DNS Server unavailable when trying to connect to another home computer

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gibbywmu

PCHF Member
Apr 5, 2021
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Hi All,

My work PC is Windows 10, my HTPC Intel NUC has Windows 7. I've always been able to transfer files back to my HTPC until recently. Suddenly when trying to connect to my HTPC from my work Windows PC, I keep getting errors that are "Your DNS server might be unavailable". I'm not sure if this issue resides on the Windows 10 PC or the WIndows 7 PC? Everything I've stumbled on for the fix seems doesn't seem to work. They are all solutions for visiting webpages and getting that error, which I'm not having. Each PC can connect to the internet just fine, I just can't connect to the 2nd PC from the 1st. No idea what to do. Should I just upgrade the HTPC computer so they are both running Windows 10?
 
Win10 Home or Pro?
Win7 Home or Pro?
File and Printer Sharing turned on for both PC's? and for all profiles? (Private, Guest, Domain and All)
is the work PC and home PC at different locations?
both PC's have logon passwords?
you know the IP address of each PC and can PING each others address?
you have shared out a folder with Everyone and set security permission to Full Control?
 
Bruce said:
Win10 Home or Pro? - Win 10 Pro on both Work PC and HTPC
Win7 Home or Pro?
Click to expand...
Bruce said:
File and Printer Sharing turned on for both PC's? and for all profiles? (Private, Guest, Domain and All) - Yes, today I made sure to turn on all for both PC's. Didn't help :(
is the work PC and home PC at different locations? - No, same location. Both within my house on the same router.
both PC's have logon passwords? - Work PC yes, HTPC no.
you know the IP address of each PC and can PING each others address? - Yes, and I can ping both with no problems.
you have shared out a folder with Everyone and set security permission to Full Control? - Not sure how to access this.......but if I did not mention, the folder sharing was working fine for several years until recently. I received this work PC back in September and everything had been working fine until the past month or so. No idea what changed. I have not changed anything. As you can see from the screenshot, you can see my HTPC on the network, but I constantly get the error.
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I know when Win10 first came out, it didn't like connecting to other PC's that didn't have a password to log on with. improved security and all that. not sure if that has changed.
so give the HTPC a username/password and reboot both PC's and see if that helps.

as to folder access, try this.
create a new folder on the HTPC called MySharedFiles, for example.
right click that and go to Properties, Sharing, share, for Choose people, type Everyone and click Add.
click on Everyone and change Permission Level to Read/Write.
close that window and go to Advanced Sharing, tick Share the folder, click Permissions, and for Everyone tick Allow for Full Control.
hit OK and Close and see how you go.

failing that, can you ping the HTPC by its name and its IP address?
have you tried manually setting the IP, subnet, gateway and DNS settings on both PC's?

what security software is on both PC's?
 
Besides what Bruce has asked you to do could you also do this on both computers
Run cmd prompt either type or copy and paste ipconfig /flushdns Press enter.
If no change could you also reboot your modem/router
 
I've tried flushing the dns on both computers, as well as power down the router and restart the router, several times. Nothing is working.........UGH. Not sure if this issue resides from my Work PC, HTPC, or the router itself. This is a newer Orbi router and is working fine.
 
Bruce said:
I know when Win10 first came out, it didn't like connecting to other PC's that didn't have a password to log on with. improved security and all that. not sure if that has changed.
so give the HTPC a username/password and reboot both PC's and see if that helps.

as to folder access, try this.
create a new folder on the HTPC called MySharedFiles, for example.
right click that and go to Properties, Sharing, share, for Choose people, type Everyone and click Add.
click on Everyone and change Permission Level to Read/Write.
close that window and go to Advanced Sharing, tick Share the folder, click Permissions, and for Everyone tick Allow for Full Control.
hit OK and Close and see how you go.

failing that, can you ping the HTPC by its name and its IP address?
have you tried manually setting the IP, subnet, gateway and DNS settings on both PC's?

what security software is on both PC's?
Click to expand...
The probably with making another shared folder is that I can't access the HTPC at all, so if I create a shared folder, it won't matter. I still can't connect to \\HTPC\whatever ............ugh. Very frustrating. I've tried just about everything including flushing the dns on both computers as well as restart the router several times. No idea what is going on :(. For now I'm just going to use Teamviewer to transfer files since I can't connect locally.
 
Ok all,

So I just performed another test. I took an older Dell computer w/ Windows 7 on it, went to "My Computer" on the desktop, and could see my HTPC computer. Double clicked and boom.......I was able to get in w/ no DNS issues. There is some issue causing this on my work PC. Now, my work PC is on another domain I believe. This was set up at my corporate office so not sure how they do it. All I know is that it had been able to connect to my HTPC before, but suddenly for some reason it can't. :(.
 
gibbywmu said:
There is some issue causing this on my work PC. Now, my work PC is on another domain I believe. This was set up at my corporate office so not sure how they do it. All I know is that it had been able to connect to my HTPC before, but suddenly for some reason it can't.
Click to expand...
You will have to talk to the them to get this resolved due to legal reason we can not assist on this.
 
Talk to who? My corporate isn't going to help me network troubleshoot to another PC in my house. LOL. Not sure what you are talking about legal reasons. There's nothing illegal going on here :cautious:
 
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