NetBIOS name resolution doesn't work

[Achille]

Greetings
I have 2 xp computers in a wireless home network. The router is D-LINK
di-614. I also have a PDA that can sync through the network ONLY if the
computers have a network name.
The problem: I have NETBIOS enabled in the wireless / tcip settings and YET
NONE of the computers recognizes the other by name. Both computers can ping
each other if an IP is used but it doesnt work if I use the name of the
computer to print.
If I type in cmd> ping agamnenon from the agamnenon computer
itself,,,, the computer will ping itself without problems.
thx in advance
Achille

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Greetings
I have 2 xp computers in a wireless home network. The router is D-LINK
di-614. I also have a PDA that can sync through the network ONLY if the
computers have a network name.
The problem: I have NETBIOS enabled in the wireless / tcip settings and YET
NONE of the computers recognizes the other by name. Both computers can ping
each other if an IP is used but it doesnt work if I use the name of the
computer to print.
If I type in cmd> ping agamnenon from the agamnenon computer
itself,,,, the computer will ping itself without problems.
thx in advance
Achille

1. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers.

a. Open the Network Connections folder.
b. Right click the local area network connection and click
Properties.
c. Double click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
d. Click Advanced.
e. Click WINS.
f. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.

2. Run "ipconfig /all" on XP and look at the "Node Type" at the
beginning of the output. If it says "Peer-to-Peer" (which should
actually be "Point-to-Point") that's the problem. It means that the
computer only uses a WINS server, which isn't available on a
peer-to-peer network for NetBIOS name resolution.

If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:

HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters

and delete these values if they're present:

NodeType
DhcpNodeType

Reboot, then try network access again.

If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".

For details, see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177

TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314053
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Achille]

Someone PLEASE give Steve a medal!
Thanks Steve, my iPAQ syncs fine now.. many many thanks
- Achille

 

[Guest]

Steve for President!!
After spending the better part of an entire day -- deep into TCPIP, NetBios
over IP, ICS, Bridging, XP Firewall, Home Network Wizard (which is the root
of all evil, because it turns on ICS), I bumped into this little gem of
advice from Steve.

My Issues --- My laptop was not resolving NetBios names and of course would
not show any other PC's in My Network Places. The magic RegEdit was the
"Parameter in NetBT". Once that was cleared out and the rebooted, my day (I
mean night) was shining brightly. --- I love and hate computers, and after 25
years of them, I think I still say .... OK, I love em more than hate....
Thanks again Steve.