My computers disappear from "My network places" after 10-20 minutes!
In Windows XP, some computers vanish from the "My network places" after 12 minutes.
This is due to the "Windows firewall / Internet connection sharing" functionality. Even turning the Windows firewall off does not allow you to see the rest of the systems in your network. The "Windows firewall/ Internet connection sharing" service will still be running. Here is how to disable it: Open Control panel / Administrative tools / Services. Scroll down until you find "Windows firewall/ Internet connection sharing". Right click on it and select properties. In the dialog select "Startup type:" disabled. You might stop the service as well on this dialog, (presumably it is running). You don't need to reboot to make the change effective. Read more about the "Microsoft Computer Browser" stackBack to the FAQ