Browstat.exe usage problems in Windows Vista Business

[Kevin]

I am trying to resolve a home networking issue between one Vista Business
laptop and several XP Pro SP2 & SP3 machines on my existing, functional
NetBEUI home network (File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks &
Client for Microsoft Networks bound only to NetBEUI, not to TCP/IP -
additionally, NetBIOS over TCP/IP is Disabled - all machines).

I searched around here for 'NetBEUI' and found reference to PChuck's usage
instructions for Browstat to resolve computer browser problems.

I have Dynawell.com's Browstat.exe (March 12, 1999, 23:55:46 39.7 KB
[40,720 bytes] version) copied to 'C:\Windows\System32'. When I run
'Browstat status' in an 'Administrator: Command Prompt' window (at the
'C\Users\[my username]>' prompt, I get no screen output or error, just a
fresh input prompt: 'C:\Users\[my username]>'. What's up with this?

FYI - I've installed Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol on the XP
Pro machines and can now see them in the Vista Network and Sharing Center
network map. I have also installed the NetBEUI protocol on the Vista machine
and have configured NetBEUI (bound) and TCP/IPv4 & v6 (unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled) identical to the XP Pro machines.

However, I am unable to see the XP Pro machines in Vista Windows Explorer >
Network, only the Vista machine itself.
Conversely, I am unable to see the Vista machine from any of the XP Pro
machines - even when searching for it directly by it's computer name,
'P200-S03_VB'.

I have my existing Workgroup name correctly entered for the Vista machine.
I have Vista User Account Control turned Off.
The Vista Guest account is turned On.
In Vista Network and Sharing Center, my network type is Private.
Under Sharing and Discovery, I have:
Network discovery, File sharing & Public folder sharing (read only) turned On.
No printers are installed on the Vista machine.
Password protected sharing & Media sharing are turned Off.
I have my Vista's 'Downloads' folder shared with Read(ing) Allow(ed)
Permissions for Everyone (only).

I am using the ZoneAlarm (free) s/w firewall on all machines with all IP's
on my private subnet configured as 'Trusted', although, in the case of the
NetBEUI protocol, this is likely not relevant.

I should be able to network among all machines with the above parameters,
however, the only way I can establish connectivity between all machines is to
bind File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks & Client for Microsoft
Networks to TCP/IP(v4, only, in the case of the Vista machine) and set
NetBIOS over TCP/IP to Default on all machines.

If anyone knows specifically why I can't (yet) network with NetBEUI, I'd be
very interested to know.

FYI - I prefer to use NetBEUI because NetBEUI traffic cannot cross my router
(or come in to my home network) and by leaving TCP/IP unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled, my home network security is significantly enhanced.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I am trying to resolve a home networking issue between one Vista Business
laptop and several XP Pro SP2 & SP3 machines on my existing, functional
NetBEUI home network (File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks &
Client for Microsoft Networks bound only to NetBEUI, not to TCP/IP -
additionally, NetBIOS over TCP/IP is Disabled - all machines).

I searched around here for 'NetBEUI' and found reference to PChuck's usage
instructions for Browstat to resolve computer browser problems.

I have Dynawell.com's Browstat.exe (March 12, 1999, 23:55:46 39.7 KB
[40,720 bytes] version) copied to 'C:\Windows\System32'. When I run
'Browstat status' in an 'Administrator: Command Prompt' window (at the
'C\Users\[my username]>' prompt, I get no screen output or error, just a
fresh input prompt: 'C:\Users\[my username]>'. What's up with this?

FYI - I've installed Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol on the XP
Pro machines and can now see them in the Vista Network and Sharing Center
network map. I have also installed the NetBEUI protocol on the Vista machine
and have configured NetBEUI (bound) and TCP/IPv4 & v6 (unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled) identical to the XP Pro machines.

However, I am unable to see the XP Pro machines in Vista Windows Explorer >
Network, only the Vista machine itself.
Conversely, I am unable to see the Vista machine from any of the XP Pro
machines - even when searching for it directly by it's computer name,
'P200-S03_VB'.

I have my existing Workgroup name correctly entered for the Vista machine.
I have Vista User Account Control turned Off.
The Vista Guest account is turned On.
In Vista Network and Sharing Center, my network type is Private.
Under Sharing and Discovery, I have:
Network discovery, File sharing & Public folder sharing (read only) turned On.
No printers are installed on the Vista machine.
Password protected sharing & Media sharing are turned Off.
I have my Vista's 'Downloads' folder shared with Read(ing) Allow(ed)
Permissions for Everyone (only).

I am using the ZoneAlarm (free) s/w firewall on all machines with all IP's
on my private subnet configured as 'Trusted', although, in the case of the
NetBEUI protocol, this is likely not relevant.

I should be able to network among all machines with the above parameters,
however, the only way I can establish connectivity between all machines is to
bind File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks & Client for Microsoft
Networks to TCP/IP(v4, only, in the case of the Vista machine) and set
NetBIOS over TCP/IP to Default on all machines.

If anyone knows specifically why I can't (yet) network with NetBEUI, I'd be
very interested to know.

FYI - I prefer to use NetBEUI because NetBEUI traffic cannot cross my router
(or come in to my home network) and by leaving TCP/IP unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled, my home network security is significantly enhanced.

Kevin,

Can you get output from browstat when run from a Windows XP computer? I haven't
seen any other reports like yours, when it's run as admin. Make sure that you
got a good copy, by getting it running under Windows XP.

If you can get browstat running, I'll try to help you interpret the output. I
have to note, though, that NetBEUI just plain isn't supported.
<http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html>
http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html
<http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/877adc1b-76fb-4608-a917-baf201f45f1e1033.mspx>
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/877adc1b-76fb-4608-a917-baf201f45f1e1033.mspx

And in my humble opinion, your preference for NetBEUI as a security solution is
misplaced.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking-and-alternate.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking-and-alternate.html

 

[Kevin]

Hey Chuck ... thanks for helping me out ...

My copy of Browstat.exe works fine in XP and now will run for me on the
Vista Business machine (P200-S03_VB) as well ... the result I reported
initially was because TCP/IP was unbound and NetBIOS over TCP/IP was Disabled
when I first tried it. FYI - said initial result is repeatable.

Anyways, I ran 'Browstat status' on 3 different XP Pro SP2 machines ... 2
that have 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks' & 'Client for
Microsoft Networks' bound to TCP/IP and NetBIOS over TCP/IP set to Default
(machines: PII_366_XP1 & PII_366_XP2), and, 1 where TCP/IP is unbound and
NetBIOS over TCP/IP is Disabled (machine: PIII_667_XP - only direct
connection to Internet).
Notes: - the Vista machine (TCP/IPv4 only) is configured the same as
machines: PII_366_XP1 & 2 and all machines (other than PIII_667_XP) connect
to Internet via a Linksys BEFW11S4 V4 Wireless-B Broadband Router.
- with respect to the NetBEUI protocol, both 'F and P S for M N' & 'C for M
N' are bound - all machines.
- all machines use the ZA (free) s/w firewall - machines behind router
configured with my home network-related IP's in Trusted Zone with Firewall >
Trusted Zone slider set to Medium (to ensure appropriate [TCP &] UDP ports
are available).

I have the 'Browstat status' outputs saved as .txt files - what would be the
best way to make them available to you for interpretation?

As for my preference for NetBEUI as a security solution being misplaced, I
am eager to learn more about why that is. I read your 'Windows Networking
And Alternate Transports' webpage ... very informative and helpful ... and,
unless I'm missing something, it seems to support my notion:

"Setup
If you want to access the Internet from your computers [I do], though, you
will still have to have TCP/IP on each computer. If you do not separate
Windows Networking from TCP/IP on even one single computer, your entire
Windows Networking environment may be exposed. And without protection by
personal firewalls [I use the ZA (free) s/w firewall on all machines], all
computers may be at risk more than if they were using NBT."

Which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid - if Vista would network with XP
using NetBEUI (I read your 'Windows XP And Vista On The LAN Together' webpage
.... learned a number of new things - thank you for your efforts there ... ,
and, I've seen the MS article: 'What happened to the NetBEUI protocol?' a few
times now - however, MS does not get into technical specifics about why it
won't work [there or anywhere else I've searched], even though it will
install in Vista and can be bound / unbound with 'F and P S for M N' & 'C for
M N' ... indeed, MS said NetBEUI was not supported in XP, yet it works just
fine), I could indeed keep Windows Networking separate from TCP/IP and avoid
NBT altogether.

What do you think?

I am trying to resolve a home networking issue between one Vista Business
laptop and several XP Pro SP2 & SP3 machines on my existing, functional
NetBEUI home network (File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks &
Client for Microsoft Networks bound only to NetBEUI, not to TCP/IP -
additionally, NetBIOS over TCP/IP is Disabled - all machines).

I searched around here for 'NetBEUI' and found reference to PChuck's usage
instructions for Browstat to resolve computer browser problems.

I have Dynawell.com's Browstat.exe (March 12, 1999, 23:55:46 39.7 KB
[40,720 bytes] version) copied to 'C:\Windows\System32'. When I run
'Browstat status' in an 'Administrator: Command Prompt' window (at the
'C\Users\[my username]>' prompt, I get no screen output or error, just a
fresh input prompt: 'C:\Users\[my username]>'. What's up with this?

FYI - I've installed Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol on the XP
Pro machines and can now see them in the Vista Network and Sharing Center
network map. I have also installed the NetBEUI protocol on the Vista machine
and have configured NetBEUI (bound) and TCP/IPv4 & v6 (unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled) identical to the XP Pro machines.

However, I am unable to see the XP Pro machines in Vista Windows Explorer >
Network, only the Vista machine itself.
Conversely, I am unable to see the Vista machine from any of the XP Pro
machines - even when searching for it directly by it's computer name,
'P200-S03_VB'.

I have my existing Workgroup name correctly entered for the Vista machine.
I have Vista User Account Control turned Off.
The Vista Guest account is turned On.
In Vista Network and Sharing Center, my network type is Private.
Under Sharing and Discovery, I have:
Network discovery, File sharing & Public folder sharing (read only) turned On.
No printers are installed on the Vista machine.
Password protected sharing & Media sharing are turned Off.
I have my Vista's 'Downloads' folder shared with Read(ing) Allow(ed)
Permissions for Everyone (only).

I am using the ZoneAlarm (free) s/w firewall on all machines with all IP's
on my private subnet configured as 'Trusted', although, in the case of the
NetBEUI protocol, this is likely not relevant.

I should be able to network among all machines with the above parameters,
however, the only way I can establish connectivity between all machines is to
bind File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks & Client for Microsoft
Networks to TCP/IP(v4, only, in the case of the Vista machine) and set
NetBIOS over TCP/IP to Default on all machines.

If anyone knows specifically why I can't (yet) network with NetBEUI, I'd be
very interested to know.

FYI - I prefer to use NetBEUI because NetBEUI traffic cannot cross my router
(or come in to my home network) and by leaving TCP/IP unbound and NetBIOS
over TCP/IP Disabled, my home network security is significantly enhanced.

Kevin,

Can you get output from browstat when run from a Windows XP computer? I haven't
seen any other reports like yours, when it's run as admin. Make sure that you
got a good copy, by getting it running under Windows XP.

If you can get browstat running, I'll try to help you interpret the output. I
have to note, though, that NetBEUI just plain isn't supported.
<http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html>
http://networking.nitecruzr.net/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html
<http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/877adc1b-76fb-4608-a917-baf201f45f1e1033.mspx>
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/877adc1b-76fb-4608-a917-baf201f45f1e1033.mspx

And in my humble opinion, your preference for NetBEUI as a security solution is
misplaced.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking-and-alternate.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking-and-alternate.html