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General discussion

Networking Issue: Remote Device Won't Accept Connection

May 12, 2015 2:20AM PDT

Hello All,

Having a bit of a dilema. We have 3 computers linked to a single laptop as the "server". Usually all works fine by mapping the drive we need from the remote computers to the server computer. For some reason now, the server laptop will not accept connections.

I can ping the server IP from each remote computer, but when I try to map the following error "The remote device or resource won't accept the connection" appears.

I checked the sharing and set it to accept sharing of the folder the remotes access. Anyone else run into a problem like this that defies typical logic?

Any help is appreciated.

All laptops are running Win7.

Discussion is locked

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Yes.
May 12, 2015 2:38AM PDT

I see this when the shared folder or more specifically the host PC doesn't know the user on the remote device.

Let's say that the remote PC user's login is "Dave." The server would have to have a Dave login with rights to that share and folder. This is basic PC networking so I don't detail all the steps here. It's a common oversight I see over and over.
Bob

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Maybe No
May 12, 2015 2:45AM PDT

All the laptops are part of the same workgroup and all permissions appear to be valid. That's why this is so frustrating.

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So have Dave login in on that server.
May 12, 2015 2:52AM PDT

If Dave can't login, then it's the same old thing.

It's not an issue of workgroup, but is there an user account for Dave.

Yes, yes we could enable the Guest account but then that opens up a lot of other issues. I won't respond to folk that do that and get burned.

-> Finally we have the issue of Windows shares over some links. Here I'm taking it this is a LAN.
Bob

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Okay
May 12, 2015 2:57AM PDT

Here's basically what we do:

There are 4 laptops. 1 acts as the "server" The other 3 access a single folder through mapping a drive so all 4 can be running off of the same program that is on the server. The data entered on laptops 2-4 get transmitted to the server.

Normally, we just map the drives to the folder and use the local program on the machines and it works.

I am not an expert, thus why I am here, but logging in under a user name is something we never do.

It's always CMD>ipconfig ... get ip address 192.168.1.121 of server. Map 3 additional laptops to that ip address and all is good.

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Then I have to give you time to catch up on
May 12, 2015 3:01AM PDT

Windows Networking is challenging at first. I covered the most common reason I run into. Windows does exactly what you noted if the accounts are not there. Or if guest is not enabled (which I never do!)

Of course you logged in as a user name. Windows (since NT and XP) does not have a no user name mode.

Remember I won't guess if someone installed some security suite or there is an infection/router issue. I work with your clues and share what I run into.
Bob

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Bob
May 12, 2015 3:38AM PDT

No security suites are running. As i mentioned above all was fine, then all of a sudden on day 3 of using the system, the server stopped accepting the connection. Nothing has been changed on any of the laptops. Its mind boggling situation for me here as all avenues seem to point to the common situations and to this point, none of those have worked.

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Then where to go next?
May 12, 2015 3:45AM PDT

You opted out of a basic test I perform so we can scratch that off the list.

Maybe you should try the Guest accout thing but again, it's too insecure for my taste.

I've run into clients that won't perform that test and we end up sending out techs to do that and maybe more. Also, "it worked before" is a trap. Don't fall into that trap. It could be the old trojan/malware thing again but we have this basic item to scratch before we move forward.

Can you share why the account test isn't done yet? You don't have to answer but it's one of those things that makes me scratch my head.
Bob

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Bob
May 12, 2015 6:59AM PDT

Bob, I'm not sure I understand your "basic account test"? What is that?

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Up above. See about Dave.
May 12, 2015 7:04AM PDT

Since basic Windows shares only work with accounts unless the guest account is turned on (I think I wrote that 3 times) Dave needs to test if they have an account on the server PC.

It's been a lot of posts. Let's hope by now you know about Windows accounts.
Bob

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Bob
May 12, 2015 7:20AM PDT

Yes, all the laptops have the same name as the server and that has been tested. The issue we have found right now is the Server service will not start on the server laptop. An error appears. Anyway to correct this?

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Didn't write about the machine names.
May 12, 2015 7:24AM PDT

OK, the server service is a good find. Remember I take your question as is. The most common issue is the account and firewalls.

This is a lot of posts and up till now it didn't matter which version of Windows. Now it does.

Google This!!

"Server service won't start. Windows 7"

Change that to your version. There are dozens of reasons from malware to other.
Bob

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Forgot to note. Naming the PCs all the same name?
May 12, 2015 7:28AM PDT

Sounds incorrect on so many levels. Maybe you have found the cause right there.

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Bob
May 12, 2015 7:55AM PDT

Here's the error that comes up when trying to start the Server service:

Error 1075: The dependency service does not exist or has been marked for deletion.

***?

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Since
May 12, 2015 8:09AM PDT
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Remember, your network, your rules.
May 12, 2015 2:54AM PDT

I can't guess if there is some router with its firewall turned on. That can block shares but allow ping.

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Reading a few priors and what else I run into.
May 12, 2015 8:11AM PDT

While it's supremely odd to name all the laptops the same, the failure is known to occur when malware, trojans and such strike.
Bob

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NAMING ALL THE LAPTOPS THE SAME?
May 12, 2015 8:29AM PDT

Let's say I name a PC "SERVER". OK, fine. But when another machine is "SERVER" then we could have a the server component fail to start because it looks out and finds a Windows machine with that name already running.

Hey, you claim you tested this but it sounds wrong.
Bob