Browsing and WINS and Trusts (oh my)

[iggystar]

So I have a questions and and issue I'd like help with...here goes:

1) What exactly is it that make a machine (or a domain for that matter) show up in Network Neighborhood? I have a nagging suspicion that it's WINS but I cant find anything to confirm that, only wispy implications, and shodowy hints but not hard core facts.


Here's why I ask. I have a couple environments. I have what I consider my "main" environment and my secondary environments. My main environment is the one that I have all my secondary environments setup 2 way trusts. It's my trust hub, so to speak. All my secondary environment show up in Network Neighborhood all the time without any issues.

Then I have my red-headed stepchild environment (henceforth refered to as RHSC environment. It has a one way trust. It trusts my main domain but my main domain doesn't trust it.

Here's what I see:
1) Every once in a while the RHSC environment drops off of network neighborhood.
2) In an attempt to keep RHSC up in network neighborhood, I've made my secondary WINS server replicate with the RHSC WINS box. However, the RHSC WINS box can pull from but cannot push to the other wins box. I'm guessing this is because there is only a one way trust but can somebody confirm this for me?

In short (cuz I'm kinda long winded):
1) What puts something in network neighborhood?
2) Any ide why one domain would intermittantly drop out of network neighborhood?
3) Does having a 1 way trust affect WINS replication.

If you've read all this, I thank you. Thanks in advance for any help on this you can give.

 

[gbiello]

A Microsoft tech gave me the following advice on setting up WINS:
1) Each WINS server should point to itself as both primary and secondary WINS servers
2) WINS servers should be configured in a star configuration, so that a central WINS server performs a push/pull with each of the others. No other replications should be done.

Try this and see if it helps.
-gbiello

 

[iggystar]

Thanks.

I do have my WINS boxes set-up in a star config, but the problem I have is that I can push to, but not pull from, the domain that only has the one way trust. I'm curious if I have a trust issue that causes that, or something more insidious.

Also, is WINS what puts things in Network Neighborhood?

 

[gbiello]

The trust issue would make sense to me.
-gbiello

 

[iggystar]

Hmmm, ok...if the trust issue is a problem, then anybody know why:

1) the domain ever shows up at all? Sometimes I see it sometimes I don't

and

2) How do I make sure that I can always see that domain in Network Neighborhood?

Thanks again.

 

[gbiello]

The domain name is broadcast, and received by all computers on the same subnet, that's why it shows up.

As far as why it's only shows up occassionally, I'm not sure, you could try running 'jetpack' on the WINS databases, do you have multiple subnets that are being routed across? When you mention it only appearing sometimes, do you mean on one computer, or on some computers, and not others? You can make sure it shows up all the time with static entries on the WINS servers, or a properly configured LMHOSTS file, but those options would be more of a hack than a solution. I would hesitate to give you more specific advice on how to do this, as someone would know better than me how to do this.
-gbiello

 

[iggystar]

I actually found something on MS Technet that was useful. Replication is working peachy now.

Still cant see the domain in FMHQ...but at least I got 1 problem solved.

 

[gbiello]

Cool. Please post the Q article.
-gbiello

 

[iggystar]

Well actually there's nothing to post.

You set it up just like you set up any other Wins replication.

If the two Domains trust each other, when you enter the IP of the machine you want to replicate with, then you just add it, and it works fine.

If you are on a domain that's not trusted, you simply enter the IP, and then, since the other domain doesn't trust you, you also have to enter the machine named. Then it just works. It's really just 1 extra, extremely obvious step.

My mistake was trusting another guy in my office who told me he was sure the other box was set up. It wasn't. I should have just checked the machine.

More proof that if you want something done right, you usually have to do it yourself.

 

[DeanTX]

I like the replies above...

To answer your Net Neighborhood question...

it's the master browser of the subnet the computers are on.

If you have a large office, I bet Net Neighborhood looks different on differen machines in different subnets.

On your servers, you may want to turn browser election/services off on servers that you do not want to hold the browsing services...

ever see the message "Server1 has made a master browser election, but server2 thinks it is the master browser, bla bla?

Anyhow, draw it all out, then make your game plan.. Involve your router/switch guys to determine the optimal topology of your network...it's obviously not optimal if you have different network neighborhood contents...

Research master browser...

Also, I *think* all Win2k boxes, workstation or server will hold browswer elections for the subnet, but WINNT 4.0 does not..so..you'll need a SMS object or Tivoli object to deploy to change this setting on workstations..

Hope that helps!

Dean in TX!