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Unable to see other computers in network

After installing Service Pack Two, all computers in the network is still able to access the internet but you cannot see other computers in the network. You will need to go to the folders that you have shared and remove the share on the folders, and reboot the computer. Then put the shares back on the folders that you want to shared. Now you should see the other computers in the network.

If you are having this same symptom from another Operating System, this fix might work with them as well. (If you are having this issue in Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, email me and let me know if this fix works for them as well).

If that does not resolve the issue, here is another possible cause and fix

View products that this article applies to.
Article ID      :       903267 
Last Review     :       August 9, 2005 
Revision        :       1.0    
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry   (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario. You are working on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer for which the following conditions are true:

  • The computer resides on a network.
  •   The computer is a member of a workgroup.
  • Either no firewall is enabled or no firewall is installed on the computer.
  • The computer can ping other computers in the same workgroup. Also, other computers in the same workgroup can ping this computer.
  • NetBIOS over TCP/IP functionality is enabled.  
    In this scenario, you cannot view other workgroup computers on the network.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the computer is configured to use p-node mode for name resolution. To determine whether a computer is configured to use p-node mode, follow these steps:

  1. Open Command Prompt (Page will open in a separate window)
  2. Type IPCONFIG /ALL
   
  1. Press Enter
   
  • View the Node Type section at the start of the output. If the value that appears on the screen is Peer-Peer, the computer is running in p-node mode.
     

    • In p-node mode, the computer uses only point-to-point name queries to a Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server. However, the WINS server is not available for NetBIOS name resolution on a peer-to-peer network.

    RESOLUTION

    Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

    To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

    For a picture of the location in the registry, click the link

    1. Access REGEDIT (The page will open in a separate window)
    2. Double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    3. Double-click on SYSTEM
    4. Double-click on CurrentControlSet
    5. Double-click on Services
    6. Double-click on NetBT
    7. Double-click Parameters
    8. In the right pane of Registry Editor, delete the following values if they are present:
      1. NodeType See Note
      2. DhcpNodeType
    9. Quit Registry Editor.  
    10. Restart the computer.  
    11. Try to view workgroup computers on the network again.

          
    Note If the NodeType value is present, this value will override the DhcpNodeType value. If neither subkey is present and if no WINS servers are configured for the client, the computer uses b-node mode. If at least one WINS server is configured, the computer uses h-node mode.

    MORE INFORMATION

    For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    160177 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/160177/) Default node type for Microsoft clients
    (    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314053/) TCP/IP and NBT configuration parameters for Windows XP

      _____  
     

    APPLIES TO

    •       Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 
    •       Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition      
    •       Microsoft Windows XP Professional      
    •       Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 
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    Keywords: 

    kbtshoot kbprb KB903267