Computer suddenly drops off network!

An odd problem: I have a 3-computer home network, a laptop and a
desktop, both with Win 98, and a desktop with Linux (using Samba for Win
network compatibility). The network was working fine, but when I turned
on the laptop today it couldn't find the network. When I click on
"Network Neighborhood" I just get the "Entire Network" icon instead of
that and the icons for the other two computers, and when I click on the
icon I get "Unable to browse the network. The network is not accessible
...."

The network still works OK between the other two computers, although
they can no longer see the laptop. The laptop still connects to the
router and the internet, and I can ping the other two computers from the
laptop using the IP addresses assigned by the router. (I can also access
files on the other computers via ftp etc. at those IP addresses.)

I checked the settings for Client for Microsoft Networks and any other
networking settings I could think of and compared them to the settings
on the Win 98 box on which networking still works and they seem the
same. I went through network troubleshooting in Win 98 help but
everything was irrelevant or inapplicable. I tried removing and then
reinstalling Client for Microsoft Networks but that didn't help. I
removed a couple of unused networking components that weren't on the box
that's functioning, thinking there might be some interference, but that
didn't help either.

I don't know why networking would stop working on the laptop. I hadn't
installed anything or changed any settings on the laptop recently. I
suppose it's likely that some file somewhere has become corrupted but I
have no idea which. Can anyone suggest anything?

Jim Kalb

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Jim Kalb <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:
>An odd problem: I have a 3-computer home network, a laptop and a
>desktop, both with Win 98, and a desktop with Linux (using Samba for Win
>network compatibility). The network was working fine, but when I turned
>on the laptop today it couldn't find the network. When I click on
>"Network Neighborhood" I just get the "Entire Network" icon instead of
>that and the icons for the other two computers, and when I click on the
>icon I get "Unable to browse the network. The network is not accessible
>..."
>
>The network still works OK between the other two computers, although
>they can no longer see the laptop. The laptop still connects to the
>router and the internet, and I can ping the other two computers from the
>laptop using the IP addresses assigned by the router. (I can also access
>files on the other computers via ftp etc. at those IP addresses.)
>
>I checked the settings for Client for Microsoft Networks and any other
>networking settings I could think of and compared them to the settings
>on the Win 98 box on which networking still works and they seem the
>same. I went through network troubleshooting in Win 98 help but
>everything was irrelevant or inapplicable. I tried removing and then
>reinstalling Client for Microsoft Networks but that didn't help. I
>removed a couple of unused networking components that weren't on the box
>that's functioning, thinking there might be some interference, but that
>didn't help either.
>
>I don't know why networking would stop working on the laptop. I hadn't
>installed anything or changed any settings on the laptop recently. I
>suppose it's likely that some file somewhere has become corrupted but I
>have no idea which. Can anyone suggest anything?

Could a firewall program be interfering with network access?

Make sure that TCP/IP is the only protocol installed on any computer.
Installing an additional protocol, even on one computer, can make
network browsing unreliable.

It might help to set Browse Master to "Disabled" on the problem
computer: Control Panel | Network | File and Printer Sharing |
Properties.

If those suggestions don't help, here are two other common reasons for
the inability to browse the network:

1. The network settings are configured for user-level access control,
which isn't available in a peer-to-peer network. Go to Control Panel
| Network, click the Access Control tab, and make sure that
share-level access control is selected.

2. The user isn't logged on. Is there a logon prompt when Windows 98
starts? If so, don't cancel it. Complete the logon by entering a
user name and, optionally, a password. If there's no logon prompt,
click Start | Log Off or Start | Shut Down | Close all programs... and
log back on. If that makes network browsing work properly, the most
likely fix is to go to this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\
Network\Real Mode Net

and delete the value named "AutoLogon", as shown here:

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/nologon.htm#AutoLogon

Please see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles for more
information:

"Unable to Browse the Network" When You Click Network Neighborhood
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;260214

No Windows or Network Logon Dialog Box at Startup
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=KB;en-us;141858
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Thanks much for the response, but nothing helped:

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Jim Kalb <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
> >An odd problem: I have a 3-computer home network, a laptop and a
> >desktop, both with Win 98, and a desktop with Linux (using Samba for Win
> >network compatibility). The network was working fine, but when I turned
> >on the laptop today it couldn't find the network ...

> Could a firewall program be interfering with network access?

Can't find anything that could interfere. The router is the firewall and
I don't see anything that would affect communications among computers on
the LAN.

> Make sure that TCP/IP is the only protocol installed on any computer.
> Installing an additional protocol, even on one computer, can make
> network browsing unreliable.

Done.

> It might help to set Browse Master to "Disabled" on the problem
> computer: Control Panel | Network | File and Printer Sharing |
> Properties.

Don't have File and Printer Sharing activated on the laptop, which is
the computer that suddenly fell off the network.

> If those suggestions don't help, here are two other common reasons for
> the inability to browse the network:
>
> 1. The network settings are configured for user-level access control,
> which isn't available in a peer-to-peer network. Go to Control Panel
> | Network, click the Access Control tab, and make sure that
> share-level access control is selected.

Not the problem

> 2. The user isn't logged on. Is there a logon prompt when Windows 98
> starts? If so, don't cancel it. Complete the logon by entering a
> user name and, optionally, a password. If there's no logon prompt,
> click Start | Log Off or Start | Shut Down | Close all programs... and
> log back on. If that makes network browsing work properly, the most
> likely fix is to go to this registry key:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\
> Network\Real Mode Net

There's a logon prompt, I'm logged on, and re-logging on doesn't change
anything. Also, that registry key doesn't exist.

All very puzzling. Thanks again for the response.

jk

"Jim Kalb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> An odd problem: I have a 3-computer home network, a laptop and a
> desktop, both with Win 98, and a desktop with Linux (using Samba for Win
> network compatibility). The network was working fine, but when I turned
> on the laptop today it couldn't find the network. When I click on
> "Network Neighborhood" I just get the "Entire Network" icon instead of
> that and the icons for the other two computers, and when I click on the
> icon I get "Unable to browse the network. The network is not accessible
> ..."
>
> The network still works OK between the other two computers, although
> they can no longer see the laptop. The laptop still connects to the
> router and the internet, and I can ping the other two computers from the
> laptop using the IP addresses assigned by the router. (I can also access
> files on the other computers via ftp etc. at those IP addresses.)
>
> I checked the settings for Client for Microsoft Networks and any other
> networking settings I could think of and compared them to the settings
> on the Win 98 box on which networking still works and they seem the
> same. I went through network troubleshooting in Win 98 help but
> everything was irrelevant or inapplicable. I tried removing and then
> reinstalling Client for Microsoft Networks but that didn't help. I
> removed a couple of unused networking components that weren't on the box
> that's functioning, thinking there might be some interference, but that
> didn't help either.
>
> I don't know why networking would stop working on the laptop. I hadn't
> installed anything or changed any settings on the laptop recently. I
> suppose it's likely that some file somewhere has become corrupted but I
> have no idea which. Can anyone suggest anything?
>
> Jim Kalb

Jim,

I am having a somewhat similar problem for which I have a partial work
around. So let's make sure that one thing is not the issue.

Click on "Start" button. What does the "Logoff ..." option say? Either
"Logoff ..." or "Logoff <user name>...". If it says just "Logoff...",
select it and log back in.

Other advice: Have you worked through the steps in the Windows 98 Help
Network Troubleshooter (Start->Help->Contents
(tab)->Troubleshooting->Windows 98 Troubleshooters->Networking).

Paul