Finally solved my computer network problem. After trying 7,378 other possible solutions, I found the right one. I installed a piece of software two weeks ago and its makers don't tell you that it has an unadvertised networking component that runs continuously in the background and is of no use whatsoever to me. I found a website where someone divulged the tip-top secret method of uninstalling it and when I uninstalled it, my computers suddenly began speaking directly to each other. Whew.
I have to tell you: I'm getting really sick of software that adds in all sorts of extra, surprise components. Anyone here install the current Nero Burning Rom? Or the software that comes with new Hewlett-Packard printers? I just want the thing I bought to work, people. I don't need your bonus image library software or your desktop (or Yahoo Desktop or Google Desktop) or your search engine or — especially — your memory resident networking and updater software. At the very least, you could tell us about these things before we innocently slap them onto our C Drives.