A neverending problem: periodically a Win-based PC cannot see another Win-based PC In a private network

Question

I am definitely frustrated.

Ever since Windows exists, there's been a problem affecting all versions, namely the fact that regularly a PC with Windows installed has difficulty seeing or being seen on a private network, usually the classic home network 198.162.1.x, by other Windows computers, whether they have the same version or not. You can do everything, check that all sharing parameters are in order, that all policies are the right ones: nothing works. For days you have no problems, every PC sees the others, then one day you open the PC and it's no longer the case, without reason. What often happens is that after a certain number of hours or maybe a day or two later, everything starts working again and you don't understand why.

If you try to ask in various Microsoft forums, you get the usual canned answers like "have you checked this?", "have you set that?", despite you having already explained that you've done everything, up to the inevitable cure-all: the recommendation to reinstall the system. Clearly, there's a physiological difficulty in admitting that the operating system has a problem and, since this has been happening since the era of Windows XP and I've been able to experience it in ALL subsequent versions, including Windows 11, it's clear that it's a problem at the heart of the system, in the code that manages the network.

It's really frustrating.

***moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Internet and connectivity***

Answer 1

Hello,

I understand your frustration. This issue can be caused by a variety of factors, such as network configuration, firewall settings, or even network adapter issues. You can try using the win+R keys to enter Services.msc in the window and press Enter, enter the service manager and find the Computer Browser service, set it to "Automatic" and click "Enable" to see if this problem can be solved.

Best regards

Zunhui

Answer 2

Thank you for your response, but if you have read carefully what I have written, you will know that I am obviously well aware of most mechanisms that can prevent the connection between two PCs and, obviously, I know perfectly well that that service must be active. The problem here is not the non-activation of a specific service or the incorrect configuration of the network. If that were the case, the problem, with the same services activated and configuration parameters set, should always work or never. Instead, what happens is that without touching anything, that is, having a configuration and a set of active services, for a few hours the two PCs do not see each other and then, miraculously, they start seeing each other again. And this is a problem that exists since the first versions of Windows after 95 and always has the same symptoms, so it is something deeply encoded in the system. Microsoft needs to work to understand how to make the connection between two Windows systems immediate and easy. Evidently, it has not done enough testing or has no idea where the problem is and does not want to spend time and money to fix it.