Browsing Servers from different subnets issue 3

[Daveyd123]

On my core router I have 2 interfaces setup to use 192.168.0.x and 192.168.1.x subnets.

I have servers on both 0.x and 1.x. If I am on a server with a 0.x IP address, I can go into Network Places/Entire Network and "see" all servers on BOTH the 0.x and 1.x subnets.

If I am on a server on the 1.x subnet, and go into Network Places/Entire Network, I can only see servers on the 1.x subnet and NOT the 0.x. I can ping, map drives and access all resources on the servers on the 0.x subnet...just can't "see" them.

Thsi is having an effect on Backup Exec, which is on the 1.x subnet and cannot "see" the Servers in the 0.x subnet and therefore I cannot choose them to put in the backups.

Any ideas?

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

This is old NT 4 technology so bare with me... The Network list is generated by the browser service. Each subnet has a browse master, backup browsers, etc... members are elected. The service uses broadcasts, I would assume that your router is not allowing these broadcasts to travers the router. Therefore the browse lists is not being updated for your whole network topology. Check MS web-site for more info on the Browser service.

 

[itsp1965]

Did u have any access lists on your core router that would not allow access ports 138/139/445 on one of the interfaces? MS Browsing is a pain, but if this not the case you can either add an LMHOSTS file on the server that is running backup exec or you can have a WINS server setup.

 

[Daveyd123]

Yea, I know what you mean with old school NT browsing. I grew up on NT server. The servers are all 2k3 but I assume it's still the same. I would almost have to think that the 192.168.0.x interface must be blocking NetBios as I cannot "see" anything on that subnet.

The 192.168.1.x subnet must allow netbios as I can "see" all the servers that the subnet contains from the 192.168.0.x subnet

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

Check with what itsp is stating, I'm sure netBios in not blocked. Most Network Engineers do not block this on an internal Windows Environment.
An old trick that used to fix the problem in NT was to stop and start the browser service on the PDC. Try stopping and restarting the Computer Browser Service on the PDC emulator. I really don't know if this will fix the problem, but it is worth a shot...

 

[Daveyd123]

I tried to add the ip directed-broadcast command on the router and it did not work.

I did notice something though. Every time I restart the Computer Browser service on the PDC emulator I get the following Warning message in the System log:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Server
Event Category: None
Event ID: 2510
Date: 5/24/2007
Time: 2:41:25 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DC1
Description:
The server service was unable to map error code 998.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I did a lot of searching on it and could not come up with a definitive anwser

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

I'm showing Event ID: 2510 Code: 998 as SAV (Symantec Anti-Virus) client's Auto Protection was disabled. That would not cause the issue.

The browser service uses UDP port 138. Is NetBIOS disabled on any of your servers and/or workstations?

For more info on Computer Browser Service:

http://www.petri.co.il/what's_the_microsoft_computer_browser_service.htm

 

[w33mhz]

NetBios isn't really a routable protocol. You may want to look into setting up a wins server or even better a wins server on each subnet. Then enable the WINS on dhcp or manually how ever you have your ip addressing setup for those server.

 

[Daveyd123]

I do have a WINS server on the 192.168.1.x subnet only. I created a static mapping to a server in the 192.168.0.x subnet. I still cannot see the server in Network Places or BackupExec on the 192.168.1.x subnet

Kenny,

I am not sure why I am getting the The server service was unable to map error code 998 error every time I restart teh Browser service. We use Mcafee AV not Symantec

 

[Daveyd123]

Funny thing is, we have other remote subnets...192.168.2.x, .3.x, .4.x...that I have no problems "seeing" in Network Places or BackupExec.

the only difference is the subnets above are on different routers whereas the 0.x and 1.x are on the same router but different interfaces

 

[w33mhz]

Have you tried configuring the wins server settings on the servers in question?

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

Did you gather any info from the link I posted above? I'm going to place it in a quote so you can copy an paste the URL. Seems the "'" in what's is breaking the link.

http://www.petri.co.il/what's_the_microsoft_computer_browser_service.htm

This document has a lot of information, including which WINS entries to look for.

I don't think WINS is your issue. But, just verify that the server running wins is pointing to itself for its primary WINS.
Also, Static mappings in WINS should only be used for Name Resolution for NON WINS clients. If the server you created the static mapping for in a Windows box, remove the static mapping.

As stated before, because NetBIOS is a broadcast, I would suspect that the broadcasts are not being herd by all clients on your network.

Read the link, if you haven't already, to see if it spurs any Ideas.

 

[w33mhz]

I am just assuming that you are using a cisco. Have you configured an IP helper address? And configured the ports for netbios 135 and 138

 

[Daveyd123]

Yes, it is a Cisco router. I was just thinking about the ip helper command. No, it's not in place

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

That's interesting w33mhz. I'm not a cisco guy, I didn't know that you could create a helper IP address for NetBIOS. Should he also add port 445 (SMB over TCP/IP)?

 

[Daveyd123]

On the 192.168.0.1 interface, I added ip helper 192.168.1.255 and it worked. I can browse from 192.168.1.x to 0.x now!

The ip helper is not on the 192.168.1.x interface but I can still browse to the 192.168.0.x subnet

 

[w33mhz]

WhoKilledKenny- SMB is samba protocol, Shouldn't have to use that, unless Daveyd123 is using a unix/linux machine and using the samba client to connect.

Daveyd123- Thats great I'm glad it worked. I beleive you have it set correctly, from what I remember you would want it on the interface needing the helper.

 

[Daveyd123]

Just wondering why I could browse from the 0.x subnet to the 1.x subnet with no helper address but could not browse from the 1.x to the 0.x subnet without the helper address?!?

Any idea?

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

WhoKilledKenny- SMB is samba protocol, Shouldn't have to use that, unless Daveyd123 is using a unix/linux machine and using the samba client to connect.

Sorry, I beg to differ with you. SMB is Server Message Block protocol and is used by Windows2000 or later. "

http://www.petri.co.il/what's_port_445_in_w2k_xp_2003.htm"

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

Just wondering why I could browse from the 0.x subnet to the 1.x subnet with no helper address but could not browse from the 1.x to the 0.x subnet without the helper address?!?

My guess would be because the NetBIOS broacasts were traversing the router for those subnets. The Ip helper address is doing the same thing. I'm also glad that it is working for you. Again, I am not a cisco guy, but I know that routers act as boadcast boundaries and you have to allow certain broadcast to go accross, depeding on the service you need to provide.