Entire Network contents

[Dave Mc]

I have a 2003 domain with about 20 computers (Xp and Server 2003). When I go
into Windows Explore and drill down to the domain, only 4 computers are
shown. Yet, when I search for any computer not shown by browsing, I find all
the "missing" computers. Why is this ? What does explore use to find
computers ? FYI--I can ping all computers by NB name.
Thanks

 

[John John (MVP)]

When you search for or connect with \\ComputerName you bypass the Master
Browser. Are you seeing any relevant errors in the Event Log?

John

 

[John Wunderlich]

I have a 2003 domain with about 20 computers (Xp and Server 2003).
When I go into Windows Explore and drill down to the domain, only
4 computers are shown. Yet, when I search for any computer not
shown by browsing, I find all the "missing" computers. Why is
this ? What does explore use to find computers ? FYI--I can ping
all computers by NB name. Thanks

When you "drill down" presumably from "My Network Places", your
computer locates the one computer on your subnet which is "Browse
Master" and asks it for its list. This is probably the same thing as
the command "net view" from the command line. Sometimes Browse masters
don't do a good job of keeping up with comings and goings of computers.

When you do a Search, your machine does more to locate the computer
including sending broadcasts on the local subnet for that computer,
querying WINS, and maybe even DNS lookups.

-- John

 

[Dave Mc]

When you "drill down" presumably from "My Network Places", your
computer locates the one computer on your subnet which is "Browse
Master" and asks it for its list. This is probably the same thing as
the command "net view" from the command line. Sometimes Browse masters
don't do a good job of keeping up with comings and goings of computers.

When you do a Search, your machine does more to locate the computer
including sending broadcasts on the local subnet for that computer,
querying WINS, and maybe even DNS lookups.

-- John
Seems like I have a general problem with browsing. for instance, the workstation I was referring to is indeed getting browser error which says its browsing service is stopping because it cannot connect to the master browser. How can I tell which computer has been elected as the master browser so I can look at it to dig deeper into the problem ?/

 

[John John (MVP)]

:

The Domain Controller is always the Master Browser, unless you made
changes in the registry the DC will be the Master Browser.

Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188305

Common causes and solutions of browser Event ID 8021 and Event ID 8032
on domain master browsers
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/135404

Description of NetBIOS Browsing Console (Browcon.exe)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818092

John

 

[John Wunderlich]

Seems like I have a general problem with browsing. for instance,
the workstation I was referring to is indeed getting browser
error which says its browsing service is stopping because it
cannot connect to the master browser. How can I tell which
computer has been elected as the master browser so I can look at
it to dig deeper into the problem ?/

The best way to determine the master browser is to use the
"browstat.exe" program. It's not provided with XP, but a search might
find it online.

An alternative way is to issue the following command for each computer
on your subnet (do this multiple times, substituting the target
computer name or ip address (note case-sensitive '-a' or '-A')):
nbtstat -a <computername> (do not include the '\\')
or
nbtstat -A <computer-ip-address>
A master browser node will respond with a line containing:
..__MSBROWSE__.

In almost every case I have seen, the problem ended up being just one
computer on the subnet with a misconfigured firewall. This computer
will be blind to broadcasts necessary for Master Browser Election and
will thus think it is the only computer on the subnet and make itself
Browse Master. The "real" elected browse master will give up being
browse master after a while when this computer sends out announcements
proclaiming itself the Browse Master. Once it becomes the sole browse
master, and because of the firewall, it refuses to communicate with
other computers on the subnet and thus leaves the subnet without a
functioning Browse Master.

You can force a Master Browser election on the subnet using the
browstat.exe elect <interface> <domain>
command, shortly after which you might be able to do a
browstat.exe view <interface> <domain>
command. If you see more than one computer with Master Browser (MBR)
status, then you know that one of these computers is your problem.

Also keep in mind that all firewalls don't always call themselves
"firewalls". For example, some VPN clients (Cisco, in particular)
include a firewall function as part of the VPN client that can be
active even when the VPN client isn't.

HTH,
John