Not seeing all the computers on our network all of a sudden

[tambi]

Hello,

Up until the last couple of weeks we were able to see all the computers on our work network. And now we have gone from 16 to 10 and I can't seem to get them to come back up. I can ping all the computers, I have checked to make sure that they are all on the same network. I have checked the network adapters, I have checked the network and sharing center, and I have not been able to come up with a solution. I have 7 computers on windows 7, I have 7 computers on windows 10, and one on windows xp, and I have a network storage device that is also not being seen on our network.

My questions are: what has changed that this happened within the last 3 weeks, and how do I fix this issue and does it make any difference at all if in the network dialog on windows 7 it shows network 2- workgroup or network 3 - workgroup all computers in the properties area say workgroup? The network numbers are all different for all the computers.

 

[Alabalcho]

Are you able to browse shares by IP address, like in "\\192.168.100.101"?
It seems your network has troubles with which computer gets elected to be "Browse Master". You want to make sure that neither the NAS nor the router (if they have this capability) are getting this role.
Another reason for a computer not to show in the network list is if it does not share anything.

 

[tambi]

I can set up on the desktop shortcuts to all the computers in my network, even the ones that are not showing up in the networking list. Our set up is a very large router (Birch router) to a 48 port switch and the computers are off that switch. I can ping all the computers with no packet loss (did really expect any) using the ipV4 protocol. All the computers are setup for sharing, but none can see the NAS on the system. You can create a shortcut to it on the desktop and access it. But you can't see it in the network. The main computer that houses our accounting software, you can create a shortcut to it on the desktop, access it, but you can't see it in the network. I use my personal laptop and I have a desktop that I use, and in the network and sharing center I am seeing Network 2 work network on my desktop, and on my laptop I am seeing IAD3354DAL.daI0.cbeyond.net Work network, the other computers have different network numbers (ie: Network 3, Network 5) with the words Work network under that. Does that make a difference? If so how do I get all of them on the same network number? I am really not an IT person (as you can probably tell) I have been tossed into this position because I am one of the few that has some experience fixing computers.

 

[Alabalcho]

Your server - is it also a domain controller?
Make sure all computers belong to the same workgroup (Control Panel - System Properties - Computer Name)
Your NAS should have a setting of which "workgroup" it belongs to.

 

[tambi]

The server isn't a domain controller. And yes all the computers belong to workgroup, and the NAS is also on workgroup. But I am still trying to figure out why in the network and settings area, on one computer I will see Network 2 below is workgroup, on another will be Network 3 and below is workgroup, etc. Shouldn't all the computers be listed as network # workgroup? If so how do I make that happen?