Troubleshooting a Notebook to PC Connection

Check All Network Connections

The first thing you should do when trying to find a problem with the network connection between a notebook and a PC is to check each computer's connection to the network. Make sure that any ethernet cables are securely plugged in and that both the notebook and the PC show that they are connected to the network. Check to see that the router is plugged in and that all ethernet cables attached to it are securely inserted as well. If you're using a wireless connection for your notebook or your PC, log in to your router and make sure that the wireless signal is turned on and that you have the proper security key to allow your computers to connect to it. While logged in to your router, check the current connections to ensure that both your notebook and your PC appear to be connected to the network either wirelessly or via ethernet cables.

Look for Firewall Blockage

If you confirm that both your notebook and your PC are connected to the network and you still aren't able to access one from the other, check the firewall software installed on each to make sure that it isn't blocking the connection. Look to see if the connection problem occurs on both computers or if it's only one that can't access the other. If only one of the computers isn't able to access the other, check the firewall on the computer that can't be accessed to make sure that it isn't blocking the incoming connection. If neither the notebook nor the PC can be accessed by the other, inspect both firewalls and look for blocked external connections. This can be done by double-clicking on the firewall's System Tray icon and inspecting the log of recent firewall activity; if connections were blocked, it should state clearly not only that they were blocked but also the time and originating IP address of the attempted connection. Should you find connections that are being blocked, you can create exceptions to allow the computers to access each other across the network (often by right-clicking on the blocked connection and choosing "Allow" from the menu that opens.)

Run Network Setup Again

If problems persist after ensuring that both computers are connected to the network and that neither is being blocked by a firewall, run your operating system's network-setup protocol again. The problem may be that one or both of the computers have been set to not share files or allow access across the network; while this can be corrected manually, the easier solution is generally to simply run the network setup again and change the settings while doing so. Make sure that you disable your current network connection on both the notebook and the PC before doing so, as having two network connections on the same computer can cause connection problems that can lead to having difficulty connecting to the Internet or the network at all.