A computer or device does not appear on the network map.
This can occur for the following reasons:
The computer is running Windows Vista and is connected to a network that is assigned to the "Public place" network location. Windows cannot detect a computer on a network assigned to the "Public place" location. To fix this problem, you can try changing the network location to "Private" or connecting to a network that is assigned to the "Private" network location. For more information about network locations, see Choosing a network location.
Warning
When you connect to a network assigned to the "Private" network location, your computer becomes visible to other computers around you, which increases your risk of being exposed to malicious software from the Internet. You should only assign the "Private" network location to networks in places where you know and trust the people and devices on the network, such as your home or workplace. Avoid assigning this network location to networks in public places, such as coffee shops or airports.
The computer is running Windows Vista and the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol is disabled on the network adapter. Windows uses the LLTD protocol to map computers and devices on a network. To enable LLTD, follow these steps:
Click to open Network Connections.
Right-click the network adapter icon, and then click Properties.
Select the Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O Driver and Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder check boxes, and then click OK.
The computer is running Windows Vista and network discovery is turned off. To turn on network discovery, follow these steps:
Click to open Network and Sharing Center.
If network discovery is off, click the arrow button to expand the section, click Turn on network discovery, and then click Apply. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
For more information about network discovery, see What is network discovery?
The computer is running Windows XP and the LLTD protocol is not installed. Before a computer running Windows XP can be detected and appear on the network map, you need to install the LLTD protocol on that computer. For more information, go to Network Map Does Not Display Computers Running Windows XP on the Microsoft website.
The computer is running Windows XP and firewall settings are preventing Windows from detecting it. Check the firewall settings and make sure that file and printer sharing are enabled. If you are using Windows Firewall, see Understanding Windows Firewall settings. If you are using another firewall, check the information that came with your firewall.
The device doesn't support the required protocols for Windows Vista. Check the information that came with the device to see if it has a Windows Vista logo. If the device has the logo, it should appear on the network map. The device or information that came with the device might also have information about the LLTD protocol or the network map.
