Computer Browser

[Guest]

..Since last weekend ever more computers in our company do lose their
connection to the domain and the internet.
The cause for that is that the "Computer Browser" is stopped.
When I start it everything works OK but after 5 minutes it is stopped again.
I did report it to MS and received a hotfix but why is this happening one
after the other. Those computers are not being updated and working on XP SP1
so it can't be reasoned by an update.
If anyone knows please let me know.
Greetings

 

[Chuck]

.Since last weekend ever more computers in our company do lose their
connection to the domain and the internet.
The cause for that is that the "Computer Browser" is stopped.
When I start it everything works OK but after 5 minutes it is stopped again.
I did report it to MS and received a hotfix but why is this happening one
after the other. Those computers are not being updated and working on XP SP1
so it can't be reasoned by an update.
If anyone knows please let me know.
Greetings

If you're on a domain, you probably have servers as browsers, and the domain
controller should be the master browser. You shouldn't depend upon client
computers to run the browser service. And the browser service only provides a
dynamic catalogue of local resources, it has nothing to do with Internet
service.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

.Since last weekend ever more computers in our company do lose their
connection to the domain and the internet.
The cause for that is that the "Computer Browser" is stopped.
When I start it everything works OK but after 5 minutes it is stopped
again. I did report it to MS and received a hotfix but why is this
happening one after the other. Those computers are not being updated
and working on XP SP1 so it can't be reasoned by an update.
If anyone knows please let me know.
Greetings

To add to Chuck's reply:

I always stop and disable the computer browser service on all my domain
workstations, via group policy. They don't need to run it, and it can cause
tons of master browser problems, among other things.

If you're going to leave NetBT enabled (I do; browsing is really useful)
then install/configure WINS, and have all your clients point at the WINS
server. This reduces broadcast chatter on the network, but your workstations
and users will still be able to browse.

 

[Guest]

On our domain all workstation have WINS enabled.
If the workstations don't need the Computer Browser then why can't they
connect to other pc's or the internet, and when i start the service they can
connect.
It seems to me that in the moment there is heavy network traffic but i can't
find why or where it's coming from.
Any suggestion or help is wecome.
Greetings

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

On our domain all workstation

And your server(s), right?

have WINS enabled.

Are they all showing up as regisered in the WINS database?

If the workstations don't need the Computer Browser then why can't
they connect to other pc's

I hope you aren't sharing files/printers on workstations - really best to
avoid that.

or the internet,

Browsing, and NetBIOS in general, have nothing to do with Internet access -
that uses DNS. (and I'm presuming you aren't connecting to a local proxy
server.) I suspect that if you do a little bit of cleanup on your network
this will work.

and when i start the
service they can connect.
It seems to me that in the moment there is heavy network traffic but
i can't find why or where it's coming from.

If you're using DHCP, make sure that it not only provides the WINS server
address, but also the node type - 0x8 (hybrid node).

Any suggestion or help is wecome.
Greetings

Stop & disable the service & reboot the computers, and check the master
browser status (browmon -
http://www.windowsitlibrary.com/Content/155/05/2.html)

You might try posting an unedited ipconfig /all from your DC and from a
workstation.