need WINS server for home LAN?

[peter]

In a typical home LAN setting, there is a broadband router acting as DHCP
server, all PCs have file/printer sharing, microsoft network client, and
netbios over tcp/ip, all in a workgroup.

This results in very slow netbios name lookup.

If all the PCs are desktops, I wouldn't mind assigning fixed IPs and put the
IPs in lmhosts file. But some of them are laptops. If I give them fixed IP
(and fixed DNS server, fixed default gateway), then I have to reconfigure it
to use DHCP when I bring it to work or to a friend's house, then reconfigure
it back when I bring it home.

Another solution might be to set up a WINS server. However, for a home
network, requiring a dedicated WINS server seems a bit overkill. Also,
doesn't the WINS server need to talk to the DHCP server so that the DHCP
server can give out the WINS server's address to dhcp clients?

What is the recommended solution?

In win98/ME, having no WINS servers doesn't seem to slow down netbios name
lookup as much as in windowsXP. Why?

 

[Chuck]

In a typical home LAN setting, there is a broadband router acting as DHCP
server, all PCs have file/printer sharing, microsoft network client, and
netbios over tcp/ip, all in a workgroup.

This results in very slow netbios name lookup.

If all the PCs are desktops, I wouldn't mind assigning fixed IPs and put the
IPs in lmhosts file. But some of them are laptops. If I give them fixed IP
(and fixed DNS server, fixed default gateway), then I have to reconfigure it
to use DHCP when I bring it to work or to a friend's house, then reconfigure
it back when I bring it home.

Another solution might be to set up a WINS server. However, for a home
network, requiring a dedicated WINS server seems a bit overkill. Also,
doesn't the WINS server need to talk to the DHCP server so that the DHCP
server can give out the WINS server's address to dhcp clients?

What is the recommended solution?

In win98/ME, having no WINS servers doesn't seem to slow down netbios name
lookup as much as in windowsXP. Why?

Peter,

Actually, you could use a static (your LAN) / dynamic (friends LAN)
configuration with an alternate configuration setup.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/have-laptop-will-travel.html#IP>

But I'd prefer that you fix the problem, not play with a workaround. Properly
tuned, NBT should give decent performance using dynamic addressing and name
resolution. First, check for misconfigured or overlooked firewalls.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
Next, check for the restrictanonymous setting.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>

If no help yet, help us to help you. Provide output from "browstat status" and
"ipconfig /all", and we can diagnose the problem. Please follow these
instructions precisely.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>

Or, look at name resolution, and IP configuration on your own.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Resolution>

And, to answer your other question, DNS, DHCP, and WINS are 3 separate services,
and each operates independently.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/windows-networking.html>
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/address-resolution-on-lan.html>

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

 

[peter]

But I'd prefer that you fix the problem, not play with a workaround.
Properly
tuned, NBT should give decent performance using dynamic addressing and
name
resolution. First, check for misconfigured or overlooked firewalls.

Thanks. I will try that.

Other that nbtstat, is there any other tool to help debug netbios name
resolution, especially related to performance? It would be great if I can
tell how netbios resolves a given name (cache hit, WINS, DNS, lmhosts, or
broadcast), what the name resolves to, and how long it takes to resolve it.

 

[Jason Tan]

Hi Peter,

I understand that you experience slow browse in a small workgroup network
environment. If I have misunderstood your concerns, please feel free to let
me know.

I agree with Chuck that you may follow Chuck's suggestion first and check
the issue. Additionally, I would like to provide you with some more
information for your reference:

Step 1: Please first verify you have installed the all latest Service Pack
and Hotfixes.

Step 2: Please attempt to run Network Setup Wizard to step network.
----------------------------------

1. On the Windows XP, click Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications,
Network Setup Wizard.
2. Create a Network Setup Wizard disk to automatically configure the other
computer.

If the issue still persists, you may analyze the process via Network
Monitor tool.
-----------------------------
1. Install the Network Monitor tool on the Windows XP. The evaluation
version can be downloaded from
<ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/PSS/Tools/NetMon/NETMON2.ZIP>. The password of the
zip is "trace" without the quotation marks.
2. Launch the tool, under the Capture menu, select Buffer Settings..., set
a large buffer size, for example, 10M.
3. Still under the Capture menu, select Networks?-, choose the correct
interface used if there are multiple interface.
4. Click the Start button to start to capture.
5. Reproduce the problem.
6. When the error message is given, click the Stop button to stop
capturing. Save the trace to a file on the Windows XP client.

Hope the information helps.

Thanks & Regards,

Jason Tan

Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

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

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=====================================================
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--------------------
| From: "peter" <[email protected]>
| References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
| Subject: Re: need WINS server for home LAN?
| Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2005 18:06:49 -0700
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| X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web
|
| | >
| >
| > But I'd prefer that you fix the problem, not play with a workaround.
| > Properly
| > tuned, NBT should give decent performance using dynamic addressing and
| > name
| > resolution. First, check for misconfigured or overlooked firewalls.
|
|
| Thanks. I will try that.
|
| Other that nbtstat, is there any other tool to help debug netbios name
| resolution, especially related to performance? It would be great if I can
| tell how netbios resolves a given name (cache hit, WINS, DNS, lmhosts, or
| broadcast), what the name resolves to, and how long it takes to resolve
it.
|
|
|