FabioF wrote:
Connection to Win7 shares keeps vanishing. Somtimes it´s there, sometimes it´s not. Even thogh I can access them from other computers in the same network.
Problems with ‘vanishing W7 SMB shares’ are reported all too often in ‘mixed’ (Unix / WIN) networks.
In my case this thread helped in resolving the issue quickly:
WIndows 7 shares not (always) visible on other computers
Basically comes down to W7 Firewall blocking ARP Messages.
The interesting bit is this though: Even totally disabling the Firewall is not enough to allow ARP Traffic !
You either have to uninstall the W7 Firewall completely
OR
explicitly allow this ARP Traffic.
I did the later- with ‘my’ Symantec Endpoint Protection monopolizing control of the W7 Firewall, Exceptions & Rules are defined within Symantec Control Panel - the following 3 (Symantec) rules resolved the issue completely:
Rule 1&2: Protocol: Ethernet
Ethernet Type: 0x806 and Ethernet Type 0x808
Rule 3: Allow all IP Traffic from your designated individual computers/devices PLUS 239.255.255.250 (Broadcasting Dummy)
Please note that all the info above was easily available in the Symantec Firewall Log by simply looking for blocked connections.
No real experience with broadcastings - therefore uncertain if 239.255.255.250 is a standard IP address (like 127.0.0.1 localhost) or keeps varying from network to network.
As stated before, it is somewhat odd that certain traffic types are excluded from the ‘Allow ALL’ Rule.
Very specific rules need to be created in order to allow such traffic - even through a disabled Firewall.
This is regardless if in Homenetwork or elsewhere.
Now could someone please translates the Symantec rules above in more general & direct W7 Firewall rules ?
