I have a home network of three PCs: desktop running XP Pro SP1, desktop
running Win2000, SP2 and work laptop running NT4, SP 6a. It's been working
fine for a while. IP addresses are allocated from a D-Link 504 DSL
modem/router/switch. All machines can access the web, all are on the same
workgroup.

BUT once in a while some of the PCs just disappear from network
neighbourhood. The strange thing is that you can still see the machines in
a DOS session if you do a 'net view' and map to the individual shares if you
do a 'net use' command. But in XP Pro, the target machine has disappeared
from 'My Network Places' and from 'View Workgroup Computers'. And the same
is true for the other machines.

Needless to say I have made NO changes in the configuration of any of the
machines. This thing just happens and then goes away and the machines are
visible again from network neighbourhood.

Any ideas?

In article ,
says...
I have a home network of three PCs: desktop running XP Pro SP1, desktop
running Win2000, SP2 and work laptop running NT4, SP 6a. It's been working
fine for a while. IP addresses are allocated from a D-Link 504 DSL
modem/router/switch. All machines can access the web, all are on the same
workgroup.

BUT once in a while some of the PCs just disappear from network
neighbourhood. The strange thing is that you can still see the machines in
a DOS session if you do a 'net view' and map to the individual shares if you
do a 'net use' command. But in XP Pro, the target machine has disappeared
from 'My Network Places' and from 'View Workgroup Computers'. And the same
is true for the other machines.

Needless to say I have made NO changes in the configuration of any of the
machines. This thing just happens and then goes away and the machines are
visible again from network neighbourhood.

Any ideas?


First thing I'd check is the DHCP lease expiry time.

"Rob Morley" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
I have a home network of three PCs: desktop running XP Pro SP1, desktop
running Win2000, SP2 and work laptop running NT4, SP 6a. It's been
working
fine for a while. IP addresses are allocated from a D-Link 504 DSL
modem/router/switch. All machines can access the web, all are on the
same
workgroup.

BUT once in a while some of the PCs just disappear from network
neighbourhood. The strange thing is that you can still see the machines
in
a DOS session if you do a 'net view' and map to the individual shares if
you
do a 'net use' command. But in XP Pro, the target machine has
disappeared
from 'My Network Places' and from 'View Workgroup Computers'. And the
same
is true for the other machines.

Needless to say I have made NO changes in the configuration of any of
the
machines. This thing just happens and then goes away and the machines
are
visible again from network neighbourhood.

Any ideas?


First thing I'd check is the DHCP lease expiry time.

Thank you very much! I do believe you're right. The lease on the XP
machine was renewed this morning & now I can see everything again. It still
seems weird as IP must have been working before because I could acces the
other machines (via mapping with 'net use') but just couldn't see them
through network neighbourhood in windows.

In article ,
says...
"Rob Morley" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
I have a home network of three PCs: desktop running XP Pro SP1, desktop
running Win2000, SP2 and work laptop running NT4, SP 6a. It's been
working
fine for a while. IP addresses are allocated from a D-Link 504 DSL
modem/router/switch. All machines can access the web, all are on the
same
workgroup.

BUT once in a while some of the PCs just disappear from network
neighbourhood. The strange thing is that you can still see the machines
in
a DOS session if you do a 'net view' and map to the individual shares if
you
do a 'net use' command. But in XP Pro, the target machine has
disappeared
from 'My Network Places' and from 'View Workgroup Computers'. And the
same
is true for the other machines.

Needless to say I have made NO changes in the configuration of any of
the
machines. This thing just happens and then goes away and the machines
are
visible again from network neighbourhood.

Any ideas?


First thing I'd check is the DHCP lease expiry time.

Thank you very much! I do believe you're right. The lease on the XP
machine was renewed this morning & now I can see everything again. It still
seems weird as IP must have been working before because I could acces the
other machines (via mapping with 'net use') but just couldn't see them
through network neighbourhood in windows.

I suspect that's a problem with Explorer failing to refresh the net
browser, but you know how to get around that anyway :-) Have you tried
just entering the address of the shared resource in the Explorer address
bar or Run dialogue, in the form \\machine\resource? That might force
it to look even though it doesn't think there's anything there.