Workstations disappear of network

[Righty]

I am working on a small local network in an office. It has a server for certain applications but mostly just shares files and a laser printer directly connected to one workstation. The computers are connected by an 8 and a 5 port Linksys hub (there are 11 connections total). Four computers are running Win 98, a couple are running Win 2000, a couple are running XP and the server is running windows 2000. The uplink port on the 5 port hub is being used. The problem is that you can work on a computer and in network neighborhood you can see all the computers. 10 minutes later some of the computers are no longer there. You reboot and sometimes some of them return. Another example is sometimes you cannot see the server, but when you go to the server you can see these computers and connect to the files on these same computers. The system has TCP/IP and IPX/SPX protocols loaded. I have checked some of the computers for viruses but there are none. Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

Win2k Professional has a 10 connection limit.
In addition, autodisconnect plays a role after 15 minutes by default. You can adjust this:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297684

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q138365

 

[Righty]

I just rechecked the connections and there are 9 connections total on the workgroup. Only 8 actually access the Win 2000 server. The other is the server itself. The other computers either share files between 2 or 3 of them or access teh printer through a computer with Win98 on it. I am also finding that (I will call the computers in this example computers A,B and C)computer "A" will see computers "B" and "C". Then 15 minutes later computer "A" cannot see computers "B" and "C". But computers "B" and "C" can see and access files on computer "A". It doesn't matter if they have Win98, XP or Win 2000. Could it be one of the hubs going bad? I replaced the older of the two to try it and I was still having the problem.

 

[edfair]

Have you tried NETBUI as a protocol? Seems to do wonders with disappearing systems on a 98 network.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.