browsing not active though master browser started

[Calif_Art]

XP PRO computer (new to me).

Using Windows Explorer, under Microsoft Windows Network I can see my home
network (named Workgroup). But, when I click on it I get the message
"Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you
have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not
currently available."

I did some investigation on the Web and figured it might be a browser
service issue. The computer browser service IS enabled. So, I ran
browstat.exe. That told gave me the following:

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{B905E706-D33E-45C8
-AA90-9BBA9E93FCDB}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: DESKTOP2
Master browser is running build 2600

My computer is named "Desktop2" so it seems that the computer browser
service IS started and correctly set to Desktop2 but for some reason isn't
actually working. I am a bit stumped on what to try next.

I have a laptop. If I start it up after Desktop2 then the laptop can see
itself but not the desktop. On the other hand, if I start the laptop up first
then everything works the way it should.

 

[John Wunderlich]

XP PRO computer (new to me).

Using Windows Explorer, under Microsoft Windows Network I can see
my home network (named Workgroup). But, when I click on it I get
the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator
of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The
list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

I did some investigation on the Web and figured it might be a
browser service issue. The computer browser service IS enabled.
So, I ran browstat.exe. That told gave me the following:

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{B905E706-D33E-45C8
-AA90-9BBA9E93FCDB}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: DESKTOP2
Master browser is running build 2600

My computer is named "Desktop2" so it seems that the computer
browser service IS started and correctly set to Desktop2 but for
some reason isn't actually working. I am a bit stumped on what to
try next.

I have a laptop. If I start it up after Desktop2 then the laptop
can see itself but not the desktop. On the other hand, if I start
the laptop up first then everything works the way it should.

Almost always in a situation like this it turns out to be a
[misconfigured] firewall problem. In your case, it seems to be on
Desktop2. Machines discover each other by broadcast messages. If a
firewall app blocks the broadcasts, then a computer will think it's
the only machine on the subnet.

Temporarily turn off, disable, or uninstall firewall programs on your
machines and see if things improve.

"Internet firewalls can prevent browsing and file sharing"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298804>

HTH,
John

 

[Calif_Art]

XP PRO computer (new to me).

Using Windows Explorer, under Microsoft Windows Network I can see
my home network (named Workgroup). But, when I click on it I get
the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator
of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The
list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

I did some investigation on the Web and figured it might be a
browser service issue. The computer browser service IS enabled.
So, I ran browstat.exe. That told gave me the following:

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{B905E706-D33E-45C8
-AA90-9BBA9E93FCDB}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: DESKTOP2
Master browser is running build 2600

My computer is named "Desktop2" so it seems that the computer
browser service IS started and correctly set to Desktop2 but for
some reason isn't actually working. I am a bit stumped on what to
try next.

I have a laptop. If I start it up after Desktop2 then the laptop
can see itself but not the desktop. On the other hand, if I start
the laptop up first then everything works the way it should.

Almost always in a situation like this it turns out to be a
[misconfigured] firewall problem. In your case, it seems to be on
Desktop2. Machines discover each other by broadcast messages. If a
firewall app blocks the broadcasts, then a computer will think it's
the only machine on the subnet.

Temporarily turn off, disable, or uninstall firewall programs on your
machines and see if things improve.

"Internet firewalls can prevent browsing and file sharing"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298804>

HTH,
John

Thanks!

I don't use the Windows Firewall because I am behind a DSL modem/router. I
turned it on and rebooted - no joy. Then, I turned it back off and rebooted -
no joy again. I have Kaspersky Anti-Virus (not Internet Security) but that
dosn't have a firewall built in.

If it were a firewall issue wouldn't I be able to see Desktop2 from
Desktop2? I didn't explicitly say this (just mentioned the error I get) but
Desktop2 cannot even see itself - NO computers are visible under Workgroup.
This seems to imply that the browser service isn't browsing at all.

Any other thoughts?

Art

 

[John Wunderlich]

Thanks!

I don't use the Windows Firewall because I am behind a DSL
modem/router. I turned it on and rebooted - no joy. Then, I turned
it back off and rebooted - no joy again. I have Kaspersky
Anti-Virus (not Internet Security) but that dosn't have a firewall
built in.

If it were a firewall issue wouldn't I be able to see Desktop2
from Desktop2? I didn't explicitly say this (just mentioned the
error I get) but Desktop2 cannot even see itself - NO computers
are visible under Workgroup. This seems to imply that the browser
service isn't browsing at all.

Any other thoughts?

The Computer Browser service only really needs to be running on one
computer in the subnet. It enables that computer to participate in
browser elections and potentially become elected to Master Browser.
What you see in your Network Neighborhood is the result of asking the
Master Browser to list the computers that it sees on the subnet. You
can force another machine to be Browse Master by stopping this service.

You say it works when the laptop starts first. That's probably because
the laptop became the Master Browser. If it sees the Desktop, then the
Desktop must be sending properly but may not be receiving unexpected
broadcasts properly.

Other random thoughts:
Do you have a Cisco VPN client on your desktop? This client has a
built-in firewall that works even when the VPN client isn't running.
If this is the case, you can start up the client and disable the
"Stateful Firewall".

You can bring up a command prompt window and enter the command:
ipconfig /all
Verify that your "Node Type" is _not_ a P-node or Peer-to-Peer Node.
This type of node does not use broadcasts to discover other machines.

You might also try going into the Network Control Panel and verify that
"NetBIOS-over-TCP/IP" is enabled (In the WINS tab under TCP/IP
Properties/Advanced).

HTH,
John