Network computers not showing up.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I have several computers and a Synology NAS on my network. For the longest time, just going to My Computer would show all the computers and my NAS. The importance was that I could access my NAS and copy files using Explorer. Starting yesterday, only the computer I am on shows up there. If I manually type \\DISKSTATION in the address bar it goes to my NAS and shows all the folders as normal. I've Googled this and can't figure it out. Why would all my computers show up in Network for the longest time and now on one day every computer only shows only itself in Network in Windows? It would previously show things like LR-PC, BR-PC, Pat's MacBook Pro, Diskstation. Now any computer I'm on only shows itself. Why would this happen and how do I fix it?

[+BudMan MVC]

It could happen for many reasons - what was your master browser?  Did you install/update any security/firewall software?   Did you change your workgroup name?

 

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21205

Troubleshooting Computer Browsing on SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5590

Computer Browsing for SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows

What versions of windows are your other machines running? Are you all on the same segment? Did you happen to connect to the wireless network across the street? ;)

If you rebooted your master browser or it changed -- give it a few minutes. If you can access what you need to access via \\computername -- what does it matter if your browselist works or not? There as another guy just the other day that didn't want the other machines showing up ;)

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I haven't changed anything. My web browser is IE although I am not using that to browse my computer. I have not changed anything at all, they just stopped showing up. I have 2 OpenElec machines and a Synology NAS (Diskstation) that all used to show up and I could browse them in Explorer. Now, only my computer show up in Networking. Oddly enough, if I put \\diskstation in the address it will access my NAS and show me all the folders. Same thing for my OpenElec computers. If I type \\OpenElec or \\OpenElecLR in the address bar the contents show up in Explorer just as if I had double clicked on their icons. I'm just confused as to why one day they all showed up in Network one day and the next day they don't.

[+BudMan MVC]

And that browselist has nothing to do with access of shares.

 

As to why they are not showing up - maybe your browsemaster is having an issue.  Which machine is that?  You can find it with this tool

 

http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

 

When I say master browser I am not talking about the "browser" you use for web pages.  I am talking about the box that stores that listing of computers that your seeing.  Read the documentation I provided.

 

 

Notice my ubuntu box is the browsemaster for my "local" workgroup - and I just plugged my son's laptop that I am redoing this morning onto my network.  And his workgroup is the default "workgroup" so it becomes that master browser for members of that workgroup.

 

I would really suggest you read the provided documentation for troubleshooting your issue of devices not being listed.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Had a customer who had that happen, 3 of the machines just wouldn't show up. On one particular machine. Then 3 days later they started showing up again.

[+BudMan MVC]

You can have an issue with box thinking he is the browsemaster if he booted up without being on the network for example.  He then thinks everyone should report to him - but your having an issue with the election process, etc.  Which is why he only sees himself.

 

This is why you should actually turn off the ability to be browse master (disable computer browser service) and only leave that on the box that you want to be your browsemaster - normally a machine that is on 24/7/365.  Nas would be good choice normally.  All other machines should be setup not to be browsemaster or even back browsemaster.  Windows this is just simple disable the service.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I reinstalled Windows 8.1 last night because I think I had a virus anyways. Still, when I click on Network none of my computers or my NAS show up like they used to. The only difference I can think of is I am using Bit Defender AV now.

[+BudMan MVC]

"The only difference I can think of is I am using Bit Defender AV now."

 

yeah that could be blocking your ability to either be the master or access the box that is the master, etc.  Many AV software includes firewall that can cause all kinds of problems if not correctly configured.

 

So again - read the documentation on how to troubleshoot!!  And will ask again - who is your master browser on your network?

[cork1958]

FWIW,

I was up until recently playing with the free version of BitDefender and it did cause some issues in explorer for me. It caused simple web surfing issues also.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

This is still happening. I did a clean install of Windows and didn't install anything extra other than my video drivers. Nothing shows up in network other than the local PC. Up until recently, all the computers and my NAS would show up and I can even access them with \\name but I'm perplexed why they don't show up in explorer like they used to.

[+BudMan MVC]

So you reinstalled windows for this?  Before even reading how to troubleshoot it, or letting us know who your master browser is?  If there isn't guess what -- no browsing.

 

Do you want me to Team viewer in and look?

 

Keep in mind it can take some time for stuff to show up.. There is an election, even MS says it can take up to 45 minutes sometimes.

 

Why would you not even attempt to read the documentation I provided on troubleshooting?

[RaulMR]

Hi

 

Turn off all your network machines and restart your router and switches (put the router and switches off at last 30 seconds ) then reboot and teste net. machines.

[JustGeorge]

Kaspersky AV causes issues like this. If I uninstalled, networking, browsing of shares all work fine. Re-install, same ###### again. Haven't has time to nail down which component of KAV is the problem.

 

Why don't you uninstall BD and see if the problem resolves itself?

[patseguin Global Moderator]

No, I reinstalled Windows because Bit Defender was reporting viruses and vulnerabilities every day. I figured the only way to clean it was to format and re-install. There are no AV issues because I tried access network devices before even installing anything other than my video card drivers.

[Praetor]

  On 24/03/2014 at 11:17, BudMan said:

So you reinstalled windows for this?  Before even reading how to troubleshoot it, or letting us know who your master browser is?  If there isn't guess what -- no browsing.

 

Do you want me to Team viewer in and look?

 

Keep in mind it can take some time for stuff to show up.. There is an election, even MS says it can take up to 45 minutes sometimes.

 

Why would you not even attempt to read the documentation I provided on troubleshooting?

 

i'm with Budman in this: why reinstall windows if you didn't even attempt to troubleshoot the issue? the master browser can be the issue here, i've seen that before.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Like I said, I reinstalled Windows because I had a virus. It wasn't because of this. I am merely citing that on a clean installation with nothing else installed, my network doesn't show computers and the NAS anymore in Explorer.

[+BudMan MVC]

And ONCE again I am going to ask who is the master browser??  If there is NO master browser than NO nothing will show up.. If your computer thinks its the master browser, but the other machines think they are the master browser.. Again your going to have issues.  Is your network profile on your new nice clean machine public or home/private?  What workgroup is your machine in compared to other machines..  While it should work and there should be multiple master browsers for the different workgroups.. This can take time to sync up, and may never if your having other issues.

 

Are you connected to these other machines via wired or wireless?

 

I would love to help you fix your issue - but without something to go on its impossible.  Have you gone through the troubleshooting document, do you not understand something in the document?  For quick start - did you download the lanscan tool and run it - what does it say? etc.. etc..

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I have no clue what you mean by master browser. I used to be able to open explorer on 3 different machines and all 3 would show all network devices. Everything is wired. On my PC, I used to click on network and it would show 4-5 computers and my Diskstation NAS. Now it only shows the local machine and so do the other computers. If I put \\diskstation in the address bar it opens it and lets me browse folders.

[+BudMan MVC]

The browsemaster is the machine that maintains the list your talking about.  Its all in the documentation I provided - which clearly you have not bothered to read.. Or even the link I gave that goes over finding the master browser with the software provided.

 

If you want I can team viewer in and take a look to what your problem is.  Because you just keep repeating what your problem is, and we are getting nowhere.

 

http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

How to Determine the Master Browser in a Windows Workgroup

This guide and his software will tell us who your master browser is or if there isn't one.

 

Again I will ask some simple question - is your network profile set to public or home/work?  In network sharing center in control panel.

 

"Now it only shows the local machine and so do the other computers"

 

So your other computers only show themselves - or they all show just the 1 computer name?

[patseguin Global Moderator]

OK I read the article. The thing is that I really only have 1 Windows machine left - my PC. My 2 htpc's are running OpenElec, I have a couple Mac's, and a Synology NAS. I suppose one of those OpenElec machines could be fighting for browsemaster? I'll take a closer look when I get hom and we can do a teamviewer at your convenience.

[+BudMan MVC]

yeah run the tool and lets see what it says.  Also check if your in home/private or public profile for your network.  If public its not going to work because the firewall shuts that stuff down.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

OK network is Private. Oddly enough, typing in net view gives me "System error 53 has occurred. The work path was not found." Your lanscan opens a window for a few seconds then closes.

[+BudMan MVC]

It should pause - are you hitting a key?  How are you running it

 

 

If you clicking on it doesn't work, then open a cmd prompt.  Run cmd and in the black box go towhere you have extracted the file too and run it from the cmd prompt

 

 

I would expect an error, because its not working :)

 

just net view would query the master browser, ask who it is if doesn't know, etc.. Which in this case there prob isnt one?  Or who your machine thinks it is wrong, etc.   So you say you can access shares directly with \\computername..

 

What would normally happen is you query the master browser for its list -- see, now you have to auth to it first, etc.  But if you know who the master browser is you query it for its list, and it sends it back on a net view, exmample

 

 

Machines on the network know who the master browser is because he announces it

 

 

What I would suggest is you run this this command on each IP of your different machines you should be seeing on your network list

 

 

Do you get denied?  Do they all answer - which one shows they are master browser.  The lan scan tool should do this automatic for you..  But you can always do it by hand, etc.

 

If a machine does not know who the master browser is, or thinks it should be, etc. then an election is held and they all send out info about themselves and who ever is the highest wins..  For example a XP machine would win over a 9x machine, a Win 7 machine would win over a Vista machine, server versions would win over desktop versions, etc. etc.  Each version of windows - and other devices that talk this language and want to play in the browser elections would have a number associated with them that would determine their ranking and if they should be the winner or a backup.  If your running say samba on linux you can adjust this number so it always wins :)  Or you can just turn off the other machines so they don't want to be the master than a specific machine would win, etc..

 

There is a lot of stuff that goes on in the background for you to see your little list ;)  If it works then don't really need to understand it - but when it doesn't work, if you want to fix it you need to understand what part of it is broke, etc.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I am running the program using the icon. I didn't think to use it on the command line. I can only run that command probably on only 1 computer as I only have 1 Windows PC. I have an iMac, Macbook pro, a Synology NAS, and 2 OpenElec htpc's. Perhaps one of the OE boxes is fighting to be master browser. Is there a Linux version of the command that I can ssh in and run?

[+BudMan MVC]

in linux with samba installed something like this should tell you who the master browser is you would use whatever workgroup name your using vs my workgroup name of local

 

budman@ubuntu:~$ nmblookup -M local
querying local on 192.168.1.255
192.168.1.7 local<1d>
 

 

See says that 192.168.1.7 is master for local workgroup.

 

To do a node query like what nbtstat does in windows

 

do this

budman@ubuntu:~$ nmblookup -S -A 192.168.1.100
Looking up status of 192.168.1.100
        I5-W7           <00> -         B <ACTIVE>
        LOCAL           <00> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        I5-W7           <20> -         B <ACTIVE>

        MAC Address = 18-03-73-B1-0D-D3
 

 

Replacing my 192.168.1.100 address of course with one of yours.  Here is my linux box doing query to itself ;)

 

budman@ubuntu:~$ nmblookup -S -A 192.168.1.7
Looking up status of 192.168.1.7
        UBUNTU          <00> -         B <ACTIVE>
        UBUNTU          <03> -         B <ACTIVE>
        UBUNTU          <20> -         B <ACTIVE>
        ..__MSBROWSE__. <01> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        LOCAL           <1d> -         B <ACTIVE>
        LOCAL           <1e> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>
        LOCAL           <00> - <GROUP> B <ACTIVE>

        MAC Address = 00-00-00-00-00-00