Computers Missing from Network Neighborhood

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Guest

I don't know if this is the right place to post a problem but i am going to
start here. We have a Small Business server 2K3 server with 2 W2K & 1 W2K3
member servers. Recently, we noticed that when browsing the network from any
server, half the comptuers are missing. If we go to the workstations, they
can browse the servers and see all the computers. I have check DNS and all
seems ok. I can ping the missing workstations by IP and name. I can do an
nslookup on all the workstations and they resolve just fine. This isn't
really affecting our network or our functiality but is odd. If anyone has
any thoughts please let me know. I would like to resolve this issue before
things do start having problems.
Thanks in advance.
 
Computer share browsing is a netbios operation and isn't handled by
DNS. Your problem is a fairly common one though.

I am assuming that all your workstations are on a single LAN IP segment.
Which is to say you don't have workstations on different sides of a router
or layer 3 switch. If you do that would be the problem. Also, you must be
sure to have "enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP" set in the IP settings, and
your workstations must not be "hidden" servers (net config server /hidden).

There is a utility called browstat you can use to diagnose problems like this,
but assuming your network isn't really large (with SBS that isn't too likely :-) )
I'd suggest starting with something simpler: Disable the "computer browser"
service on all workstations and just have it running on the server. You can do
this with group policy, or with 'foot policy'.

This does several things - most importantly it makes your server the sole domain
browser and backup browser for the netbios browse list. No more "elections". In a
small network this is more than adequate, and it eliminates the constant
shuffling around of browse list role holders.

It will take an hour or so to stabilize the browse lists, at which point everyone
should appear. If not, you can use browstat to more easily track down what
is going on. If you still have problems, post back.

Steve Duff, MCSE, MVP
Ergodic Systems, Inc.
 
I don't know if this is the right place to post a problem but i am going to
start here. We have a Small Business server 2K3 server with 2 W2K & 1 W2K3
member servers. Recently, we noticed that when browsing the network from any
server, half the comptuers are missing. If we go to the workstations, they
can browse the servers and see all the computers. I have check DNS and all
seems ok. I can ping the missing workstations by IP and name. I can do an
nslookup on all the workstations and they resolve just fine. This isn't
really affecting our network or our functiality but is odd. If anyone has
any thoughts please let me know. I would like to resolve this issue before
things do start having problems.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
************ REPLY SEPARATER ************
What Steve says is 100% correct. On a small network you don't need more than
one master browser. If you had been running an all XP/SP2 network, you would
not have a master browser period. If you ever consider upgrading your network
to XP, always leave at least one 2000 machine connected to the network.

J.A. Coutts
 
In
John Coutts said:
************ REPLY SEPARATER ************
What Steve says is 100% correct. On a small network you don't need
more than one master browser. If you had been running an all XP/SP2
network, you would not have a master browser period. If you ever
consider upgrading your network to XP, always leave at least one 2000
machine connected to the network.

J.A. Coutts
Click to expand...

John,

Is there an article stipulating the lack of a master brownser using all
XP/SP2 machines in a workgroup? Is that due to the firewall?

--
Regards,
Ace

Please direct all replies ONLY to the Microsoft public newsgroups
so all can benefit.

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees
and confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft Windows MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services
Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations.
=================================
 
In

John,

Is there an article stipulating the lack of a master brownser using all
XP/SP2 machines in a workgroup? Is that due to the firewall?
Click to expand...
************* REPLY SEPARATER *************
No it is from personal experience which I aired on this news group previously.
I cannot remember who assisted me, but we were not able to resolve the issue.

The problem surfaced when a customer of mine was forced to upgrade their
systems on a small network without a server. When all systems were upgraded to
XP/SP2, none of the machines could browse the network. Plug in one 2000 machine
and all of them could browse. It appeared to me that SP2 did not support the
Master Browser service. The problem did not exist with SP1.

J.A. Coutts
 
In
John Coutts said:
************* REPLY SEPARATER *************
No it is from personal experience which I aired on this news group
previously. I cannot remember who assisted me, but we were not able
to resolve the issue.

The problem surfaced when a customer of mine was forced to upgrade
their systems on a small network without a server. When all systems
were upgraded to XP/SP2, none of the machines could browse the
network. Plug in one 2000 machine and all of them could browse. It
appeared to me that SP2 did not support the Master Browser service.
The problem did not exist with SP1.

J.A. Coutts
Click to expand...

I thought it sounded familiar. I remember being part of the discussion, but
it feels like it was so long time ago.

Ace
 
No it is from personal experience which I aired on this news group
previously.
I cannot remember who assisted me, but we were not able to resolve the issue.

The problem surfaced when a customer of mine was forced to upgrade their
systems on a small network without a server. When all systems were upgraded to
XP/SP2, none of the machines could browse the network. Plug in one 2000 machine
and all of them could browse. It appeared to me that SP2 did not support the
Master Browser service. The problem did not exist with SP1.
Click to expand...


SP2 supports the Master Browser but makes the XP machine
worthless as a master browser if the firewall is enaable without
opening the needed ports.

I believe that it can even participate and WIN the Master Browser
election, but then cannot accept the requests for the Backup Browser
list and browse lists.
 
SP2 supports the Master Browser but makes the XP machine
worthless as a master browser if the firewall is enaable without
opening the needed ports.

I believe that it can even participate and WIN the Master Browser
election, but then cannot accept the requests for the Backup Browser
list and browse lists.
Click to expand...
********** REPLY SEPARATER *********
No it cannot. Firewall was disabled because the network was firewalled at the
perimeter. The Master Browser service appears to be active, but it is non
functional and Browstat reports it as such.

J.A. Coutts
 
rknapke said:
I don't know if this is the right place to post a problem but i am going to
start here. We have a Small Business server 2K3 server with 2 W2K & 1 W2K3
member servers. Recently, we noticed that when browsing the network from any
server, half the comptuers are missing. If we go to the workstations, they
can browse the servers and see all the computers. I have check DNS and all
seems ok. I can ping the missing workstations by IP and name. I can do an
nslookup on all the workstations and they resolve just fine. This isn't
really affecting our network or our functiality but is odd. If anyone has
any thoughts please let me know. I would like to resolve this issue before
things do start having problems.
Click to expand...

On quick check of this thread I don't see a mention of your
subnetting/routing setup OR if you have WINS Server(s).

If you ahve MORE than one Subnet you need a WINS server,
and ALL machines will need to be be WINS clients (on their
NICs) to be certain that browsing will work across subnets
(and across domains with multiple subnets.)

Even "servers" (including the WINS Server itself) need to be
WINS clients, and run NetBIOS of course. Without this they
will not be registered and able to be found by other true clients.

Without this, the Domain Master Browser (your PDC or PDC
Emulator) and the Master Browsers from each subnet will not
find each other.

(Ok, you could make LMHOSTS files but that is an obsolete and
very tedious -- i.e., inferior -- solution.)
 
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