Windows 10: Private Network situation making me crazy.

I have been working on this for a while and it is just driving me insane so I am finally looking for help.

Here is the situation.

I have a private (home) network connected to the Internet (Infinity) through my Linksys Model EA3500 router. All is good.

Connected (wirelessly) I have 2 desktops (1 Gateway, 1 Asus) and a laptop (HP) all running Windows 10 latest update. Also connected I have an Xbox One, 2 Cells (1 Galaxy4, 1 Galaxy 5), 4 tablets (2 Kindle Fire, 1 Lenovo, 1 RCA).

All are visible from the Router.

HP laptop can see and connect to both the Asus and Gateway desktops and share files
Asus can connect to HP laptop and share files and can see but cannot connect to the Gateway desktop.
Gateway desktop cannot see Asus desktop on network but can see and connect to HP Laptop.

I created a workgroup on the Gateway (which I consider the main computer on the network) but none of the other computers are given the option to join the workgroup. They only have the option to create a new workgroup. I have gone around the house and none of the machines can see a workgroup created on any of the other machines to join it. They all say there are no workgroups created on the network. !!!!!

All machines are set to the same network. All machines have discovery turned on. What $#@ is going on here? Is it a conspiracy? Have the machines finally turned against me? Help!

:)

 

Network connection duplicated

If it is showing as Public, maybe you have a setting in the Network & Internet which is allowing automatic connections to Hotspots or some similar situation.

There have been times, after an update where my local network will be shows as Public. Of course, the system wants to make it discoverable so that is a sign to me to check my connection to make sure it is set as private.

 

Windows 10 won't download updates

I have another thing to check. make sure you are on a "private network" not a "public network".

Control Panel\Network and Sharing Center. Make sure Network is private.

This stopped me from updating, it also took down Windows Defender.

 

What Internet Security software are you running?

 

I'm running Windows Defender and yes, I have checked the firewall.

 

All computers need to have the workgroup named "Workgroup". If you do not place all machines to use the same workgroup name, you will not see all of them.

 

Also all computers must be using Private network setting - not public network

windows 10 by default makes all networks a public

 

The other is that your Linksys is the Gateway, all machines are just workstations. Using two devices to hand out IP's will just cause problems.

 

ALL computers on a network MUST have the same workgroup name. You can change the workgroup name of your pc as shown on the attached simply by going to Control Panel/ System. From there click Change Settings and on the box which comes up simply type the desired workgroup name as shown. Click OK and then re-boot.
Click on the image to get a larger view.