Hostname Resolution Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gary
  • Start date Start date
G

Gary

Can someone help me understand name resolution in Windows networks? I've
had a reoccurring problem that I always seem to fix somehow buy a lucky
guess or something...but I feel it's time for me to really understand what's
going on.

Let's go back to NT4 days...without a WINS server...name resolution seems to
still happen most of the time for me. In some instances...it doesn't. How
does this occur? If it is not working...what can I do (other than install a
WINS server or DNS server) to get it working again?

My most recent problem lies with one server in particular. Other server
names resolve just fine....however after some problems with a tape drive, a
Windows 2000 server suddenly wouldn't resolve on the network. You can
connect to it by IP address...but the host name wouldn't return anything.
You can't ping it or reference it in anyway. It will just return an error.

Can someone help me with some definitive answers?

Thanks,
Gary
 
W2K-server is much happier if it runs DNS-server. DNS on the servernic(s)
should *only* point to the server-IP. How many nics in the server?
WINS is needed if you have clients with W9x, ME or NT4.
 
But I've had name resolution work just fine without WINS or DNS on networks.
There might be two NICS on the server...I'll have to go there and check
again...I can't remember.
 
Hi Gary,

Then you just have been very lucky. Believe me, DNS-server installed on your
W2K-server will do you good (and your networks).

Marina
 
I believe you...but I'm just annoyed at unpreditability of name resolution
without WINS or DNS. I assumed it was my lack of knowledge about how it
worked and the point of my post was to find out why it works...when it
should work and when it shouldn't. It can't be magic.

Gary
 
It depends on the OS you're using. W9x, ME and NT4 rely on WINS for
resolution and Netbios over TCP/IP. W2K and XP rely on DNS.
 
You probably forgot about the broadcasts for name resolution. That's the
hell if a large scale network utilizes NetBIOS and that's why we've been
definitely needing WINS server in an environment as such.
Strictly speaking, WINS and DNS resolve different types of network names.
 
:
: Can someone help me understand name resolution in Windows networks?
:
: Let's go back to NT4 days...without a WINS server...name resolution seems
to
: still happen most of the time for me. In some instances...it doesn't.
How
: does this occur? If it is not working...what can I do (other than install
a
: WINS server or DNS server) to get it working again?

Win9x/ME/NT all use NetBIOS. TCP/IP on these OS means NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
TCP/IP is being used as a transport to connect two systems running NetBIOS.
Native IP support for Windows came with W2K. W2K cannot communicate with
Win9x/ME/NT unless NetBIOS over TCP/IP is used or a different protocol that
they both support.

WINS = NetBIOS naming
DNS = IP naming

LMHOSTS = NetBIOS naming
HOSTS = IP naming

LMHOSTS is not required if you have a WINS server.
HOSTS is not required if you have a DNS server.

LMHOSTS uses NetBIOS name. In Windows this means computer name.
HOSTS uses FQDN (Fully Qualfiied Domain Name) or host.domain.tld (Top Level
Domain) Note: .cc = country code may be included at the end.
host.domain.tld.cc

On the local subnet, using NetBIOS (Win9x/ME/NT) connecting to a computer
name can be done without LMHOSTS and WINS. You run into trouble when you
try to leave the local subnet.

: My most recent problem lies with one server in particular. Other server
: names resolve just fine....however after some problems with a tape drive,
a
: Windows 2000 server suddenly wouldn't resolve on the network. You can
: connect to it by IP address...but the host name wouldn't return anything.
: You can't ping it or reference it in anyway. It will just return an
error.
If you're running AD (Active Directory) then DNS could be your issue. The
primary DC running AD should also be running DNS, with the DNS pointing to
itself. All workstations in this local domain should also only point to the
local DNS.

Ex.
Router: 192.168.0.1 (DFG)
FS1: 192.168.0.2
Primary DNS: 192.168.0.2

Workstations: 192.168.0.50-254
Primary DNS: 192.168.0.3

Do not point to any ISP DNS servers. They do not know anything about your
local network.

On the server, ONLY in the DNS Server settings, make sure in the forward
lookup that "." (dot) is not an entry or you will have issues getting to the
Internet. You should delete this if it exists and you can add a forwarder
to your ISP's DNS server(s) but it is not required. If a forwarder is not
present, the root hint servers will be used.

A forwarder may offer a slight performance increase but should your ISP
experience DNS issues, not having a forwarder will eliminate this being an
issue for your network.

--
Roland

This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose.

-Technet Script Center-
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/scriptcenter/default.asp
-MSDN Library-
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp
 
: "Gary" wrote:
: Workstations: 192.168.0.50-254
: Primary DNS: 192.168.0.3

This should read:
Workstations: 192.168.0.50-254
Primary DNS: 192.168.0.2

oops!
 
Back
Top