Another WTF can't my computer see the other laptop.

[LazyAzN]

Up to suggestions...

When I go to "view workgroup computers" it sees only itself... Used to be able to fix it. Now I dunno...

So far I've...

=Changed workgroup names and computer names
=Enabled Netbios over TCP/IP...
=Cannot ping the other computer.
=All my firewalls are set to allow access from other computers.

Any others?

[NotMyBest2Day]

Maybe disable then enable the NIC? It's kind of the same thing as repair connection. When I hook two laptops up directly using a cat5 cable, they're in different workgroups and usually a reboot or two on one of them and hitting F5 (refresh) a couple of times makes it show up for me. *shrug*

Don't know what else to tell you though. For me, as soon as I plug a computer into the router, it shows up on the network from any computer. I don't deal with XP though, it's all 2k for me.

[Dude]

How are they connected? If PC to PC you need to use a crossover network cable, a standard network cable won't work. If though a router can both PC's access the INTERNET?

[NotMyBest2Day]

You know, it was always pounded into me that you had to use a crossover when it's PC to PC or router to router, hub to hub, etc, but I have found that today's routers, switches, and hubs are auto-sensing. You can use a straight-through or a crossover and it doesn't care. As far as PC to PC, the only thing that I have found to work is straight-throughs. Crossovers result in "not connected".

[Dude]

Yes if just one of the devices is auto sense it doesn't matter what you use. NIC to NIC though it has to be a crossover cable, otherwise you have TX wired to TX and RX wired to RX. The TX of one NIC has to go to the RX of the other NIC and vise versa.

[NotMyBest2Day]

Well, NIC to NIC works just fine with a straight-through for me. Crossover doesn't.