Can't see each other?

Hi, I have 3 computers at home running XPSP2 Pro and networked together on a Linksys router; my problem is all 3 can't see each other anymore. They all worked at one time using a shared printer and could connect to shares on each machine; but all of that stopped so I turned the firewalls off on all of them and that fixed it for a few days but now they can't talk to each other anymore. I did a clean reintall on two of them and that again fixed it for a few days. Could I have some unknown virus or something? The boxes run AVG and WindowsDefender.

Thanks for any help,
Duane

 

I also had about the same problem(s) when I was sharing a printer between 3 machines. I TOTALLY gave up ALL sharing and purchased a Printer that plugs directly into the Router. ( which I already had anyway )
Now each one of my 3 machines is 100% stand alone and depends on no one for anything. Over time it has proven well worth it.
And My Wife and I have a ball playing games betwen the machines vis the LAN.

YES. Some things may need to be installed on each machine. Or maybe some things on one and other things on the other. But again over time it has proven well worth it.

PLus that I was getting bored and needed to jump in on something. LOL

BillyBob

 

Thanks BillyBob, that helps and I can do that with the printer, but still the machines should be able to access the shares on each other like they once did? It's because of the way all this has come about leads me to think there is something wrong and I can't find it...

 

Maybe. But I also found that upgrading a shared program might mess things up for another machine. Especially if two different OSs were being used.
Again. Over time I have found it best to keep each machine 100% independent.
But then I also ran into a problem with USERS sharing. But that was just a case of "SHARE or do not use at all."
Being called to dinner. Will check back later.

BillyBob