I just moved into a "new" house and most of my computers are wireless until I get the chance to install my wired network. 

 

I have a wireless router (netgear WNDR3700) that's connected to a Netgear GS716Tv2 ProSafe 16-Port Gigabit Managed Switch.  Currently, I only have my home theater computer connected to the switch via cat6.  I do have other devices (VoIP phone, TV devices, etc.) connected to the switch.  I have an all windows 7 network with 4 computers connected to the network, three of which are wireless. 

 

The problem I'm having is that the wireless computers do not find the unraid server.  I have to manually type in "\\UnraidServerName" to get a computer to find the server.  Even then, it's hit or miss as to whether the server will show up in "Network" in windows explorer or any other program.  (I have some programs that refuse to let me type in "\\UnraidServerName", and I have to save files locally then copy them to the server.) 

 

I've always had this problem, even with my mainly wired connection at my other house, for any wireless computer.

 

How can I get win7 wireless computers to automatically find my unraid server in "network"?  Thank you. 

Make sure unraid is set as the local master, then shut down ALL of the windows machines, and bring them back up one at a time. When they come back up, they should see unraid automatically.

You can also edit your hosts file with the IP address and host name. There are lots online help articles here's one:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/27350/beginner-geek-how-to-edit-your-hosts-file/

 

You can also add it to your  (Windows) "Network" by specifying its IP address and shares.

 

I would imagine you have your server on a fixed IP address or a DHCP reservation.

 

Good luck!

You can also edit your hosts file with the IP address and host name.

I'm too lazy to look up the answer, so I'll just ask. Does the hosts file content get consulted to help populate the network neighborhood? I assumed it didn't, as an entry in the hosts file doesn't automatically mean there will be a windows host at that IP address.

I'm too lazy to look up the answer, so I'll just ask. Does the hosts file content get consulted to help populate the network neighborhood? I assumed it didn't, as an entry in the hosts file doesn't automatically mean there will be a windows host at that IP address.

 

I believe you're right. Editing hosts would really just help to quickly resolve the netBIOS name since (I think) Windows checks the hosts file first when trying to resolve a name. Call it a "belt-and-suspenders" approach.