Vista - Vista Network Connection to Server Drops Periodically

Hi, I'm quickly becoming experienced with Vista but am experiencing
some networking issues which I would like to get some tips/advice on.

I've worked on several Vista machines (mostly Home premium), both
laptops and towers wired and wireless.

My own HP laptop with Vista works great, I've never had any issues
with it on any network. Every other Vista machine I work with though
I do have trouble with networking.

The issue I'm currently dealing with is on a Vista laptop that
connects to our office network wirelessly. It can always reach the
internet. Our network has a Win 2000 server and several workstations
with 2000 pro, XP Pro, and Vista. When I first tried to reach the
server by pinging it, by hitting Start and typing \\server I could not
reach it, "Network path could not be found". I then ran a tool called
Fast Resolver which resolves hostnames and IP addresses across the
network. When I ran it I could see the server in the list. I then
pinged the server and got a reply, I also was able to connect to it by
hitting Start and typing \\server. So I mapped a drive and it asked
for the username and password which I entered and checked off
"Reconnect at Logon". No problem, it connects, drive is good, so I
thought the issue was over with. After reboot the drive did not remap
though. Double clicking on the drive gave "Network path could not be
found". I did not get a reply by pinging the server by hostname and
when I ran Fast Resolver again the server did not show up in the
list. However I then pinged the server by its IP and I did get a
reply. So I hit Start and typed in \\192.168.1.2 and the login came
up, I entered username and password and got on to the server. I ran
Fast Resolver again and the Server now showed up in the list! I
double clicked the drive letter and it now connected and opened up!
So I left it for a bit thinking I would just have to reconnect every
time I rebooted, but then about twenty minutes later without rebooting
the machine, just leaving it alone for that time I tried to get to the
server again through the drive letter and it was down again! I had to
go through that process again to get it to come back.

So it's a strange one, I'm not sure what Fast Resolver was doing that
got it to see the server at times, and not sure why I couldn't ping
hostname but could by IP. The person using the computer is a luddite
and so I'm hoping that I can get this issue resolved to save my own
support time, any tips/advice would be much appreciated. I've scoured
the internet for help on the subject and have found many people with
networking issues, but no real solutions yet.

Any help is much appreciated.

I assume you have a name resolution and computer browser issue. Any errors in the event viewer? Or this link may help,

Vista Name Resolution IssuesVista Name Resolution Issues. Duplicate Vista System Name Appears, Preventing Access while trying to access shared folders on the Vista (Home Premium) ...
http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/vistanameissues.htm


Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Sin Precedente" <sinprecedente@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1185986270.167264.27980@d30g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
Hi, I'm quickly becoming experienced with Vista but am experiencing
some networking issues which I would like to get some tips/advice on.

I've worked on several Vista machines (mostly Home premium), both
laptops and towers wired and wireless.

My own HP laptop with Vista works great, I've never had any issues
with it on any network. Every other Vista machine I work with though
I do have trouble with networking.

The issue I'm currently dealing with is on a Vista laptop that
connects to our office network wirelessly. It can always reach the
internet. Our network has a Win 2000 server and several workstations
with 2000 pro, XP Pro, and Vista. When I first tried to reach the
server by pinging it, by hitting Start and typing \\server I could not
reach it, "Network path could not be found". I then ran a tool called
Fast Resolver which resolves hostnames and IP addresses across the
network. When I ran it I could see the server in the list. I then
pinged the server and got a reply, I also was able to connect to it by
hitting Start and typing \\server. So I mapped a drive and it asked
for the username and password which I entered and checked off
"Reconnect at Logon". No problem, it connects, drive is good, so I
thought the issue was over with. After reboot the drive did not remap
though. Double clicking on the drive gave "Network path could not be
found". I did not get a reply by pinging the server by hostname and
when I ran Fast Resolver again the server did not show up in the
list. However I then pinged the server by its IP and I did get a
reply. So I hit Start and typed in \\192.168.1.2 and the login came
up, I entered username and password and got on to the server. I ran
Fast Resolver again and the Server now showed up in the list! I
double clicked the drive letter and it now connected and opened up!
So I left it for a bit thinking I would just have to reconnect every
time I rebooted, but then about twenty minutes later without rebooting
the machine, just leaving it alone for that time I tried to get to the
server again through the drive letter and it was down again! I had to
go through that process again to get it to come back.

So it's a strange one, I'm not sure what Fast Resolver was doing that
got it to see the server at times, and not sure why I couldn't ping
hostname but could by IP. The person using the computer is a luddite
and so I'm hoping that I can get this issue resolved to save my own
support time, any tips/advice would be much appreciated. I've scoured
the internet for help on the subject and have found many people with
networking issues, but no real solutions yet.

Any help is much appreciated.