XP pro SP3 - DNS name has "." that I cannot remove

[johnsail]

Windows Xp pro SP3 - celeron 2.00Ghz processor - 2 Gb Ram. Computer in a
workgroup of 4 machines. All settings checked and seem OK. Computer 1 cannot
see the workgroup and 3 the other machines on the workgroup cannot see
computer 1. Ping by IP works both ways on all machines. Ping by DNS does not
work from computer 1 and does not work form the other 3 machines UNLESS I put
a "." after the name.
ie "Ping tadw001" does not resolve but "ping tadw001." works fine.
I have put computer 1 on to another workgroup and back again a number of
times and have re-booted a number of times.
Have no hair left to pull out.
HELP!

John

 

[Anteaus]

Could it be that the hostname is being suffixed?

(Advanced>DNS in TCP/IP settings.)

Terminating a name with a period makes it an absolute value, so in that case
nothing will be suffixed to it.

 

[johnsail]

Hi Anteaus.
The hostname is not being suffixed accaording to (Advanced>DNS in TCP/IP
settings) but I did give some wrong info. The correct info is:-
ping IP is OK in both directions.
ping DNS from computer 1 only works if "." added to each computer name.
ping DNS "tadw001" from another computer only works if "." is added.
ping DNS "tadw002" from same other computer works OK.
Hope this makes sense

John

 

[johnsail]

Hi
Since writing (below) I have again removed computer 1 (tadw001) from the
workgroup (TADLEY) and put it in workgroup MONDIAL.

FROM tadw001:-
Pings tadw001 (itself) ok.
ping tadw004 does not resolve.
ping tadw004. does.

FROM tadw004:-
ping tadw002 (a third machine) resolves OK
ping tadw002. does not
ping tadw001 does not resolve
ping tadw001. does

tadw002 and tadw004 are still members of TADLEY workgroup.

John

 

[johnsail]

Hi Anteaus
I have now changed the computer name to abc123 (from tadw001).

Everything remains the same when you use abc123 in place of tadw001 in the
ping commands and a "." is still necessary when pinging abc123 from any other
machine.