ping <computername> question

[Jeff]

Hey

I have 2 computers (pcA and pcB) in my network at home.

pcA has winXP sp2
pcB has Windows Server 2003 Enterprise (180-days evaluation)

These computers can ping each other using their IP addresses, but they
cannot ping using computer names...

I'm currently about to set up the LMHOSTS file on pcA... do I need to create
a LMHOST file on pcB also ??

And lets say a large network with thousands of computers, maybe in several
countries, would LMHOSTS still be used in every computer or would it be done
in a different way (i doubt it would, because it would be hard to maintain)
??

I ask because I want to learn

Jeff

 

[John Wunderlich]

g> Hey

I have 2 computers (pcA and pcB) in my network at home.

pcA has winXP sp2
pcB has Windows Server 2003 Enterprise (180-days evaluation)

These computers can ping each other using their IP addresses, but
they cannot ping using computer names...

That's because you're confusing two different protocols. "Ping"
uses raw TCP/IP whereas your "computer names" probably refers to a
NetBT computer name. NetBT protocol usually falls back onto a
TCP/IP DNS to resolve names, but TCP/IP does not fall back onto the
NetBT for name resolutions.

I'm currently about to set up the LMHOSTS file on pcA... do I need
to create a LMHOST file on pcB also ??

Creating a LMHOSTS file on computer "a" will allow it to find the IP
addresses that correspond to computer names of other computers on
other subnets. This is needed only if other computers reside on a
different subnet. If computer "b" needs this functionality, then it
too will need a LMHOSTS file. Computers on same subnet will
normally find themselves via broadcasts so that LMHOSTS is not
necessary in this case.

And lets say a large network with thousands of computers, maybe in
several countries, would LMHOSTS still be used in every computer
or would it be done in a different way (i doubt it would, because
it would be hard to maintain) ??

Usually in this case, a WINS (Windows Internet Name Service) is employed. Each machine would
be configured with the IP address of the WINS server.

Yet another way is to employ Dynamic DNS.

See: "WINS Overview"
<http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...becb-4965-848a-5db94df7698f1033.mspx?mfr=true>

HTH,
John