Why can't my WinXP host not ping another WinXP host with its hostname

[Stefan Mueller]

I've two WinXP computers. Both are in the Workgroup MYHOME.
Each PC gets its IP adresse from my ZyXEL Router (DHCP).
I can ping each other using the IP address but I can't ping each other if I
use the hostname.

Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Stefan

PS: Today I entered the hostname and the IP address to the hosts file. But
if the addresses change (DHCP), it won't work anymore.
PPS: In Windows 2000 I would install NetBEUI. But I think in Windows XP we
don't need it anymore.

 

[Phil Da Lick!]

I've two WinXP computers. Both are in the Workgroup MYHOME.
Each PC gets its IP adresse from my ZyXEL Router (DHCP).
I can ping each other using the IP address but I can't ping each other if I
use the hostname.

Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Ping is an internet protocol. You can ping only by an IP address, or in the
case of proper dns/static ip'd networks by a dns address (dns lookup yields
the IP address which is used for the ping). Windows networking doesn't work
this way and therefore you cannot Ping between them.

 

[purplehaz]

If your router has the ability(my netgear does), set it to issue the same ip
address all the time. It's still technically dynamic, but the router just
issues the same ip to the same machine/network card everytime. This way you
always know what the computers ip address is and you can ping that instead
of the host name.

 

[Stefan Mueller]

Good work around.
But I'm almost sure that also under Windows XP it must be possible to ping a
host by its hostname (under Windows 2000 with NetBEUI it's no problem).

Stefan

 

[purplehaz]

I thought I heard of people using netbeui on xp, try a google search. One
thing I find here is that right now I'm on a network with a win2k
server(workgroup), 20 port switch, to 15 nodes using win2k and xp. I can
ping any win2k and any XP box by host name and it works fine. I wonder what
the difference is?(the server?)

 

[Stefan Mueller]

Okay, I'll try to install NetBEUI.

Stefan

I thought I heard of people using netbeui on xp, try a google search. One
thing I find here is that right now I'm on a network with a win2k
server(workgroup), 20 port switch, to 15 nodes using win2k and xp. I can
ping any win2k and any XP box by host name and it works fine. I wonder what
the difference is?(the server?)

ping

 

[Durand]

If you have the windows xp cd, netbeui is found in the valueadd folder. But I've
found that using the w2k netbeui version works better than the xp version. Found
that info somewhere on the internet but haven't been able to locate it since.
Basically, you need just two files, netnbf.inf and nbf.sys files copied over to
the appropriate folders in xp and install it from one of your network
connections.

--
Regards,

Durand


| Okay, I'll try to install NetBEUI.
|
| Stefan
|
| | > I thought I heard of people using netbeui on xp, try a google search. One
| > thing I find here is that right now I'm on a network with a win2k
| > server(workgroup), 20 port switch, to 15 nodes using win2k and xp. I can
| > ping any win2k and any XP box by host name and it works fine. I wonder
| what
| > the difference is?(the server?)
| >
| > | > > Good work around.
| > > But I'm almost sure that also under Windows XP it must be possible to
| ping
| > a
| > > host by its hostname (under Windows 2000 with NetBEUI it's no problem).
| > >
| > > Stefan
| > >
| > >
| > > | > > > If your router has the ability(my netgear does), set it to issue the
| > same
| > > ip
| > > > address all the time. It's still technically dynamic, but the router
| > just
| > > > issues the same ip to the same machine/network card everytime. This
| way
| > > you
| > > > always know what the computers ip address is and you can ping that
| > instead
| > > > of the host name.
| > > >
| > > > | > > > > I've two WinXP computers. Both are in the Workgroup MYHOME.
| > > > > Each PC gets its IP adresse from my ZyXEL Router (DHCP).
| > > > > I can ping each other using the IP address but I can't ping each
| other
| > > if
| > > > I
| > > > > use the hostname.
| > > > >
| > > > > Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?
| > > > >
| > > > > Stefan
| > > > >
| > > > > PS: Today I entered the hostname and the IP address to the hosts
| file.
| > > But
| > > > > if the addresses change (DHCP), it won't work anymore.
| > > > > PPS: In Windows 2000 I would install NetBEUI. But I think in Windows
| > XP
| > > we
| > > > > don't need it anymore.
| > > > >
| > > > >
| > > >
| > > >
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Stefan Mueller]

Okay, thanks a lot for your information.

Stefan