Computers don't show up in Network Neighborhood 1

[cantwellt]

I have a workgroup with approx. 20 Win95 and NT 4.0 workstations. I have one NT 4.0 server that is a stand alone server joined to the domain. All the computers are on static IP addresses. Passwords and e-mail are all handled at the domain level. Many times I can see every computer in the domain except the ones in my workgroup. Any ideas on why this happens? I can map a drive from one computer to another, but I still can't see it on the network neighborhood.

 

[Zelandakh]

Check that the workgroup and domain names are the same. Are you using WINS server? Are you all using the same protocol or is it a mix of NetBEUI / TCPIP / IPX? <p>Zel<br><a href=mailto:zel@zelandakh.co.uk>zel@zelandakh.co.uk</a><br><a href=

http://www.zelandakh.co.uk>A

poor example of a web site</a><br>Looking to take MCP TCPIP shortly - all help gratefully received

 

[cantwellt]

Thanks for the help! Everything is supposed to be TCP/IP. Yes, there is a Wins server at the network center. I did however negate to tell you that the NT 4.0 computers are on the Domain and the Win95 computers are in the&nbsp;&nbsp;workgroup. My knowledge is limited as this is a very small part of my job. Thanks again for the help!

 

[AndyBo]

As far as I know, NT Domains and Win 9x Workgroups are the same thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;In theory, you should be able to see your workgroup.<br><br>Once thought springs to mind though - you say that it's your workgroup that can't be seen - is this workgroup on a different TCP/IP network address range?<br><br>For example, is your PC workgroup using 10.1.1.x, and the NT server on network 192.168.1.x?&nbsp;&nbsp;If that's the case, I think you're stuck. &nbsp;&nbsp;To the best of my knowledge, even though you're using TCP/IP as the transport protocol, the NT/Win9x networking won't work over different TCP/IP networks.&nbsp;&nbsp;It doesn't have the capability to route, even though TCP/IP does.<br><br>I think it's related to the fact that the original LAN Manager style networking that the Microsoft style of file and printer sharing is built on had this limitation.&nbsp;&nbsp;When Microsoft made TCP/IP available as the transport it was a quick hack job just to replace the original (non-routable) NetBeui protocol.<br><br>Can anyone confirm this?&nbsp;&nbsp;Or correct me if I'm way out?

 

[cantwellt]

Thanks Again guys!<br><br>The addresses are indentical, including the server, except for the last 3 digits (xxx.xx.xxx.100 thru xxx.xx.xxx.149) Sometimes you can see others in the workgroup, other times you can't. The mapped drives that I set up always connect even when the computer I map to is not seen. Sometimes I can't even see the server. <br><br>I also am cross platforming with some Macs via TCP/IP on the same network. Could this cause the problem? The Macs do use some Appletalk going to printers etc.

 

[dxd]

There are really two different issues being discussed here.<br><br>One is the ability to browse a network...workgroup and the other is the ability to resolve the host/netbios name.<br><br>It is apparent that name resolution is functioning if you are able to map a network drive using the UNC.<br><br>Browsing is dependent upon having a browse master for your domain and workgroup. Under a domain the NT Server would be the Master Browser, by default. It would maintain and update the browser list. In your workgroup, with only Win95 boxes, it is a crapshoot as to which will be the browse master and maintain the list. If you had one Win 95 box that was running all the time, you could force it to be the master and then disable the other Win95 boxes from trying to takes its place.<br><br>You want to make sure File and Printer sharing is installed on all Win95 boxes. You could then go into the properties of File and Printer Sharing to change the Browse Master settings. By default it is set to Auto. You can set it to enabled for one box and disabled for the rest. You should only do this if the one box will be up all the time. Else, you could select a few Win95 boxes as master and one should be available all the time.<br><br>It is kind of long winded, but I hope it helps.<br><br><br>dxd

 

[cantwellt]

It helps greatly. I'll give it a shot an re-post. Thanks!

 

[linuxtricks]

<font color=red>1.</font> <b><font color=red>Don't EVER trust Network Neighborhood!</b></font><br><br><font color=red>2.</font> Always use &quot;ping&quot; as a test to see if your network is talking to each other.<br><br><font color=red>3.</font> Make sure every machine on the network is following the same IP addressing scheme:<br>192.168.0.1<br>192.168.0.2<br>192.168.0.3<br>etc... etc...<br><br><font color=red>4.</font> To make life easier for your Win9x machines: Change the workgroup name to match the Domain name of your NT Domain.<br><br>-just some random tips-<br>Hope one of them help you.&nbsp;&nbsp;=) <p> <br><a href=mailto: > </a><br><a href= > </a><br><i>try not!</i><br>
<i>do... or do not. there is no try!</i>

 

[cantwellt]

Halfcircles,<br><br>Thanks for the suggestions. Have done all you stated. I think I found my answer. It's not the one I wanted, but here's what the best Systems Administrator that I personally know says. I am posting it in case it helps someone else. Here's what he said.<br><br>&quot;I discovered the answer just before I left.&nbsp;&nbsp;The problem is Win 95 itself.<br>Its internal network tables are limited and it can only store about 1,500<br>systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are well over 3,000 in the Network Neighborhood.&nbsp;&nbsp;All those<br>folks who come in at 0600 take the slots in the servers and leave your<br>computers out.&nbsp;&nbsp;I read it somewhere on MS Support.&quot;

 

[MasterRacker]

With a network that size you're better off turning off file and print sharing and not having the workstations appear in the NN at all.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unless you have people storing data on local hard disks instead of a server there is no reason for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, if that's the case, I hope you have a VERY good backup system for the workstations in place.<br><br>On our system, we have 120 workstation and only 7 appear in the NN.&nbsp;&nbsp;An NT station can be hidden and you can still map a drive to it if you know its name. <p> Jeff<br><a href=mailto: masterracker@hotmail.com> masterracker@hotmail.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br> Of all the things I've lost in life, I miss my mind the most ...

 

[cantwellt]

We work with a lot of very large photo and graphics files and working across the network slows us down. But daily, (8-10)artists and photographers must share a few files.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each person backs up their own files by writing to a cd. It may seem quite strange, but it works for us. It just takes too long writing huge files to and from the server all day.

 

[Zelandakh]

Unshare each workstation that does not need sharing.<br><br>Create hidden shares for the ones that do need sharing (the 8 or 10 listed above.)<br><br>Create login scripts for the relevant people and stick them on the server<br><br>net use f: \\firstdesktop\sharedfolder$<br><br>etc <p>Zel<br><a href=mailto:zel@zelandakh.co.uk>zel@zelandakh.co.uk</a><br><a href=

http://www.zelandakh.co.uk>A

poor example of a web site</a><br>Looking to take MCP TCPIP shortly - all help gratefully received

 

[cantwellt]

Thank you very much! I'll give it a try. I figured out yesterday that I could browse when everyone else had gone home and shut down their systems. I made shortcuts to the needed computers and put them in a folder called &quot;our neighborhood&quot; on the task bar. I can copy and paste the folder into the all users folder taskbar and everyone can shortcut over to each other instead of browse. I guess it pretty goofy, but it works!

 

[Grimfort]

I've has the same type of problem with NN on just 3 or 4 PC's. If you open My Computer and just dig around in yuor folders for a bit then go back to NN you can probably see them. Its not just major networks that have these problems.

Grimfort [sig][/sig]

 

[Guest_imported]

This is a problem with your browsemaster setting. Windows keeps a list of the computers on a random computer. That computer is elected randomly and if it is shutdown then it takes a little until another computer has remapped the network. I have found if you turn on LM Announce in the properties for file sharing then you machines will show up faster.