Can 't browse the Network 1

[Barnacle]

I have a user who has a brand new Windows 2000 Professional workstation on a Windows 2000 network. He often cannot browse the network for some strange reason. It is very intermittant. He will reboot his computer a few times and when he comes back into Windows sometimes he is able to browse the network, but most times he cannot.

The problem seems to be specific to this person. Others in the company have new Windows 2000 Pro machines also, and they don't seem to have the same problem?

Could he possibly be running some software that conflicts with his computers browser service? Is there anything else
I can check to troubleshoot this issue?

 

[MrTickle]

I take it that you have tried the basics, new NIC, new cable, differnet LAN access point etc?????

 

[Barnacle]

Honestly, I haven't tried any of those things yet. I guess I figured that because this person in on the network, using
Outlook and accessing files on the server (with Word, Open or \\servername)that those items are working properly.

I have had the same problem that he is experiencing (intermittant problem with browsing the network) on another machine (The main one that I use), so maybe it isn't specific to his machine. It may be happening on all machines on the network, but most users don't use or need that capability.

 

[bluewhaleCA]

For the most part, if you have connectivity then all parts of the LAN connection should function...
One thought: Is your server set up as a WINS server? I never leave home without it. ( you have to tell the work stations to refer to it too )

Paul

 

[WiredNDC69]

Not to knock Microsoft, however the browse feature is not the best feature Microsoft has. One of the items that I have always noticed is that the time Microsoft takes to "broadcast" it's presence on a network can vary. One of the items that I would try if it is feasible is to power down the network and bring back up in the proper sequence unless the network is too large or not an acceptable answer.

One of the other items to look at, which I am sure you did, however it is easy to overlook an item , speaking from experience, and check the TCP settings along with the rest of the network stack and the bindings to the network card.

 

[gurner]

I saw a similar problem a while a go and tried all the usual (including WINS) but everything appeared fine.

What i tried, that seems to be working, was installed NetBEUI.

This problem was mostly specific to XP machines but appears to be working on a couple of 2K machines

NetBEUI is not available to install on XP unless you copy the Driver files e.t.c. to the System32/Drivers folder and *.INF file to the INF folder

But Win2k machines do have it as an available Protocol to install.

Don't know if it was right but it appears to work

 

[bluewhaleCA]

NETBEUI is a great protocol for a single segment network, however

1: it's not routable
2: you double your network usage if you enable it in addition to TCP/IP.


Regarding PC's not showing up immediately on the browse list for the Domain, you can use the RUN command and \\workstation to get there as soon as the PC is authenticated to the server.

I think of being seen in the browse window as similar to DC replication: it takes time for the network to get the information and spread it to the masses.

I used to make sure each workstation had a share on it to get it to show up in the browse list, but haven't really had to do that since W2K Server came out.


regards

Paul

 

[novellmel]

It sounds to me like your problems have more to do with IP addresses and bindings than anything else. If your network cards are set to obtain DHCP and IP addresses automatically, that usually works. However, it doesn't always work. I'd check into that, anyway.