ping ip address vs. ping computer name

  • Thread starter Thread starter terry b
  • Start date Start date
T

terry b

All you Networking Experts:
Situation:
You've got 2 computers in a workgroup; both have shared folders.
Computer A can ping unit B by name & by IP address. Computer A has
full access to B's shared folders.
Computer B is the problem child. It can ping Computer A by IP
address, but not by computer name, and it can't access the other's
shared folders.

Question: What is the probable cause of Computer B's major
malfunction?

This situation has cost me many hours of bafflement.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

terry b.
 
terry b said:
All you Networking Experts:
Situation:
You've got 2 computers in a workgroup; both have shared folders.
Computer A can ping unit B by name & by IP address. Computer A has
full access to B's shared folders.
Computer B is the problem child. It can ping Computer A by IP
address, but not by computer name, and it can't access the other's
shared folders.

Question: What is the probable cause of Computer B's major
malfunction?

This situation has cost me many hours of bafflement.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

terry b.
Click to expand...


Sounds like NetBIOS name resolution failure.

1) Go to TCP/IP properties, advanced button, WINS tab
and ensure NetBIOS-over-TCP/IP is enabled;

2) Go to a command prompt, and issue the command:
IPCONFIG /ALL.
Look at the Node Type.
If it's P-to-P, that's a problem.

In this case, go to Start | Run | regedit.
Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters

If either of the following values are present, delete them:

NodeType;
DhcpNodeType.

This should cause the node type to default correctly.
( the node type will report as 'Unknown' in the default case. )

For futher details, see this article:
Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177


Post back with what you find...
 
Hello, Ron
Followed your tips.
(I've actually got 2 laptops & 1 desktop/host on this WLAN. The
desktop is the one that can't ping the others by name, or access shared
folders.)
All 3 machines [in Network Connections | Wireless Connection
Properties | TCP/IP Properties | Advanced | WINS] have "Enable NetBIOS
over TCP/IP" selected.
All 3 machines, under the reg key you mentioned, had previously been
manually-configured for Hybrid Node Type [I had set that DWORD = 8].
Deleted that value on all machines.
Result: Same situation. The desktop/host can ping the laptops by IP
address, but ping request can't find them by computername.

Any other ideas?

terry b.
 
I am not sure I can help - If you can ping by IP and not by name it is
usually a DNS matter - a common cause TCP/IP not set to obtain an address
automatically.
 
"Al Romanosky" said:
I am not sure I can help - If you can ping by IP and not by name it is
usually a DNS matter - a common cause TCP/IP not set to obtain an address
automatically.
Click to expand...

No, it's not a DNS matter. In a workgroup, name resolution uses
NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
--
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
 
Thanks for All the Input [:-))
Finally got things "cobbled together"; might not be pretty, but all 3
machines can share once again....
Solution? Created LMHOSTS file for the desktop/host unit, rebooted,
and immediately it picked all shared files.
Have an excellent day!
terry b.
 
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