserved IP address possibly being part of the problem. Maybe a configuration typo somewhere.

FYI:

https://www.flexradio.com/insider/ip-addresses-static-vs-dhcp-vs-dhcp-reservations/

From the command prompt on the various computers type "arp -a"

You should end up with a list of network devices showing IP addresses and physical addresses (MACs).

Look at those beginning with 10.0.0.x and their respective Physical addresses. Map to your network devices.

 

[Clueless in Seattle]

The photo of the router in the link you sent me doesn't match what my router looks like. Here's a photo of what my router looks like:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1312918-REG/arris_tg862_voice_gateway_cable_modem.html

But, in spite of the difference in appearance, I do log into the router via a browser using 10.0.0.1 and then entering my admin name and password. Actually, my computers remember the admin name and password and enter them automatically for me.

Printer? I have a printer, but I don't think it's connected to the router. I have it plugged into a USB port on the PC.

IP Conflict? I looked at the IP addresses of the other 3 devices:

PC IP (Lenny) 10.0.0.2
Windows 7 PC (BOB) 10.0.0.4
Laptop (Delbert) 10.0.0.5
OBi302 10.0.0.7 (VOIP?)
android-8eb0f6d850485ee0 10.0.0.12 (Cell Phone?)
XP PC "HDNWP4" 10.0.0.14

Do you want me to post the arp -a results here in this thread?

I'm not sure what you mean by "Map to your network devices."

 

[COLGeek]

I have a single Win 10 system doing the same thing on my home network. It can see all other devices but itself. All other Windows systems can see all others, except the mystery rig.

I am looking for a solution and will share if I find anything.

UPDATE: As an experiment, I connected my laptop to the network via wired connection. Popped right up and viewable by all others. Now looking more closely at wireless settings.

UPDATE 2: Disconnected wired connection. Still saw device on both Network and device map (on router). Restarted system and no longer appears in network or device map.

UPDATE 3: Changed wifi from 2.4ghz connection to 5ghz connection and it is viewable by all devices (including self) on network. Looking at router settings closer now. Switching back and forth (wifi nets) caused device to become invisible again.

UPDATE 4: Reverted back to wired connection and all devices appear once again. Reviewing both my router and Windows firewall settings, I see nothing to explain the behavior. I am sure this is some obscure setting I am missing. Tie to break out my Google-Fu.

 

[Juan_Bijero]

This may seem silly, but here goes: If a computer or laptop cannot be seen on a wifi network when switching between 2.4 ghz and 5ghz wifi then the network IDs are not matching exactly. I find that 2.4 ghz mesh wifi works far better than 5 ghz so I make sure that all network computers are connected to the same network ID. This also occurs when connecting smart devices to a shared network. If you have an Amazon Fire TV stick and say an Amazon Recast - they need to be on the exact same network to work correctly.

 

[Ralston18]

@Clueless in Seattle

By mapping I mean that you look at each device: its name, IP address, and MAC.

Then match all to what the router is showing.

The overall idea being that there are no duplicated IP addresses or MACs. Or typos.

=======

And noting a Windows 7 PC reminded me of "Workgroups" ---> Network Sharing, Network Discovery, etc..

E.g.:

https://thegeekpage.com/fix-network-computers-are-not-showing-up-in-windows-10/

https://appuals.com/fix-cant-see-other-computers-on-network/

Probably worth at least taking a look.....

 

[Clueless in Seattle]

Bingo!

That link... https://thegeekpage.com/fix-network-computers-are-not-showing-up-in-windows-10/ ...did the trick!

Thanks a million, Ralston18!

Now the laptop running Windows 10 can see itself again. And it is now also visible again from the PC running Windows 10.

So, this is a giant step toward getting all my Windows computers working together on one network.