unable to browse network

[yoshie]

Hi all,
I am running a Win2k Server and 30 Win2k Pro machines on our network. Internet browsing and email are all fine but
I am unable to browse my network threw "my network places".
Yet I can use the run command and type "\\computer" and see everything on the particular machine ok. I ge an error of "list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available".
Any ideas of why this would be??

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[welshguy]

Yoshie,

You need WINS set up on your server and point your clients to this. Then you should be able to browse the network.

Cheers

 

[H0bbsie]

Yoshie,

I am having a similar problem! Are you running in Mixed Mode or Native Mode Active Directory?? If you are in Native Mode then WINS Will NOT Help you! Check out the browstat command on the Windows 2000 Server disk! Install the Support\tools stuff and then go to a command prompt and type browstat! You need a Primary and Backup Browser to be running for Browsing to work!

H0bbsie

 

[welshguy]

This is a bit misleading - to browse network neighbourhood efficiently you do need WINS - this is the case in both mixed and native mode.

The point is that if you are using all Win2k clients and native mode you have the option of browsing through the AD instead. To do this you simply publish all resources like printers, shares etc within the active directory.

Hope this clarifies

 

[yoshie]

Hi all,
just to update I have fixed the problem...
A knowlage base artical stated that an election was needed, so shut down all workstations, shut down the server-reboot and bingo "my network places" works and can browse the network again.
Here is the link to the knowlage base artical for those of you who are interested...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q285035

Thanks all for your sugestions...

 

[welshguy]

Well done Yoshie !

There is a problem with elections on a mixed network - problem is one of the election criteria is OS - so sometimes a Win2k professional client can become master browser over an NT4 server - with obvious consequences when the workstation is switched off.

Glad you've sorted this