Can't Access Workgroup Computers

[Pia]

Hi,

I've been trying to search for a solution to my problem.
We have a small home office setup, with windows 2000 server installed on the
server, and windows XP on the clients.
We have a linksys firewall, which also serves as our DHCP server. We are
not configured as a domain, but only as Workgroups.

When we still did not have our broadband connection, I was able to set-up
the network and printers and map network drives. I used the firewall also as
the DHCP server. Everything seemed to work fine. I was able to install from
the server (which only acts as a file server), the printers all have their
own network cards, so I just had to install drivers from the server if
necessary.

However, lately I am unable to access the workgroup computers; though i can
still access the mapped network drives. I am not sure if it is related, but
i noticed it only after the Static IP addresses, DNS, gateway, were
configured into the firewall.

If I am not clear, I am more that happy to try to explain how our network is
set-up.

Thanks so much in advance

Pia Mason

 

[Chuck]

Hi,

I've been trying to search for a solution to my problem.
We have a small home office setup, with windows 2000 server installed on the
server, and windows XP on the clients.
We have a linksys firewall, which also serves as our DHCP server. We are
not configured as a domain, but only as Workgroups.

When we still did not have our broadband connection, I was able to set-up
the network and printers and map network drives. I used the firewall also as
the DHCP server. Everything seemed to work fine. I was able to install from
the server (which only acts as a file server), the printers all have their
own network cards, so I just had to install drivers from the server if
necessary.

However, lately I am unable to access the workgroup computers; though i can
still access the mapped network drives. I am not sure if it is related, but
i noticed it only after the Static IP addresses, DNS, gateway, were
configured into the firewall.

If I am not clear, I am more that happy to try to explain how our network is
set-up.

Thanks so much in advance

Pia Mason

Hi Pia,

Can none of your computers access each other? Or is it that you can't access a
computer thru Network Neighborhood, even though you can use mapped drives?

Do you have any computers that can access the server?

What firewall did you configure static ip addresses into?

Please start by providing "ipconfig /all" from several computers. Read this
article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
Include "ipconfig /all" from at least 2 computers with this problem, and the
server. If there are any computers without this problem, include that as well.

 

[Pia]

Hi Chuck...
I tried working with 5 computers and here's what:
1) my computer runs on XP, can't access View Workgroup Computers, but can
ping the IPs, can use the internet, can access server by //tacserver1 at cmd
prompt, mapped drives still working.

2) Krystals computer runs on XP, and does the same thing as mine.

3) Jun's computer runs on win2K, and does the same thing as mine.

4) Tacserver1 has windows 2K server, but only used as file server. No
Domain is setup. Mapped drives work fine. Can view Coputers Near Me, but
cannot access specific computer; can view contents of TACServer2 though.

5) Tacserver2 has windows 2K server, but only used as a file server. does
same thing as TacServer1, and can also view contentes of TacServer1.

All computers on the network, i selected enable NetBios over TCP/IP.

All Computers can access both Tacserver1 and Tacserver2 via the mapped
drives and via //tacserver1 at cmd.

Static IPs were configured into a Symanted Firewall/VPN appliance, which
also served as the DHCP server. Same appliance was used at former office,
same setup, and no problems.

Attached at the ipconfig of three computers:

Thanks for your help.. i will read the link your sent. I am suspecting it
might be the browser, but I have no idea what that is....

Pia


=============
PIA windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\pia>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PIA
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-FC-9C-FB-AC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:00:09 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
2:00:09 PM

=================

JUN windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\floress.JUN>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JUN
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA PCI 10/100Mb Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-95-FD-39-12
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.109
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
12:49:30 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:49:30 PM

=======================

TACserver1 (windows 2000 server)

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TACSERVER1
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine III Management Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-63-C4-6E-DC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.107
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.224
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 65.106.1.196
65.106.7.196

=========================================

 

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck...
I tried working with 5 computers and here's what:
1) my computer runs on XP, can't access View Workgroup Computers, but can
ping the IPs, can use the internet, can access server by //tacserver1 at cmd
prompt, mapped drives still working.

2) Krystals computer runs on XP, and does the same thing as mine.

3) Jun's computer runs on win2K, and does the same thing as mine.

4) Tacserver1 has windows 2K server, but only used as file server. No
Domain is setup. Mapped drives work fine. Can view Coputers Near Me, but
cannot access specific computer; can view contents of TACServer2 though.

5) Tacserver2 has windows 2K server, but only used as a file server. does
same thing as TacServer1, and can also view contentes of TacServer1.

All computers on the network, i selected enable NetBios over TCP/IP.

All Computers can access both Tacserver1 and Tacserver2 via the mapped
drives and via //tacserver1 at cmd.

Static IPs were configured into a Symanted Firewall/VPN appliance, which
also served as the DHCP server. Same appliance was used at former office,
same setup, and no problems.

Attached at the ipconfig of three computers:

Thanks for your help.. i will read the link your sent. I am suspecting it
might be the browser, but I have no idea what that is....

Pia


=============
PIA windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\pia>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PIA
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-FC-9C-FB-AC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:00:09 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
2:00:09 PM

=================

JUN windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\floress.JUN>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JUN
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA PCI 10/100Mb Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-95-FD-39-12
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.109
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
12:49:30 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:49:30 PM

=======================

TACserver1 (windows 2000 server)

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TACSERVER1
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine III Management Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-63-C4-6E-DC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.107
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.224
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 65.106.1.196
65.106.7.196

=========================================

Pia,

Your ipconfigs look clean, no obvious problems there. If you're sure that NBT
is the only transport on your LAN, I wouldn't spend too much time on protocol or
name resolution issues anyway.

The browser is a pretty mysterious subsystem, that provides the contents of
Network Neighborhood. If you have a workgroup, that includes an actual Server
(running a server OS), then you are a candidate for a browser problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

Fortunately, on a LAN with just Windows 2000 / XP / Server 2000, a browser
problem is simple to diagnose. Just run "browstat status" on each computer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html>

Also, check registry setting restrictanonymous on each computer:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>

 

[Pia]

Chuck,

The OS of the TACservers do run on Windows 2000 Server, but if what you
meant by "running a server OS" is that is doing the DHCP, DOMAIN, that kind
of server stuff, then no.

What is bugging me is that it was working before. I could access workgroup
computers, and that was how we were able to map the drives. Then it just
stopped working, i think after we had internet. (We initially did not have
internet when I set up the network, and the IPs from the ISP were plugged
into the firewall/dhcp server a week later.)

Today, I tried setting up WinFax, and i am not able to connect to the WinFax
server (installed on TACserver1). I tested it first with TACserver1 - host
and Tacserver2-client. it worked for those machines. But when I tried using
my machine (XP) to connect to the winfax, no go...

I will read up on those links you sent. Thanks again.

It just is baffling... and i need to figure out what went wrong...

Pia

Hi Chuck...
I tried working with 5 computers and here's what:
1) my computer runs on XP, can't access View Workgroup Computers, but can
ping the IPs, can use the internet, can access server by //tacserver1 at
cmd
prompt, mapped drives still working.

2) Krystals computer runs on XP, and does the same thing as mine.

3) Jun's computer runs on win2K, and does the same thing as mine.

4) Tacserver1 has windows 2K server, but only used as file server. No
Domain is setup. Mapped drives work fine. Can view Coputers Near Me, but
cannot access specific computer; can view contents of TACServer2 though.

5) Tacserver2 has windows 2K server, but only used as a file server. does
same thing as TacServer1, and can also view contentes of TacServer1.

All computers on the network, i selected enable NetBios over TCP/IP.

All Computers can access both Tacserver1 and Tacserver2 via the mapped
drives and via //tacserver1 at cmd.

Static IPs were configured into a Symanted Firewall/VPN appliance, which
also served as the DHCP server. Same appliance was used at former office,
same setup, and no problems.

Attached at the ipconfig of three computers:

Thanks for your help.. i will read the link your sent. I am suspecting it
might be the browser, but I have no idea what that is....

Pia


=============
PIA windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\pia>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PIA
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI
Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-FC-9C-FB-AC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:00:09 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
2:00:09 PM

=================

JUN windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\floress.JUN>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JUN
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA PCI 10/100Mb Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-95-FD-39-12
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.109
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
12:49:30 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 08, 2005
1:49:30 PM

=======================

TACserver1 (windows 2000 server)

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TACSERVER1
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine III Management
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-63-C4-6E-DC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.107
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.224
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 65.106.1.196
65.106.7.196

=========================================

Pia,

Your ipconfigs look clean, no obvious problems there. If you're sure that
NBT
is the only transport on your LAN, I wouldn't spend too much time on
protocol or
name resolution issues anyway.

The browser is a pretty mysterious subsystem, that provides the contents
of
Network Neighborhood. If you have a workgroup, that includes an actual
Server
(running a server OS), then you are a candidate for a browser problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

Fortunately, on a LAN with just Windows 2000 / XP / Server 2000, a browser
problem is simple to diagnose. Just run "browstat status" on each
computer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html>

Also, check registry setting restrictanonymous on each computer:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>