Home Network

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I've set up a wireless network with three PC's. I have no problem going
on-line with each PC. My router (Belkin) recognizes all three PC's on the
client page. The problem comes up when I go to Network Places and View
Workgroup Computers. Sometimes I get all three computers to show up,
sometimes two, sometimes one, and sometimes none. When none show up, I get
an error that my network is unavailable or I don't have permission to access
the network. When a PC is not in the list, I can't access the shared folders
on that PC. I'm running Windows XP SP2 on all three computers. I've
disabled the Windows firewall but am using Norton's firewall (configured to
allow the IP's for each PC). Is this a setup problem or are there any
suggestions for eliminating this problem?

Thanks for your help.
Dave
 
I've set up a wireless network with three PC's. I have no problem going
on-line with each PC. My router (Belkin) recognizes all three PC's on the
client page. The problem comes up when I go to Network Places and View
Workgroup Computers. Sometimes I get all three computers to show up,
sometimes two, sometimes one, and sometimes none. When none show up, I get
an error that my network is unavailable or I don't have permission to access
the network. When a PC is not in the list, I can't access the shared folders
on that PC. I'm running Windows XP SP2 on all three computers. I've
disabled the Windows firewall but am using Norton's firewall (configured to
allow the IP's for each PC). Is this a setup problem or are there any
suggestions for eliminating this problem?

Thanks for your help.
Dave
Click to expand...

Dave,

An intermittent problem like yours sounds like a browser problem.

Make sure the browser service is running on each computer. Control Panel -
Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and the
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both show with Status = Started.

The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers you have in your
domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305

You can download Browstat from either:
<http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip>
<http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip>

Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window.

For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>

Install and run browstat on each computer. With a stable network, the results
should be virtually identical.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck,

Thanks for your suggestions. I verified that Computer Browser and TCP/IP
was turned on for each computer. I downloaded Browstat.

I ran Browstat Status on each computer. It would not run on my laptop (I
assume because its the "master"). When I ran it on either of my other
computers, it said browsing is active and gave the master browser name for my
laptop. It then said it could not connect to registry, error= 53. Unable to
determine build of browser master: 53.

Is this an error message (it so happens to also be the IP address of one of
my PC's) and, if so, what should I do next? Browstat did say 1 backup server
retrieved from master (my laptop) and there are 2 servers on transport (I
assume my two PC's).

Thanks again.
 
Chuck,

I'm having a similar problem. I've located the computer browser, but it has
an error and won't start. What should be done now?

Thanks,
 
Chuck,

I'm having a similar problem. I've located the computer browser, but it has
an error and won't start. What should be done now?
Click to expand...

You wouldn't go to the doctor and insist upon the same medicine as your
neighbor, based upon having the same symptoms. Please don't assume your
computer problems are the same, based upon two brief problem reports.

Please start a new topic (with a different, and descriptive title) for help.
Provide as many details as you can, to aid in diagnosis. Describe your LAN,
with name, version, and SP level of the OS on each computer. This will benefit
both you, and the OP. And, it will help the helpers here find your posts
easier.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck,

Thanks for your suggestions. I verified that Computer Browser and TCP/IP
was turned on for each computer. I downloaded Browstat.

I ran Browstat Status on each computer. It would not run on my laptop (I
assume because its the "master"). When I ran it on either of my other
computers, it said browsing is active and gave the master browser name for my
laptop. It then said it could not connect to registry, error= 53. Unable to
determine build of browser master: 53.

Is this an error message (it so happens to also be the IP address of one of
my PC's) and, if so, what should I do next? Browstat did say 1 backup server
retrieved from master (my laptop) and there are 2 servers on transport (I
assume my two PC's).

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I've seen the error 53 before, in browstat output. IIRC, it does not identify a
problematic domain (workgroup) browser wise.

Please let use see the information for your domain (workgroup).

Please provide ipconfig information for each computer.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\ipconfig.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.

Please provide browstat information for each computer.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "browstat status >c:\browstat.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\browstat.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck,

Here's the info you requested for each of my computers.

PC Downstairs:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: KELLYROGGEMAN
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\KELLYROGGEMAN . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master KELLYROGGEMAN
\\KELLYROGGEMAN
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}
There are 0 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : davidbasement
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Belkin 11Mbps Wireless USB Network
Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-65-C2-22
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.73
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 6:09:15 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

PC Upstairs:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: KELLYROGGEMAN
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\KELLYROGGEMAN . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master KELLYROGGEMAN
\\KELLYROGGEMAN
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}
There are 0 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JOELKLAIRE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 10:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Belkin 11Mbps Wireless USB Network
Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-9E-54-43
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.53
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 6:11:58 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

LapTop:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3B9134AA-3F65-4D0C-907A-A719482B3C95}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KELLYROGGEMAN
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless
Notebook Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-F2-C5-50-B8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.92
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 3:14:49 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

Thanks again for your help.
 
Chuck,

Here's the info you requested for each of my computers.

PC Downstairs:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: KELLYROGGEMAN
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\KELLYROGGEMAN . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master KELLYROGGEMAN
\\KELLYROGGEMAN
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}
There are 0 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{32D40B1C-7D19-48B0-86B8-F76D91B2D23B}

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : davidbasement
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Belkin 11Mbps Wireless USB Network
Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-65-C2-22
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.73
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 6:09:15 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

PC Upstairs:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: KELLYROGGEMAN
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\KELLYROGGEMAN . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master KELLYROGGEMAN
\\KELLYROGGEMAN
There are 2 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}
There are 0 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9283B706-84DD-4A7F-AB18-82BE50F2D029}

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JOELKLAIRE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 10:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Belkin 11Mbps Wireless USB Network
Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-9E-54-43
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.53
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 6:11:58 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

LapTop:
Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3B9134AA-3F65-4D0C-907A-A719482B3C95}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KELLYROGGEMAN
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless
Notebook Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-F2-C5-50-B8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.92
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 25, 2004 3:14:49 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

Thanks again for your help.
Click to expand...

First, I'll try to interpret the browstat outputs.

You have 3 servers (computers serving files).
1) DavidBasement
2) JoelKlaire
3) KellyRoggeman

DavidBasement and JoelKlaire both think KellyRoggeman is the master browser,
maybe from a past existence of KellyRoggeman. KellyRoggeman does NOT think it's
running the browser master.

You've said that the two services - Browser (aka Computer Browser) and TCP/IP
NetBIOS Helper (aka lmhosts) are running on each computer. I want to see
please.

I'll give you two procedures, one diagnostic, the other hopefully reparative.
They are both painfully complex, but you need to do one or both if we're going
to solve this mess.

1) Diagnostic: Get PSTools (free) from
<http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/pstools.shtml>. Copy file
"psservice.exe" to a convenient folder on each of your 3 computers. On each
computer:
Open a command window, and cd to the folder where you placed psservice.exe. Run
the following 4 commands as follows (observe the ">>"!):
"psservice query browser >c:\service.txt"
"psservice query lmhosts >>c:\service.txt"
"psservice find browser >>c:\service.txt"
"psservice find lmhosts >>c:\service.txt"
Open c:\service.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.

2) Reparative:
Identify your preferred master browser, which should be a computer that will
stay online more than the others.
Identify your preferred backup browser, which should be the computer that stays
online more than the third computer (but less than the first).
Power off each of the three computers.
Power the master browser on.
Wait 15 minutes.
Power the backup browser on.
Run "browstat status" on both master and backup.
Power the third computer on.
Run "browstat status" on the third computer.

<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>

If Norton Personal Firewall is setup properly, and is the only firewall
involved, then this should work.

If you're optimistic (and lucky), you'll just run Procedure 2, and you'll be
done. All well.

If you're realistic, or pessimistic like me, you'll run Procedure 1, save
c:\service.txt x 3, then run Procedure 2. If Procedure 2 doesn't solve all your
problems, you'll rerun Procedure 1, so we'll have something to compare to, and
post both sets of 3 files in your next reply.

If you're smart, you'll look at the contents of c:\service.txt (after you run it
on one computer), and see that it resembles the text between the two sets of
"#######":

#######


PsService v2.12 - local and remote services viewer/controller
Copyright (C) 2001-2004 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

SERVICE_NAME: Browser
DISPLAY_NAME: Computer Browser
Maintains an updated list of computers on the network and supplies this list to
computers designated as browsers. If this service is stopped, this list will not
be updated or maintained. If this service is disabled, any services that
explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS
STATE : 4 RUNNING
(STOPPABLE,NOT_PAUSABLE,IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)
WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
CHECKPOINT : 0x0
WAIT_HINT : 0x0


PsService v2.12 - local and remote services viewer/controller
Copyright (C) 2001-2004 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

SERVICE_NAME: LmHosts
DISPLAY_NAME: TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name
resolution.
GROUP : TDI
TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS
STATE : 4 RUNNING
(STOPPABLE,NOT_PAUSABLE,IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)
WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
CHECKPOINT : 0x0
WAIT_HINT : 0x0


PsService v2.12 - local and remote services viewer/controller
Copyright (C) 2001-2004 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com


Checking \\MYCOMP1...


Found browser on:

\\MYCOMP1

Checking \\MYCOMP3...


\\MYCOMP3

Checking \\MYCOMP2...


\\MYCOMP2


PsService v2.12 - local and remote services viewer/controller
Copyright (C) 2001-2004 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com


Checking \\MYCOMP1...


Found lmhosts on:

\\MYCOMP1

Checking \\MYCOMP3...


\\MYCOMP3

Checking \\MYCOMP2...


\\MYCOMP2

#######

Your choice.

Any questions? Post here before starting if you're more comfortable.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Chuck,

Thanks again for your help. After going through your suggestions, I was
still having problems getting access to the browsers on the other machines,
but I did notice that after turning off Norton firewall, I was able to get
two of the three computers to show up in Network Places (as opposed to none).
So I looked further into my settings for Norton. I did have all the
computers put in the "trusted zone" and assumed that was good enough.
Apparently it wasn't. I needed to go into Advanced settings and change the
general rules to permit sharing on the same three computers(among other
things). Seems to me they would have set up the software to take care of
that once they're all in the "trusted zone" but I guess not. Anyway,
everything now seems to show up where it should and work as it should.
Thanks again!

Dave
 
Chuck,

Thanks again for your help. After going through your suggestions, I was
still having problems getting access to the browsers on the other machines,
but I did notice that after turning off Norton firewall, I was able to get
two of the three computers to show up in Network Places (as opposed to none).
So I looked further into my settings for Norton. I did have all the
computers put in the "trusted zone" and assumed that was good enough.
Apparently it wasn't. I needed to go into Advanced settings and change the
general rules to permit sharing on the same three computers(among other
things). Seems to me they would have set up the software to take care of
that once they're all in the "trusted zone" but I guess not. Anyway,
everything now seems to show up where it should and work as it should.
Thanks again!

Dave
Click to expand...

Excellent, Dave! Thanks for updating us.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Connecting a PC on home network to the internet -- does it expose all computers? 3
New Belkin N1 Wireless Router - But no Home network? 3
PC often crashes, at the beginning or after pixels appear 3
Understanding My Network Places. What's Going on? 8
Network client cannot be accessed but can access other clients 1
Network settings ? 10
Wins XP Desktop PC - wired network cannot access Internet or MSN L 1
Cannot Access Computers on Home Network 5

Back
Top