Computer name vs IP not working - why?

HI Guys,

I have a workgroup of about 4 computers.

They are connected to a DD-WRT router with a ADSL modem behind that.

The network has been newly setup and I used to be able to type in a
computer name like \\COMPUTER1 to view its shares etc, but now I cant,
however the \\192,168.1.xxx still works.

What troble shooting steps can I take to find the problem?

At this stage it only seems to be effecting some PC's.

Cheers

-Al
PS: Where is the "connection specific dns suffix coming from? My is
currently set to home, even though the workgroup name defined in each
PC in XP is WORKGROUP?

Al <BigAl.NZ@gmail.com> wrote in
news:5c7d77a9-bb16-42ae-b83a-bc179c47c32f@y33g2000prg.googlegroups.co
m:

> HI Guys,
>
> I have a workgroup of about 4 computers.
>
> They are connected to a DD-WRT router with a ADSL modem behind
> that.
>
> The network has been newly setup and I used to be able to type in
> a computer name like \\COMPUTER1 to view its shares etc, but now I
> cant, however the \\192,168.1.xxx still works.
>
> What troble shooting steps can I take to find the problem?
>
> At this stage it only seems to be effecting some PC's.

Machines on same subnet should find each other when using the
\\Computer1 etc type of addressing. They find each other by
broadcasting and wait for the other machine to respond. There are two
reasons why broadcasting might not work...

1) A computer's firewall is blocking the broadcast
2) A computer is configured as a P-Node (Peer-to-Peer) which does not
use broadcasting to resolve names (uses WINS server only).

Case 1: Temporarily disable or uninstall firewalls on your computers
and/or make sure that there is a firewall exception for File and
Printer Sharing.

Case 2: Read:
"You cannot view other workgroup computers on the network on a Windows
XP-based computer"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/903267>

HTH,
John

On 27 Apr, 21:05, Al <BigAl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> HI Guys,
>
> I have a workgroup of about 4 computers.
>
> They are connected to a DD-WRT router with a ADSL modem behind that.
>
> The network has been newly setup and I used to be able to type in a
> computer name like \\COMPUTER1 to view its shares etc, but now I cant,
> however the \\192,168.1.xxx still works.
>
> What troble shooting steps can I take to find the problem?
>
> At this stage it only seems to be effecting some PC's.
>
> PS: Where is the "connection specific dns suffix coming from? My is
> currently set to home, even though the workgroup name defined in each
> PC in XP is WORKGROUP?

You may well get an answer here but one of the Microsoft groups
is likely to have a greater depth of expertise.

Maybe windows firewall has been turned on and is blocking
NETBIOS name resolution broadcasts?

Connection spscific DNS can come from DHCP or be configured
locally. COntrol Panel/network .. i forget cos it has all
been made way harder in vista.

What OS are you using on "each" of the conputers?
Client/server working/not working.

this is by the way very unlikely to be a wireless issue.

bod43 "contributed" in 24hoursupport.helpdesk:

> What OS are you using on "each" of the conputers?
>

Are your glasses smeared with some undefined substance?
I quote the OP:
"the workgroup name defined in each PC in XP is WORKGROUP?"


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<snip>