Windows 7 and Vista

Trouble if you are out there....
I am trying to setup a network to share a printer on a Windows Vista Desktop. I have a laptop with Windows 7 and a Laptop with Windows Vista and using a TrendNet Wireless N Router. The only thing that I am worried about sharing right now is the printer. Here are the issues

Windows 7 machine
sees the printer on the Vista Desktop but can't find a print driver.
Can ping itself IP and Name
Can Ping router by IP
Cannot ping Vista Desktop or Vista Laptop by IP or Name

Windows Vista Laptop.
Sometimes sees the other machines in network and sharing but can't connect to them (error - DNS server indicates not a correct name) and sometimes it doesn't see them
Can Ping itself by Name and IP
Cannot Ping Router, Windows 7 Machine or Windows Vista Desktop by IP (general failure error) or Name
Windows Vista Desktop -
Sometimes sees other machines in network and sharing but can't connect and sometimes doesn't see them

Can Ping itself by IP and name
Can Ping router by IP
Cannot ping Vista laptop or Win7 laptop by IP or name

I have sharing turned on, enabled NetBios over TCP/IP what am I forgetting. The Vista desktop has an Nvidia N Force network adapter. I thought I have seen some issues with networking with this adapter but not sure.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Chris

Originally Posted by stlcards

Trouble if you are out there....
I am trying to setup a network to share a printer on a Windows Vista Desktop. I have a laptop with Windows 7 and a Laptop with Windows Vista and using a TrendNet Wireless N Router. The only thing that I am worried about sharing right now is the printer. Here are the issues

Windows 7 machine
sees the printer on the Vista Desktop but can't find a print driver.
Can ping itself IP and Name
Can Ping router by IP
Cannot ping Vista Desktop or Vista Laptop by IP or Name

Windows Vista Laptop.
Sometimes sees the other machines in network and sharing but can't connect to them (error - DNS server indicates not a correct name) and sometimes it doesn't see them
Can Ping itself by Name and IP
Cannot Ping Router, Windows 7 Machine or Windows Vista Desktop by IP (general failure error) or Name
Windows Vista Desktop -
Sometimes sees other machines in network and sharing but can't connect and sometimes doesn't see them

Can Ping itself by IP and name
Can Ping router by IP
Cannot ping Vista laptop or Win7 laptop by IP or name

I have sharing turned on, enabled NetBios over TCP/IP what am I forgetting. The Vista desktop has an Nvidia N Force network adapter. I thought I have seen some issues with networking with this adapter but not sure.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Chris

Well, lets start backwards, backwards that is from our last ordeal....let's see if we can first resolve the seemingly intermitent who can see what and when. Uninstall third party firewalls, antivirus suites, internet protection suites ect. You didn't say what network mechanism you were using, but if at all possible plug the laptops (Cat5) into the router with the desktop so we can take wireless out of the equation at least temporarily.

I am connecting wireless with the two laptops. The desktop is hardwired to the router. I will dig up a CAT5 cable to connect a latop into the router. Also, I removed antivirus and when I went into Network and Sharing on the Vista Laptop it shows my router then indicates "identifying", then shows the router again...it keeps going back and forth between the router name and "identifying"

As much as possible I would like to save any and all wireless issues until later, as a matter of fact I would like to see the wireless adapters disabled, but that's just me. So yes to Cat5 for preliminary testing purposes and lets also for now take IPv6 out of the picture to see if that resolves the router issue. If you don't remember how to uncheck IPv6 post back and we'll go through it again. No IPv6 on any computer for now please.

Suddenly my vista laptop sees the printer on the vista machine but needs the driver. I will try to install the driver. Also I will uncheck IPv6 and get a CAT5 cable.

Originally Posted by stlcards

Suddenly my vista laptop sees the printer on the vista machine but needs the driver. I will try to install the driver. Also I will uncheck IPv6 and get a CAT5 cable.

Wow, that's strange, unless they are two different versions of vista, is one 32bit and the other 64bit. If you have problems with the driver install let me know. It's always best to go to the manufacturer's website and get the latest and greatest.

I seem to be narrowing it down to Windows Firewall. Even if I allow exceptions (file and printer sharing) it seems to effect the connection

Ok, I have got the Win7 laptop and Vista Laptop to print wireless to the Vista Desktop. However, on the Windows vista laptop when I go under Network and Sharing it shows (at the top) This computer-----Router-----Internet. But where is shows router it switches to "identifying" public network then switches back to Router (private network). It keeps going back and forth. When I click view full map it indicates that a full map cannot be created because the networks location type is public. However it is set to private network....its like it can't decide. Hopefully this makes sense.

I have had to turn off windows firewall and 3rd party software firewall to be able to print...how safe is this.

Thanks
Chris

Well, it would seem that you're getting a lot better at this networking stuff. As far as the issue with Vista laptop, I'm probably not the best person to ask, I really never adopted Vista since it always seemed to me like Millennium Edition Revisted. Sorry no offense intended, just a personal opinion. Now more to your point I do know that some third party software VPN solution that maybe running at startup can produce this behaviour in Vista. A clean boot of the machine or else a boot into safemode with networking may help to narrow down the problem, or perhaps someone else may have an idea if we're patient enough

Originally Posted by stlcards

Ok, I have got the Win7 laptop and Vista Laptop to print wireless to the Vista Desktop. However, on the Windows vista laptop when I go under Network and Sharing it shows (at the top) This computer-----Router-----Internet. But where is shows router it switches to "identifying" public network then switches back to Router (private network). It keeps going back and forth. When I click view full map it indicates that a full map cannot be created because the networks location type is public. However it is set to private network....its like it can't decide. Hopefully this makes sense.

I have had to turn off windows firewall and 3rd party software firewall to be able to print...how safe is this.

Thanks
Chris

Hey Chris:
Turn back on the windows firewall on that particular machine and see if the issue goes away only, on the windows vista laptop as you describe above

EDIT...
You may also want to check the manufacturer's website for that Wireless Adapter to make sure that that machine has the latest and greatest drivers for VISTA (64bit / 32bit ???) installed. I can possibly help if you can provide the specifics on that adapter