Multiple subnets with the same workgroup name.

[mdedionisio]

Can someone confirm my suspiscion please, as I have never had to do this before. I am setting up a routed network with multiple subnets. Each subnet will have 1 XP Pro PC which is a domain member, and 2 XP Pro pc's which are in a workgroup. It appears that I can't have multiple instances of the same workgroup name existing on multiple subnets. In other words, on subnet 1 there are 2 pc's that are members of WORKGROUP, and on subnet 2 there are 2 more pc's that are members of WORKGROUP. When I browse the network I can only see one of the workgroups named WORKGROUP. I guess I thought all of the machines belonging to WORKGROUP would appear under that name when browsing. I don't really have a problem with this as I can rename each workgroup to something unique, but I would like to know if this is expected behavior.

Thanks

Mark

 

[1003]

I don't think that you will be able to see computers on other subnets at all because browsing rellies on broadcasts which won't get accross subnet boundaries.

Even if your PCs were in a domain, you would need to set up a domain master browser and master browsers for all the subnets.

You will have problems even accessing the computers on other subnet using just their name, unless you will run a DNS server or a WINS server on your network.

 

[Wishdiak]

mdedionisio,

Workgroups and network browsing use NetBIOS, which is broadcast-based.

With the exception of RFC 1542-compliant routers, routers by design block all broadcast traffic. In short, this is the expected behavior.

Wishdiak

http://www.wishdiak.com