**GURUS PLEASE** Network Neighborhood/Net View problems

[beer]

This has been a continuing problem for my company, and I have no clue beyond point. Allow me to explain by starting off with our network topology:

-1x Windows 2000 Server, Domain Controller that handles e-mail
-2x Windows NT 4 Servers, member servers that handle specialized tasks, i.e payrolll
-1x AS/400 that handles financial transactions
-1x Sonicall Pro 200 that handles DHCP and Web traffic, as well as packet filtering
-30 local computers, some of which authenticate against the domain, some of which are local (we are in the process of making them all domain)
-A router that connects this office to remote offices via a frame relay.

There are two fundamental issues that we are having:

#1: Network Neighborhood/Net View does not show all the computers in the domain. For example, on my computer, if I type NET VIEW I get two seemingly random computers, but not all 30 I should be seeing. These two that I see are always the same computers every time that it is not working correctly. This process is intermittent; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In either case, however, I can still ping every computer in the domain, but I can't see them in Network Neighborhood. Also, when this happens, it happens on specific computers within the network but never to every computer at once; also, when it does happen and I only see limited things in Network Neighborhood, the Domain Controller still sees them all. This occurs even when WINS is up and running and has every computer in its database.


SOLVED#2: We used to be able to browse our remote properties using our older routers. We replaced the routers last fall and haven't been able to resolve the names since, although we can ping them by IP address. One of our consultants suggested that our old routers were acting as bridges, rather than as routers. I don't know if that is true or not. We can browse and resolve the host names if they are on the domain, and a few of them are; but the ones that are not we cannot resolve host names. FWIW they are each in their own 'workgroup' even though there is no domain controller. Should we move them into the same workgroup/domain as the one with the domain controller because it is going to be acting as the master browser?

Your thoughts please!

Thanks in advance
Joe

 

[beer]

ive edited to clarify a few things....

 

[Teva24]

Ok, gonna give it a shot.

If you have two seperate subnets divided by non-netbios broadcasting routers then the only way you will be able to have *all* the computers in the network neighborhood will be a windows domain.

If you have two sites each site will elect a master broser for that site, and because they aren't part of the same domain they won't share info.

You need a domain that will host a domain master browser, that will collect information from the other master broswers on the local segments and let everyone know about what is out there. Usually a very good idea to put a DC in each site.

And if you are going to a domain, be sure to setup DNS properly. Don't use wins.

 

[Garion]

A couple of questions and a bit of information..

First, what protocol are you using on your network? Is it all TCP/IP, or do you have NetBEUI, IPX or something else installed? What kind of client PC's?

If you look in your WINS server list, do you see all the machines correctly registered?

Do you have the DHCP node type set to Hybrid in your DHCP server config?

If you've got WINS setup (which you need to use, since you're still in NT 4 domain mode, not active directory), it shouldn't matter how the router is setup.

.. And for the bit of info.

One thing that drives some people nuts is that typically you DON'T see other computers listed in the Network Neighborhood unless they are sharing something - A printer, a drive, etc. If it's not shared, it probably won't show up. (At least, this is what I remember, but I haven't messed with it in a while)

If you've got a domain and a WAN, it's probably better to put all your machines in the same domain. That allows you to better manage them, control security and access rights, etc. Generally, a good thing. Plus, there's no issues over who is in what domain/workgroup and what will or will not be visible. Make sure everyone has consistent WINS settings and you should be good, for visibility to other machines.

- G

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Garion
A couple of questions and a bit of information..

First, what protocol are you using on your network? Is it all TCP/IP, or do you have NetBEUI, IPX or something else installed? What kind of client PC's?

Except for the AS/400, it is entirely Windows 2000 and XP Clients.

If you look in your WINS server list, do you see all the machines correctly registered?

This is correct.

Do you have the DHCP node type set to Hybrid in your DHCP server config?

Correct. It is handing out hybrid nodes, although I am assuming that would be the default value. it's the only type of node-type I've ever seen.

If you've got WINS setup (which you need to use, since you're still in NT 4 domain mode, not active directory), it shouldn't matter how the router is setup.

Alright, here I think we are miscommnicating. All the users in the company are stored and authenticated against the Active Directory. Why would we be running in NT4 Domain Mode? What did I say that makes you think that?

.. And for the bit of info.

One thing that drives some people nuts is that typically you DON'T see other computers listed in the Network Neighborhood unless they are sharing something - A printer, a drive, etc. If it's not shared, it probably won't show up. (At least, this is what I remember, but I haven't messed with it in a while)

Well, windows by default has a couple of shared things, like tasks. Every computer SHOULD be showing up, and they all usually are, except for when the problems I talked about happen.

If you've got a domain and a WAN, it's probably better to put all your machines in the same domain. That allows you to better manage them, control security and access rights, etc. Generally, a good thing. Plus, there's no issues over who is in what domain/workgroup and what will or will not be visible. Make sure everyone has consistent WINS settings and you should be good, for visibility to other machines.

We are in the process of doing that. Copying them over to the domain changes their profile paths so we are only doing it gradually. And one ofthe consequences of enforcing user permissions is that we have to work the bugs out very, very slowly.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Teva24
Ok, gonna give it a shot.

If you have two seperate subnets divided by non-netbios broadcasting routers then the only way you will be able to have *all* the computers in the network neighborhood will be a windows domain.

If you have two sites each site will elect a master broser for that site, and because they aren't part of the same domain they won't share info.

You need a domain that will host a domain master browser, that will collect information from the other master broswers on the local segments and let everyone know about what is out there. Usually a very good idea to put a DC in each site.

And if you are going to a domain, be sure to setup DNS properly. Don't use wins.

Resolving names uses both DNS and WINS, in case one is not available. DNS has higher priority, though, IIRC? We are in the process of putting them all into the same domain as the main office, since the remote properties have so few users that a DC at each site is not possible. I know that putting them all on the domain will fix the problem, but that's a very slow process. I posted this thread wondering if there is another solution besides doing this, but I don't think there is, since they are all on seperate subnets without a DC at each site.

I have a satisfactory answer to #2. I am still wondering about #1 though.