THANKS TO ALL FOR THE VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS
(a) Re "St1ckM4n, post: 1270631" #1 - Inasmuch as I've not been able to recreate the problem, I can't acquire a detailed description of the status of the machine until I again encounter the problem. If I'm fortunate, that will not happen for several weeks.As indicated previously, problem can always be cured by rebooting the main machine, a DELL Dimension E510, but that creates short-term conflict when I'm in the middle of work session, and the wife needs her NY Times crossword puzzle.
Notes from the last time I was motivated to solve this problem where SONY computer can't print to HP printer connected to the DELL machine via USB port, are as follows:
11/Jan/2012 23:29 start panel color change indicates loss of connectivity to printer from networked computers. The local connection is still good (can print locally), and one can still print, BUT, if one tries to "Repair Local Area Connect" there is problem. IP address cannot be renewed. running these from command prompt don't help: ipconfig/all, ipconfig /flushdns when running ipconfig/all it says "IP routing enabled" = NO I don't know if that is normal state of affairs. However, after forcing "Local Area Status" to Close using Windows Task Manager, the START MENU again turned to blue, but SONY can't see DELL although it has Internet access.
(b) Re "St1ckM4n, post: 1270631" #2 and #3 If I go to: | settings | Network Connections | Local Area Connection |
the General Tab indicates I'm connecting via "Client for Microsoft Networks" and the RPC Service provider is "Windows Locator."
(c) Currently the D-Link router DHCP seems to assign IP 192.xxx.x.101 to the main DELL E510 machine, possilby because it is the first machine turned on in the morning, and specify a fix IP address of 192.xxx.x.105 to the SONY machine. Other fixed IP addresses are assigned to the NAS and the Tivo. My recollection is that at one time the main machine had a fixed IP address, but currently the router doesn't seem allow same.
I'm taking notes of all the suggestions, so the next time I encounter a connection failure, I can better document the problem.