Can not connect to a specific server 2

[rayway]

Our network has two servers, both running W2K. Server1 is set up as a domain controller running AD. We have several types of clients running Win98, NT, 2000, and XP. Our Win98 clients do not have access to the shared resouces on Server2 all the other clients do. All the clients have access to Server1.

The message being received is:

\\Server2 is not accessible. The computer or sharename could not be found.

 

[mark01]

Have you tried the ip address instead of computer?? \\IP Address
Also check your DNS settings...

 

[rayway]

Mark

Thanks for the tip to use the ip address instead of the computer name. This has allowed me to map drives on the Win98 clients to the shared resources on Server2. Once I did this, I also could now open up the server in Network Neighborhood on the client.

What would I look for under DNS settings that you mentioned? Would this be on the client or on the DC?

 

[sumaya]

rayway

In order for your Win98 clients to be able use your active directory you need to install the Directory service client (dsclient.exe) that ships on the server CD. You find it in the \clients\win9x folder. This should fix your problem and allow you to browse your active directory.

 

[mark01]

Well the dsclient is only if you want to search for objects in Active Directory. For example, if you wanted to search for a specific printer, the dsclient will allow you to do that after it is installed. I believe that is the only function of dsclient.exe.

The dsclient software doesn't have anything to do with not being able to connect to server resources on an Active Directory Domain Controller. You should be able to connect to \\server2 without the dsclient software.

This sounds more like a DNS issue to me. Do you have DNS installed on Server1. If not, maybe install it on server1, then on your win98 machines, put a DNS entry for server1's IP address in the TCP/IP properties to see if that works...

 

[sumaya]

mark01
that is only a part of the ability of the dsclient.

The DS client extension for Win9x includes the following capabilities:

Ablilty to log on to a domain controller "closet" to the client(site affinity).

Ability to change passwords on any Win2K domain controller instead of the PDC.

Alows scripting to Active Directory.

Provides a Dfs client for access to windows 2000 distributed file system.

Allows the user to change personal information properties (for example, phone number and adresses_ on there AD user object.

Takes adventage of the more secure authentication features available in NTLMv2

and for Active Directory you have to have DNS up and running.

 

[rayway]

DNS is running on Server1.

Mapping a drive to Server2 using an IP address works just fine for what I'm trying to accomplish.

I did try to follow the suggestion of sumaya to see if it would work. I started up the Win98 client and deleated the mapped drive and then installed dsclient.exe. After restarting the client I still could not access Server2 through Network Neighborhood. I then remapped a drive using the IP address of Server2 and can now get to the data I need.

My management skills are limited, we wear a lot of hats around here. I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[mark01]

Thats a good point sumaya, but installing dsclient still doesn't have anything to do with being able to access a server by name.

Any windows 98 computer can connect to a AD domain controller without the dsclient. That was my whole point.

Nice list of the capabilities of the dsclient, I didn't know all that stuff!

 

[sumaya]

rayway
i just duplicated your problem and i found out that you have to tell the win98 computers that the host name for dns is server1 and the domain name is your (domain name) also in the indentification tab name your workgroup the same as your (domain name)


sumaya