Can't connect to PC by name

Gilly · 6 Jul 2008 at 18:44

My dad has a new work laptop with Vista Business on it.

Its not letting me connect to the laptop via UNC from another machine and I can't ping it by name, I can ping via IP address but can't UNC via IP. I can connect to the router with both machines and can access the net on both machines. I've added both machines to each other's hosts file respectively with no effect. Is there something I'm missing? Wondering if there's a quirk with Vista that I don't know about, or if I've forgotten something.

His old laptop connected first time when I took all his stuff off it the other day.

Duke · 6 Jul 2008 at 18:58

Might be worth changing the name and trying again?

Gilly · 6 Jul 2008 at 19:01

Which name?

[edit]Got it, wasn't saving the Hosts file update on the lappy as I was logged in as a user with admin rights rather than administrator, which seems weird to me.

However, I still can't access shares :confused:

I can also only ping from the lappy (name or IP) to the PC, not the other way around.

Duke · 6 Jul 2008 at 19:08

The name of the computer on the workgroup

tolien · 6 Jul 2008 at 19:11

The hosts file's just covering up a symptom.

If it's running Vista, the Windows Firewall blocks ICMP by default.

Gilly · 6 Jul 2008 at 19:14

Duke said:
The name of the computer on the workgroup

I rather meant which one

tolien said:
The hosts file's just covering up a symptom.

If it's running Vista, the Windows Firewall blocks ICMP by default.

Bah, I knew there'd be something I'd forgotten. Disable Windows firewall!

Duke · 6 Jul 2008 at 19:37

Gilly said:
I rather meant which one

Yeah thought that afterwards

May as well change both (if turning off the firewall doesn't help).