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Question

Laptop not recognizing my Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Jan 13, 2015 8:49AM PST

I am having a problem with my laptop recognizing my Network Attached Storage (NAS) disks.

Specifically, I have a home network with two Windows XP SP3 desktops, a Windows 7 SP1 laptop, a Buffalo LinkStation NAS, a switch, router, cable modem and two printers.

The two desktop PCs are part of a Workgroup called X-LOCAL as is the NAS. The laptop is also setup for Workgroup X-LOCAL. I set the laptop up for a Workgroup, not a Homegroup.

My two desktops can see the NAS without any problems. My laptop can access the printers and the internet but does not recognize the NAS. That is, if I click on Network from the Start Menu, the NAS does not show up in the Network listing. I have McAfee Security Center installed on my laptop. In McAfee, on the My Network tab, McAfee shows the NAS as active. I can also get to my NAS from IE on the laptop by typing the URL.

My question is, why doesn't my laptop recognize my NAS and what can I do so that my laptop will recognize the NAS?

Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
One of the odd things to networks
Jan 13, 2015 9:09AM PST

Are non-alphanumerics in network names. Odd choice to me, but some want to press their luck.

The laptop may be on WiFi and as such may be blocked by a firewall in the router or elsewhere. You also have McAfee which is known to block such so kick that off till you get it working.
Bob

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MCAfee is Guilty
Jan 15, 2015 4:53AM PST

I don't understand why you can't use special characters (at least the 'common' ones) in a network name. When I created the network name (a long time ago), Windows gave no warnings. On the other hand, I know there are applications and many security passwords that don't accept special characters, so it is possible.

Regardless, I changed my network name to be only capital alpha characters.

This did not help. I still was not able to access my NAS.

On to McAfee.

I disabled everything and I WAS able to access my NAS. More investigation revealed that the cause was the McAfee firewall. Disabling only that potion of McAfee allowed me to access my NAS.

Obviously I am not going to run with my firewall disabled, so I tried looking into McAfee and could not figure out have to tell McAfee that my NAS was a trusted source.

I think I will close this thread and open a new thread in the appropriate forum.

Thanks Bob for your assistance. It didn't quite solve the problem but it did help narrow the possibilities.

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Sorry about that.
Jan 15, 2015 5:05AM PST

It's one of those long time axioms. KISS = keep is simple Sam.

Since your router provides a natural firewall, I can only guess why folk won't run without a firewall for a test run. Some folk enable the firewall in the router and the fun begins again.
Bob