Can only see own workgroup in Entire Network

[Spud]

Hi,

Im using Windows XP Pro, and when I go to "entire network", sometimes
I only see the workgroup I am in, and the computers in that workgroup.
No matter what I do, I cannot see other workgroups. I have rebooted my
pc many times, but to no avail.

I have tried using the browstat.exe tool, and it gives me the master
browser name as a series of hearts and slashes!! However, sometimes
when i turn my pc on, i can browse all workgroups fine, and in this
case browstat gives me a correct, human readable name for the master
browser.

I am on a large (few thousand computers) network, but only about 80 or
so are sharing files. I would guess there are about 20 different
workgroups. This is a university network, and I am a student, so I
obviously do not have any access to the master browser/routers etc,
only my own pc. Just to clarify, I am not doing anything considering
"illegal" by my university here - file sharing is perfectly acceptable
and allowed, and is usually how I access my dorimitory pc from the
computer lab on campus.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Chuck]

Hi,

Im using Windows XP Pro, and when I go to "entire network", sometimes
I only see the workgroup I am in, and the computers in that workgroup.
No matter what I do, I cannot see other workgroups. I have rebooted my
pc many times, but to no avail.

I have tried using the browstat.exe tool, and it gives me the master
browser name as a series of hearts and slashes!! However, sometimes
when i turn my pc on, i can browse all workgroups fine, and in this
case browstat gives me a correct, human readable name for the master
browser.

I am on a large (few thousand computers) network, but only about 80 or
so are sharing files. I would guess there are about 20 different
workgroups. This is a university network, and I am a student, so I
obviously do not have any access to the master browser/routers etc,
only my own pc. Just to clarify, I am not doing anything considering
"illegal" by my university here - file sharing is perfectly acceptable
and allowed, and is usually how I access my dorimitory pc from the
computer lab on campus.

Thanks for any help!

Spud,

If you could post the browstat output here, we might be able to help interpret
it. This "master browser name as a series of hearts and slashes" makes me
suspect either your computer, or someone else's computer, has a corruption
problem.

Since this problem seems to come and go, I'll bet it's another computer on your
network that needs help. You're going to have to work with the tech support
group for your network, and see how to identify and correct the problem
computer.

With this peer-peer browser election process, and no central authority to
mediate, on a large heterogeneous network like yours, this sounds like an
expectable situation. Here's hoping that your tech support group has its stuff
together. Maybe you'll find a clue here.
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Spud]

Thanks for the reply Chuck.

Currently I can see all the computers and workgroups on the Network.

My browstat status is as follows:

C:\Documents and Settings\Andrew>browstat status


Status for domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: GETHIN9
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 53
\\\\GETHIN9 . Version:05.01 Flags: 41003 NT MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master GETHIN9
\\GETHIN9
There are 8 servers in domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}
There are 55 domains in domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}

I am confused as to why gethin9 is the browse master. This is just a
"normal guy" like me, in my current workgroup!

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the reply Chuck.

Currently I can see all the computers and workgroups on the Network.

My browstat status is as follows:

C:\Documents and Settings\Andrew>browstat status


Status for domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: GETHIN9
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 53
\\\\GETHIN9 . Version:05.01 Flags: 41003 NT MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master GETHIN9
\\GETHIN9
There are 8 servers in domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}
There are 55 domains in domain SHARING FILES on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3173374A-963D-475D-B556-75A1BE0B79FB}

I am confused as to why gethin9 is the browse master. This is just a
"normal guy" like me, in my current workgroup!

Spud,

The browser provides a peer-peer inventory of all servers (a server is any
computer sharing data) in a LAN. You can have multiple browsers in a single
workgroup (aka "domain"), but each browser can only inventory the shares in one
single workgroup.

<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win95/w95brows.mspx>

There can be only one master browser in a workgroup; the master browser is
elected (using a rather complicated peer-peer process) from all the browsers in
the workgroup. Since your workgroup likely contains "normal" guys like you
(client computers like yours), the master browser (gethin9) is probably a client
computer like yours.

The good news is that you have a rather unique workgroup ("domain") name -
"SHARING FILES", so there are only 8 computers using that workgroup name. In a
workgroup with just 8 computers, the standard recommendation is that you have
just 2 computers running as browsers. One computer is the master browser, and
the other is the backup browser. The backup browser becomes the master browser
only if the current master goes offline.

Both master and backup browsers MUST be either Windows 95/98/ME OR Windows
NT/2K/XP; you can't mix the two.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=246489

Identify the 2 computers (of same operating system type) that stay online
consistently, and designate them the browsers. Make sure the browser service is
running on the browser computers. Control Panel - Administrative Tools -
Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper,
services both show with Status = Started. Disable the browser service (Windows
NT/2K/XP), or the browse master (Windows 95/98/ME) on the other 6 computers:
http://cms.simons-rock.edu/faq_by_subtopic/node138.html
http://www.compudentsystems.com/documentation/win98.html

After checking / disabling / enabling as above, power all computers off to reset
the browser settings on each. Once ALL computers have been powered off, power
them back on. Once all 8 computers agree upon which computers provide browsing
services (after the power reset), all 8 should be able to see each other in My
Network Places.

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.