peer limit.

[Charles Shapiro]

Is there a limit to the number of machines on a peer-peer network using
XP-PRO?

Can I expect any problems, (other than some slowdown), with 11 or 12
machines (If the software will allow it).

thanks.

...Chip..

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

quoted from http://www.ChicagoTech.net
3. Networking: Many networking features are identical in Windows XP
Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. The main differences involve
connection limits and simplification. While Windows XP Professional allows
up to 10 simultaneous file-sharing connections, Windows XP Home Edition
allows up to five connections only.
--
For more and other information, go to http://www.ChicagoTech.net

Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services.
Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN, Anti-Virus, Tips & Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
Networking Solutions, http://www.chicagotech.net/networksolutions.htm
VPN Solutions, http://www.chicagotech.net/vpnsolutions.htm
VPN Process and Error Analysis, http://www.chicagotech.net/VPN process.htm
VPN Troubleshooting, http://www.chicagotech.net/vpn.htm
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.

 

[Malke]

Is there a limit to the number of machines on a peer-peer network
using
XP-PRO?

Can I expect any problems, (other than some slowdown), with 11 or 12
machines (If the software will allow it).

thanks.

..Chip..

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP

concurrent connections:

10 for XP Pro/Tablet/MCE
5 for XP Home
49 for SBS 2000
74 for SBS 2003
Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

Note that this doesn't mean how many computers you can have on a
network. It means how many connections at one time can be made to one
particular machine and is used to help determine if you really should
be running a server os. IMO, if you have 10 or 12 boxen and they need
to access a database or something, you are far better off setting up a
proper server and using something reasonably priced like Small Business
Server. That gives you the power to centrally manage everything, which
is a Good Thing.

If the computers aren't using each other's resources and are just on a
network to use network printers and/or the Internet and the like, then
the concurrent connections limit isn't an issue. Then you would just
have to look at the physical structure of the network and make sure you
have enough bandwidth for what you want to do.

HTH and if you need more then post back with specific details of your
setup and goals.

Malke

 

[Guest]

10 including master workstation

 

[Charles Shapiro]

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP

concurrent connections:

10 for XP Pro/Tablet/MCE
5 for XP Home
49 for SBS 2000
74 for SBS 2003
Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

Note that this doesn't mean how many computers you can have on a
network. It means how many connections at one time can be made to one
particular machine and is used to help determine if you really should
be running a server os. IMO, if you have 10 or 12 boxen and they need
to access a database or something, you are far better off setting up a
proper server and using something reasonably priced like Small Business
Server. That gives you the power to centrally manage everything, which
is a Good Thing.

I know a server/client setup would be best as there are too many machine on
this network, although the speed is still pretty good as they access 1
machine
we'll call Server for the database.. Right now the problem is the cost of
building
the network and getting it set up. I have no experience in that setup, all
my
experience is with peer-peer. I have a server here in my house I aquired,
but have not
done anything with it as when I get ready to redo it I have to know what I
am doing so
when I join my other 3 computers to the domain I have internet, etc. Still
reading!
Anyway, thats another story..

If the computers aren't using each other's resources and are just on a
network to use network printers and/or the Internet and the like, then
the concurrent connections limit isn't an issue. Then you would just
have to look at the physical structure of the network and make sure you
have enough bandwidth for what you want to do.

They are sharing printers also and bandwith isn't a problem..

HTH and if you need more then post back with specific details of your
setup and goals.

Malke

Thanks Malke. Here are the specifics and the problem I am experiencing. It
acts like
I have hit some limit. We have 8 machines including the one with the
database we will call
Server, the other we'll call machines 1-7. Machines 3,4,5 & 6 all access
the Server no problem.
the other 3 won't see it. When I try to access it, I am told either I don't
have permissions or the path
doesn't exist. I have changed machine names and drive names MANY times.
They were ALLOT
of shared drives in the 'My Network Places" (with the old machine name and
drive names)that have
since been removed. On the Server I share it's "C" drive and 1 folder
(where the database is).

After a reboot or two of both the 1-7 machines that won't see Server and
rebooting Server they will all
see each other for a short period of times and then they loose the ability
to see the Server again.

Seems as I add machine the new ones will not see the Server. The ones that
were there see it no problem.
Is there somewhere it is 'storing' these connections thinking there are too
many, and not allowing the last
3 machines to see the Server?

I have moved the database to another machine that all the machines can see
without problem and it ran
fine today and I expect it will continue to run fine..

Would Resetting TCP/IP do anything (using the netsh int ip reset) command?
Am I making any sense?

My goal is to have all 7 machines accessing Server...

We're thinking of adding two more machines into the network, but they would
only be access by two of
the machines currently on the network.. Sound feasible?

Thanks.

...Chip..

 

[Charles Shapiro]

In addition, something I forgot to mention and this happens on any or all of
the 1-7 machines.

When I go to My Network Places all of the shared drives do not show up. I
then go to View
Workgroup Computers where ALL of the computers DO show up, but I still can
not access
Server.

Also, After sharing drives, if I go to the Disconnect Network Drives area
there are shared drives
in there WITHOUT a drive letter, it says NONE. Don't know exactly what
this means, but I
delete them and they return.

Right now I have (on Server), the "C" drive and the database folder(shared)
.. I can remove one share.
Will this help?

Thanks.

...Chip..

 

[Malke]

In addition, something I forgot to mention and this happens on any or
all of the 1-7 machines.

When I go to My Network Places all of the shared drives do not show
up. I then go to View
Workgroup Computers where ALL of the computers DO show up, but I still
can not access
Server.

Also, After sharing drives, if I go to the Disconnect Network Drives
area there are shared drives
in there WITHOUT a drive letter, it says NONE. Don't know exactly
what this means, but I
delete them and they return.

Chip, I know you don't want to hear this, but this is a business expense
you should pay. Hire a local professional to get you set up with
SBServer and straighten out your network. It will cost less than the
time you are putting into trying to figure things out yourself and it
will work properly. Just removing one share isn't going to do it.
Remember, one computer can have more than one connection to the server.
I'm going to give you a link to an excellent small network
troubleshooter by MVP Hans-Georg Michna. You can run through it and see
where some of your problems lie. However, your setup is way to
complicated to solve by newsgroup postings and you are truly going to
be better off to have someone who knows what they are doing fix things.

http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm

Best of luck,

Malke

 

[Charles Shapiro]

Thanks Malke. I have checked that page and will be at the business this
weekend to check
some of the things out I read on that site.

We all knows he needs SBS and he will get it as soon as he gets the $$$ to
change over.

For now I have it up and running using a different machine as the 'server',
lets just hope
that machine doesn't go away (on the network)

...Chip..