Issue connecting to shared drives over wifi

At my wife's work they have shared network drives but she can't connect to them when using wifi at home. If we plug in a network cable direct to the laptop it connects fine but won't without it. We swapped to a hub 3.0 before Christmas - before then it was fine on the old hub but on the new one she's unable to get it to work. No other devices in the house have trouble connecting to the wifi.

Any ideas on what it's likely to be?
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  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    Give the laptop's wifi adapter a static IP address. In the router firewall settings put that IP address in the DMZ. See if it then connects to them OK. If it does its a firewall/NAT issue.
  • that
    that Posts: 1,532 Forumite
    think you should get your wife to talk to the it department at her work. I t is very hard to try and guess what they do at your wife's work to accomplish this

    Many people think of wireless both as unsecure and temperamental. If the service breaks the file may be lost or locked too.
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,271
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    Does she use VPN? If so, is it working correctly on WiFi?
  • graham73
    graham73 Posts: 77 Forumite
    Thanks for the replies.

    It works in her office over wifi and it also worked at home before getting the new hub. She has tried with and without a vpn but it didn't make a difference. She's spoke with her IT on a couple of occasions but they didn't offer any help.

    Will see about the static ip address in the adaptor thingy but I probably shouldn't be changing her work laptop too much in case it doesn't work at her place after.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    If it is a work laptop then you shouldn't be changing it at all in that case without permission. You may still however be able to do what I said but selecting the network name of the laptop instead of its IP address.

    Ultimately though unless she gets paid for work she does at home she doesn't want to be doing it and stuff what the company says about team playing and all that guff.
  • that
    that Posts: 1,532 Forumite
    go back to your work it, but beforehand do try it cabled at a friends house

    suspect it is how her company set it up on the companies end. She can also ask other colleagues.

    Get your wife to speak to the firewall guy and the citrix? guy, and if they are not in situ, the server team. anybody, just as long as it is not the service desk, who job is often to deal and close as many calls a possible.

    Do not expect Big corp to fix it for her, as major security changes come from up high, often take many meetings, a flood of emails, and change control
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,271
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    Why a Citrix guy? No mention of using Citrix sessions.
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,951
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    unforeseen wrote: »
    Why a Citrix guy? No mention of using Citrix sessions.
    Indeed, the initial question talked about shared network drives which in Windows suggests SMB, with Citrix not in the picture at all.

    It's not even clear from the opening post if the work laptop will connect to anything at all over the home wifi, or it's just the work network drives that can't be reached.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • graham73
    graham73 Posts: 77 Forumite
    Thanks again for the replies

    Adding more info, normal internet and wifi are apparently intermittent at home. Seems strange so I'll double check when I get home tonight. She works from home 3 days a week so it's needed really. Other colleagues work from home on their wifi fine.

    It was all OK until the new router! Could be just timing of course.
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847
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    Its almost certainly an SMB share and for that VPN will have to be connected.


    Test all that is working ok by pinging one of the server names or ip's


    The company may be forcing a proxy via group policy too, so internet will not work if the vpn isnt connected for that reason.


    Its a bit weird how it will work via cable though, so i suspect what might be happening here is her computer is incorrectly identifying your home wifi as a public connection and the firewall is blocking access.


    Infact thinking about it, this is almost certainly the problem.,


    Andy
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