Windows XP network riddle

J

Jan

Hi,

I've been searching and googling for a few days now for a solution to
my problem, but to no avail.

I've got a small home network with two PCs running Windows XP SP2,
connected to the internet and to each other over an USR router (with
DHCP). Both systems run ZoneAlarm, have the Windows firewall turned
off, have NetBIOS over TCP/IP installed, MS Client for Windows, file
and printer sharing. Both systems have several shared directories.

PC1 = 192.168.123.100 PC2 = 192.168.123.101
name : SONATA name : LIFETEC

PINGING
-SONATA can ping itself by IP -LIFETEC can ping itself by IP
-SONATA can ping LIFETEC by IP -LIFETEC can ping SONATA by IP
-SONATA can ping itself by name -LIFETEC can ping itself by name
!SONATA CANNOT ping LIFETEC by name -LIFETEC can ping SONATA by name

NET VIEWing
on SONATA on LIFETEC
-SONATA by IP = OK -LIFETEC by IP = OK
-SONATA by name = OK -LIFETEC by name = OK
-LIFETEC by IP = OK !SONATA by IP = error 1231
-LIFETEC by NAME = OK !SONATA by name = error 53
!entering just "net view" gives !entering just "net view" gives
error 6118 (list of servers not no error, but it gives a message
available) saying that the list is empty

access via the EXPLORER address bar
on SONATA on LIFETEC
\\SONATA shows shares \\LIFETEC shows shares
\\192.168.123.100 shows shares \\192.168.123.101 shows shares
\\LIFETEC shows shares !\\SONATA : NO ACCESS
\\192.168.123.101 shows shares !\\192.168.123.100 : NO ACCESS

ipconfig /all
on SONATA : unknown node type on LIFETEC : unknown node type

BROWSTAT STATUS
on SONATA on LIFETEC
- takes about 10 seconds
- says that SONATA is the master ! running BROWSTAT on this
browser machine generates NO OUTPUT AT
- says that browsing is NOT active ALL (just shows the next
on domain command prompt)

So, from the SONATA I have access to the shares on LIFETEC, but not
vice versa.
The network neighbourhood on none of both PCs can be browsed (list of
servers not available).
LMHOSTS and HOSTS files are empty (only the localhost line is there).

Can anyone help me out ?
 
F

FunOne

Hi,

I've been searching and googling for a few days now for a solution to
my problem, but to no avail.

I've got a small home network with two PCs running Windows XP SP2,
connected to the internet and to each other over an USR router (with
DHCP). Both systems run ZoneAlarm, have the Windows firewall turned
off, have NetBIOS over TCP/IP installed, MS Client for Windows, file
and printer sharing. Both systems have several shared directories.

PC1 = 192.168.123.100 PC2 = 192.168.123.101
name : SONATA name : LIFETEC

PINGING
-SONATA can ping itself by IP -LIFETEC can ping itself by IP
-SONATA can ping LIFETEC by IP -LIFETEC can ping SONATA by IP
-SONATA can ping itself by name -LIFETEC can ping itself by name
!SONATA CANNOT ping LIFETEC by name -LIFETEC can ping SONATA by name

NET VIEWing
on SONATA on LIFETEC
-SONATA by IP = OK -LIFETEC by IP = OK
-SONATA by name = OK -LIFETEC by name = OK
-LIFETEC by IP = OK !SONATA by IP = error 1231
-LIFETEC by NAME = OK !SONATA by name = error 53
!entering just "net view" gives !entering just "net view" gives
error 6118 (list of servers not no error, but it gives a message
available) saying that the list is empty

access via the EXPLORER address bar
on SONATA on LIFETEC
\\SONATA shows shares \\LIFETEC shows shares
\\192.168.123.100 shows shares \\192.168.123.101 shows shares
\\LIFETEC shows shares !\\SONATA : NO ACCESS
\\192.168.123.101 shows shares !\\192.168.123.100 : NO ACCESS

ipconfig /all
on SONATA : unknown node type on LIFETEC : unknown node type

BROWSTAT STATUS
on SONATA on LIFETEC
- takes about 10 seconds
- says that SONATA is the master ! running BROWSTAT on this
browser machine generates NO OUTPUT AT
- says that browsing is NOT active ALL (just shows the next
on domain command prompt)

So, from the SONATA I have access to the shares on LIFETEC, but not
vice versa.
The network neighbourhood on none of both PCs can be browsed (list of
servers not available).
LMHOSTS and HOSTS files are empty (only the localhost line is there).

Can anyone help me out ?
Click to expand...
 
F

FunOne

Hi,

Ok I've been having the same problem for weeks and I have found
a solution that works for me. Amazing that XP doesn't give you this in
the error message or something, or tell you this when you are sharing
the folder.

My solution was to simply make sure that you have a user account on
the "computer A" that matches exactly to the user account on
"computer B". Meaning both users accounts are "Ralph" or whatever,
and BOTH have the same password and are computer administrators.

As soon as I did this, rebooted both, my "computer B" could access
immediatly.

Again, I can't believe *cough cough* that something this simple is not
mentioned anywhere in XP, in help files, in menus, in error
messages... way to go Microsoft!! LOL

Hope this works for you!!
 
D

Danny Kile

FunOne said:
Hi,

Ok I've been having the same problem for weeks and I have found
a solution that works for me. Amazing that XP doesn't give you this in
the error message or something, or tell you this when you are sharing
the folder.

My solution was to simply make sure that you have a user account on
the "computer A" that matches exactly to the user account on
"computer B". Meaning both users accounts are "Ralph" or whatever,
and BOTH have the same password and are computer administrators.

As soon as I did this, rebooted both, my "computer B" could access
immediatly.

Again, I can't believe *cough cough* that something this simple is not
mentioned anywhere in XP, in help files, in menus, in error
messages... way to go Microsoft!! LOL

Hope this works for you!!
Click to expand...

One of the easiest way to do this is to enable the Guest Account on both
PC and make sure that you do not have a Password assigned to the guest
account on either PC.

--
Danny Kile
Please reply to the Newsgroup ONLY

"Dogs come when they're called, CATS take a message and get back to
you." Mary Bly
 
J

Jan

**************************************

One of the easiest way to do this is to enable the Guest Account on both
PC and make sure that you do not have a Password assigned to the guest
account on either PC.
Click to expand...
**************************************
Thanks for both reactions.

I already have the same accounts on both machines with full rights
(I'll quadruple check tonight), apart from the guest account :
- LIFETEC has a guest account (maybe that's why SONATA can see
LIFETEC)
- SONATA doesn't.
Creating a guest account on SONATA might make the shares visible from
LIFETEC (I'll give it a try tonight), but I should mention that SONATA
has been visible and accessible before from LIFETEC (until some
days/weeks ago).
I'd rather prefer not to have guest account on any of both PCs.

Anyway, that still doesn't explain the pinging and net viewing
discordancies, the strange browstat behaviour (no output, not even a
delay to terminate) on LIFETEC, and the fact that browsing "my network
places" is not possible on either PC.

Thanks in advance for shedding light in these dark network caves !
 
A

Al Romanosky

Do not know if this will be of any assistance - Ping by IP OK but cannot
ping by name relates to a DNS problem - which probably accounts for "list of
servers not available"
would suggest checking TCP/IP properties to ensure IP assigned
automatically.
 
J

Jan

Adding a guest account on SONATA didn't change a thing...
I then removed the guest account from both computers (which is what I
prefer). That didn't change a thing either.

I then added the NWLink IPX/SPX protocol on both PC's. Guess what :
SONATA to LIFETEC still OK, but now LIFETEC also sees SONATA. So I've
got bi-directonal access to shares (including printers) now, I'm
saved.

But I'm still puzzled :
- "ping LIFETEC" from SONATA still doesn't work (cannot find host
lifetec).
- I forced SONATA to be the domain master (IsDomainMaster TRUE), but
LIFETEC seems to rule (even after rebooting it with SONATA running all
the time) :

BROWSTAT STA on SONATA gives
*******************************************************************
Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: LIFETEC
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\LIFETEC . Version:05.01 Flags: 51003 NT POTENTIAL
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master LIFETEC
\\LIFETEC
There are 2 servers in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb


Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{4577E8F7-09B4-41D0-B6DD-863B0F9508D5}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: SONATA
Master browser is running build 2600


Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.
*******************************************************************

BROWSTAT STA on LIFETEC gives
*******************************************************************
Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using
\\LIFETEC
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master LIFETEC
\\LIFETEC
There are 2 servers in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb

Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using
\\SONATA
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\SONATA . Version:05.01 Flags: 41203 NT MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master SONATA
\\SONATA
Unable to retrieve server list from SONATA: 71
*******************************************************************
(Remember BROWSTAT STA on LIFETEC gave no output at all before ?!?)

It's as if there's no master browser election process, or SONATA can't
win it (or SONATA doesn't even participate in it ???). Looking in the
event viewer on SONATA the following ERROR caught my attention :
"The server could not bind to the transport \Device\NwlnkNb because
another computer on the network has the same name. The server could
not start.
Source: server
Event : 2505".

What's that ??? Both SONATA and LIFETEC are unique names on the
workgroup "THUISNETWERK" ???!!!
 
D

Danny Kile

Jan said:
Adding a guest account on SONATA didn't change a thing...
I then removed the guest account from both computers (which is what I
prefer). That didn't change a thing either.

I then added the NWLink IPX/SPX protocol on both PC's. Guess what :
SONATA to LIFETEC still OK, but now LIFETEC also sees SONATA. So I've
got bi-directonal access to shares (including printers) now, I'm
saved.

But I'm still puzzled :
- "ping LIFETEC" from SONATA still doesn't work (cannot find host
lifetec).
- I forced SONATA to be the domain master (IsDomainMaster TRUE), but
LIFETEC seems to rule (even after rebooting it with SONATA running all
the time) :

BROWSTAT STA on SONATA gives
*******************************************************************
Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: LIFETEC
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\LIFETEC . Version:05.01 Flags: 51003 NT POTENTIAL
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master LIFETEC
\\LIFETEC
There are 2 servers in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb


Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{4577E8F7-09B4-41D0-B6DD-863B0F9508D5}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: SONATA
Master browser is running build 2600


Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.
*******************************************************************

BROWSTAT STA on LIFETEC gives
*******************************************************************
Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using
\\LIFETEC
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master LIFETEC
\\LIFETEC
There are 2 servers in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain THUISNETWERK on transport
\Device\NwlnkNb

Status for domain THUISNETWERK on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using
\\SONATA
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\SONATA . Version:05.01 Flags: 41203 NT MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master SONATA
\\SONATA
Unable to retrieve server list from SONATA: 71
*******************************************************************
(Remember BROWSTAT STA on LIFETEC gave no output at all before ?!?)

It's as if there's no master browser election process, or SONATA can't
win it (or SONATA doesn't even participate in it ???). Looking in the
event viewer on SONATA the following ERROR caught my attention :
"The server could not bind to the transport \Device\NwlnkNb because
another computer on the network has the same name. The server could
not start.
Source: server
Event : 2505".

What's that ??? Both SONATA and LIFETEC are unique names on the
workgroup "THUISNETWERK" ???!!!
Click to expand...


Glad to hear that things are somewhat working. The reason you can not
ping with the IPX/SPX protocol installled is that the ping funcion does
not work through any other protocol but TCP/IP.

--
Danny Kile
Please reply to the Newsgroup ONLY

"Dogs come when they're called, CATS take a message and get back to
you." Mary Bly
 
I

Ian Pellew

Hi;

Have you tried to edit
c:/WINDOWS/system32/drivers/etc/hosts ?

Or whereever %WINROOT% points to.

This is the TCPIP domain database.

My knowledge is not that good with MS as I'm from the Unix world, but
hope this may help.

Regards
Ian
 
J

Jan

(e-mail address removed) (Ian Pellew) wrote in
Hi;

Have you tried to edit
c:/WINDOWS/system32/drivers/etc/hosts ?

Or whereever %WINROOT% points to.

This is the TCPIP domain database.

My knowledge is not that good with MS as I'm from the Unix world, but
hope this may help.

Regards
Ian
Click to expand...

hosts files only contain comments and localhost 127.0.0.1
lmhosts files only contain comments
 
J

Jan

Do not know if this will be of any assistance - Ping by IP OK but
cannot ping by name relates to a DNS problem - which probably accounts
for "list of servers not available"
would suggest checking TCP/IP properties to ensure IP assigned
automatically.
Click to expand...

I got the same thoughts...
What wonders me is that SONATA always gets 192.168.123.100 and LIFETEC
always gets 192.168.123.101, even if I start LIFETEC first.
I doublechecked both machines and router, all seems to be DHCP...
 
G

Guest

Check what ip is resolved when you ping the computername and then go check on
the pinged computer it's effective ip address if these are different empty
the dns cache on botch computers and the DNS server trough ipconfig /flushdns.
 

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