carpathr
asked on
Windows NT Server can't be seen by other Windows clients
Here's the dilemma I currently have for a Windows NT Network I'm working with at a local church:
This network has a Windows NT Server 4.0 sp6 and several Windows 98/95/ME/XP machines. They have the Windows NT Server bascially setup like a regular workstation (and use it like one too). So, before this week, they were able to access shared folders on the NT Server box and the NT Server could access shared folders on the other machines as well. They also have a network printer called iR2000. The Windows NT Server as well as the rest of the machines get their IPs from a DSL router in another building. So the WinNT box uses "Obtain IP address automatically" - basically just vision this box as a regular workstation (why it's setup that way, I have no idea).
Well, they installed PPTP trying to setup a VPN for Remote Access. Then they decided against it and uninstalled it. Now here is where the troubles have popped up.
The problem: The Windows NT Server (called Dell2500) no longer shows up in the Network Neighborhood of the other machines (other than itself). So no one can access the files on it. If you try to do a search for it, it yields no results. If you try to ping its IP address, it times out. But the WindowsNT box can access the internet just fine, so it's on the network. The WinNT Server cannot see the other machines in Network Neighborhood either. But there is one exception > for whatever reason the ir2000 shows up in the WinNT Network Neighborhood and everyone else's. It prints to the network printer just fine. On a side note, all the other machines can see each other too and get to their files. The WinNT Server is just left out of the loop. Some people had shortcuts to it, and when they double-click, they get an error saying "can't connect to shared resource" or "can't find shared name on network". Although--- I can do a find computer on the WinNT server, connect to another Windows ME machine, the WinME machine will say "User from \\Dell2500 about to be disconnected" when I go to shut down the machine. So it is "out there".
I have tried researching and discovered some stuff about WINS, but I don't quite understand it. I don't think it applies, since they don't use the NT Server as a real "server". I changed a registry setting to insure that the WinNT Server is the master browser (or at least gets priority). I just need to get the box recognized again by the other machines so they can access some files off of it. We have tried uninstalling TCP/IP and reinstalling it, but nothing has helped.
I'm hoping someone can help. They desperately need some files off of it (they have some large databases that reside on it).
This network has a Windows NT Server 4.0 sp6 and several Windows 98/95/ME/XP machines. They have the Windows NT Server bascially setup like a regular workstation (and use it like one too). So, before this week, they were able to access shared folders on the NT Server box and the NT Server could access shared folders on the other machines as well. They also have a network printer called iR2000. The Windows NT Server as well as the rest of the machines get their IPs from a DSL router in another building. So the WinNT box uses "Obtain IP address automatically" - basically just vision this box as a regular workstation (why it's setup that way, I have no idea).
Well, they installed PPTP trying to setup a VPN for Remote Access. Then they decided against it and uninstalled it. Now here is where the troubles have popped up.
The problem: The Windows NT Server (called Dell2500) no longer shows up in the Network Neighborhood of the other machines (other than itself). So no one can access the files on it. If you try to do a search for it, it yields no results. If you try to ping its IP address, it times out. But the WindowsNT box can access the internet just fine, so it's on the network. The WinNT Server cannot see the other machines in Network Neighborhood either. But there is one exception > for whatever reason the ir2000 shows up in the WinNT Network Neighborhood and everyone else's. It prints to the network printer just fine. On a side note, all the other machines can see each other too and get to their files. The WinNT Server is just left out of the loop. Some people had shortcuts to it, and when they double-click, they get an error saying "can't connect to shared resource" or "can't find shared name on network". Although--- I can do a find computer on the WinNT server, connect to another Windows ME machine, the WinME machine will say "User from \\Dell2500 about to be disconnected" when I go to shut down the machine. So it is "out there".
I have tried researching and discovered some stuff about WINS, but I don't quite understand it. I don't think it applies, since they don't use the NT Server as a real "server". I changed a registry setting to insure that the WinNT Server is the master browser (or at least gets priority). I just need to get the box recognized again by the other machines so they can access some files off of it. We have tried uninstalling TCP/IP and reinstalling it, but nothing has helped.
I'm hoping someone can help. They desperately need some files off of it (they have some large databases that reside on it).
Do you have the "server" and "Computer Browser" services running on your server?
>If you try to ping its IP address, it times out
I think this is the first problem you have to solve. What happens if you ping form the NT server to any workstation?
I think this is the first problem you have to solve. What happens if you ping form the NT server to any workstation?
The first thing you need to do is check the IP address of the server. I assume it gets a dynamic Ip address so you would need wins to resolve the IP. I would advise that you give it a static Ip though.
Then you should do the following:-
Right click on your network neighbourhood and look at the properties of TCP/Ip and network Identification.
Instead of doing a ping you can do a trace to see where the connection is lost. The syntax is
tracert xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
check to see where the connection is lost. This might help.
You can also look into reapplying the service pack but this sounds like a connectivity issue.
Hope this helps
Then you should do the following:-
Right click on your network neighbourhood and look at the properties of TCP/Ip and network Identification.
Instead of doing a ping you can do a trace to see where the connection is lost. The syntax is
tracert xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
check to see where the connection is lost. This might help.
You can also look into reapplying the service pack but this sounds like a connectivity issue.
Hope this helps
One more thing, you can also try tracing and pinging the workstation from the server, if you can reach the workstation from the server, you can copy the files that you need onto the other pc this way.
ASKER
A quick thanks for everyone's replies.
1. Yes, the server and computer browser services are running.
2. If you try to ping from the server to a workstation, you get a timeout.
3. It is a "dynamic" IP. It gets 192.168.1.7 everytime. When I do an ipconfig /release and /renew - I get 192.168.1.7 I will look into giving it that as a permanent static IP. I assume internet access won't be affected if I do that, just as long as I put in the correct subnet & gateway. Side note: the workstations I had been trying have 192.168.1.13 & 192.168.1.15 respectively.
4. TCP/IP properties look OK, just like they did when everything worked. Network identification is correct too. They have a "workgroup" setup called HHBC and that's what it's set to.
5. I have not tried the tracert. I will try that.
6. I have emailed them this morning to have them reinstall the service pack 6a (if they don't do it, I'll do it next time I'm there).
Thanks again for everyone's help so far.
1. Yes, the server and computer browser services are running.
2. If you try to ping from the server to a workstation, you get a timeout.
3. It is a "dynamic" IP. It gets 192.168.1.7 everytime. When I do an ipconfig /release and /renew - I get 192.168.1.7 I will look into giving it that as a permanent static IP. I assume internet access won't be affected if I do that, just as long as I put in the correct subnet & gateway. Side note: the workstations I had been trying have 192.168.1.13 & 192.168.1.15 respectively.
4. TCP/IP properties look OK, just like they did when everything worked. Network identification is correct too. They have a "workgroup" setup called HHBC and that's what it's set to.
5. I have not tried the tracert. I will try that.
6. I have emailed them this morning to have them reinstall the service pack 6a (if they don't do it, I'll do it next time I'm there).
Thanks again for everyone's help so far.
NEVER GIVE ANY IP ADDRESS OVER THE NETWORK!!!
Sorry for being so blunt, but you should never give any private Ip addresses over the internet,thats a very high security risk right there.
open a CMD.EXE window on the server, and perform IPCONFIG/ALL. Copy and paste that into a message in this forum.
Do the same from a workstation.
Try pinging the server from each workstation.
Try pinging each workstation from the server.
Try pinging the server from the server via the loopback address 127.0.0.1
Try pinging the server from the server via it's real IP address (192.1687.x.y).
Post these results.
Do the same from a workstation.
Try pinging the server from each workstation.
Try pinging each workstation from the server.
Try pinging the server from the server via the loopback address 127.0.0.1
Try pinging the server from the server via it's real IP address (192.1687.x.y).
Post these results.
Simple Mr, the below steps will resolve your query :
1. Can you ping the dsl routers IP address if you cannot then try changing the cable and the network point of the nt machine.
2. The problem is nothing to do with Wins as wins resolves netbios names to ip addresses and if your trying to ping via ip address you are just testing if the tcp/ip protocol is working !
A response of "Request timed out" means that there was no response to the ping in the default time period (1 second). You can check for the following:
A router is down.
To check the routers in the path between the source and the destination, use the tracert command. For more information, see Using the tracert command
The destination host is down.
Physically verify that the host is running or check connectivity through another protocol.
There is no route back to your computer.
If the host is running, you can check for a return route by viewing the default gateway and local routing table on the destination host.
The latency of the response is more than one second.
Use the -w option on the ping command to increase the time-out. For example, to allow responses within 6 seconds, use ping -w 6000.
1. Can you ping the dsl routers IP address if you cannot then try changing the cable and the network point of the nt machine.
2. The problem is nothing to do with Wins as wins resolves netbios names to ip addresses and if your trying to ping via ip address you are just testing if the tcp/ip protocol is working !
A response of "Request timed out" means that there was no response to the ping in the default time period (1 second). You can check for the following:
A router is down.
To check the routers in the path between the source and the destination, use the tracert command. For more information, see Using the tracert command
The destination host is down.
Physically verify that the host is running or check connectivity through another protocol.
There is no route back to your computer.
If the host is running, you can check for a return route by viewing the default gateway and local routing table on the destination host.
The latency of the response is more than one second.
Use the -w option on the ping command to increase the time-out. For example, to allow responses within 6 seconds, use ping -w 6000.
ASKER
Ok, I finally made it to the church and here is the problem now:
The workstations still can't connect to the server. The server can't ping them and the workstations can't ping the server.
I can ping the server using its own IP address and the loopback address just fine. But I cannot ping the router (default gateway). It just times out (even after increasing the time period). Oddly, I can enter the IP address of the router in Internet Explorer and get a response (a login screen).
The router is up and fine because the server can access the internet. But if you try to ping any outside internet address (like Yahoo, etc.) you get a timeout. You get a Request Timed Out no matter what you ping other than the server itself.
Same applies to the tracert command. I enter a workstation's IP, it actually resolves the name of the workstation, but just times out.
It's driving me crazy... I'm not understanding my missing link. Thanks for the help so far.
The workstations still can't connect to the server. The server can't ping them and the workstations can't ping the server.
I can ping the server using its own IP address and the loopback address just fine. But I cannot ping the router (default gateway). It just times out (even after increasing the time period). Oddly, I can enter the IP address of the router in Internet Explorer and get a response (a login screen).
The router is up and fine because the server can access the internet. But if you try to ping any outside internet address (like Yahoo, etc.) you get a timeout. You get a Request Timed Out no matter what you ping other than the server itself.
Same applies to the tracert command. I enter a workstation's IP, it actually resolves the name of the workstation, but just times out.
It's driving me crazy... I'm not understanding my missing link. Thanks for the help so far.
ASKER
Ok, I finally made it to the church and here is the problem now:
The workstations still can't connect to the server. The server can't ping them and the workstations can't ping the server.
I can ping the server using its own IP address and the loopback address just fine. But I cannot ping the router (default gateway). It just times out (even after increasing the time period). Oddly, I can enter the IP address of the router in Internet Explorer and get a response (a login screen).
The router is up and fine because the server can access the internet. But if you try to ping any outside internet address (like Yahoo, etc.) you get a timeout. You get a Request Timed Out no matter what you ping other than the server itself.
Same applies to the tracert command. I enter a workstation's IP, it actually resolves the name of the workstation, but just times out.
It's driving me crazy... I'm not understanding my missing link. Thanks for the help so far.
The workstations still can't connect to the server. The server can't ping them and the workstations can't ping the server.
I can ping the server using its own IP address and the loopback address just fine. But I cannot ping the router (default gateway). It just times out (even after increasing the time period). Oddly, I can enter the IP address of the router in Internet Explorer and get a response (a login screen).
The router is up and fine because the server can access the internet. But if you try to ping any outside internet address (like Yahoo, etc.) you get a timeout. You get a Request Timed Out no matter what you ping other than the server itself.
Same applies to the tracert command. I enter a workstation's IP, it actually resolves the name of the workstation, but just times out.
It's driving me crazy... I'm not understanding my missing link. Thanks for the help so far.
ASKER
Sorry about the double-post there, not sure what happened:
To answer an earlier post, here is the ipconfig results:
Windows NT IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . : dell2500
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes
Ethernet adapter E100B2:
Description . . . . . . . . : Intel 8255x-based Integrated Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-F0-CC-BD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.x
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : Monday, March 10, 2003 6:40:27 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : Monday, March 10, 2003 7:40:27 PM
To answer an earlier post, here is the ipconfig results:
Windows NT IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . : dell2500
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes
Ethernet adapter E100B2:
Description . . . . . . . . : Intel 8255x-based Integrated Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-F0-CC-BD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.x
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.xxx
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : Monday, March 10, 2003 6:40:27 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : Monday, March 10, 2003 7:40:27 PM
ASKER
This is just a summary post:
Setup:
NT Server 4.0 sp6a - currently used like a workstation, not a "real" server with authentication, etc.
Workstations - range from Win95 - WinXP
Cayman DSL router - used for Bellsouth internet, used as DHCP server
What doesn't work:
1. Workstations cannot see, access, ping, or tracert the NT 4.0 server. Always receive timeout error
2. The server cannot see, access, ping, or tracert any workstation. Always receive timeout error
3. Can't ping Cayman DSL router - timeout error
4. Reapplying sp6a didn't work.
5. Switched cable to another hub/port - same problem
6. Tried delayed pinging - didn't work
7. Tried pinging outside domain (like yahoo) using yahoo's IP address - didn't work (Request timed out)
What does work:
1. Cayman DSL router works - server and workstations can all access the Internet
2. Linksys hub works - concluded because of #1
3. Workstations can see, access, & ping each other
4. Can't ping DSL router in Command Prompt, but when entered IP in Internet Explorer, was able to access router console just fine
5. Server can ping & tracert itself.
6. Server pings 127.0.0.1 just fine.
7. Checked Cayman DSL router settings - gateway is set correctly
I'm just confused as to why it just suddently stopped working. After looking at the above lists, it looks like to me as long as the server can hit the Internet, there shouldn't be a problem. I don't understand why in command prompt I get Request Timed Out to all the ping commands I do, but when the IP is typed in Internet Explorer, there's no problems.
Another thanks for everyone's help so far.
Setup:
NT Server 4.0 sp6a - currently used like a workstation, not a "real" server with authentication, etc.
Workstations - range from Win95 - WinXP
Cayman DSL router - used for Bellsouth internet, used as DHCP server
What doesn't work:
1. Workstations cannot see, access, ping, or tracert the NT 4.0 server. Always receive timeout error
2. The server cannot see, access, ping, or tracert any workstation. Always receive timeout error
3. Can't ping Cayman DSL router - timeout error
4. Reapplying sp6a didn't work.
5. Switched cable to another hub/port - same problem
6. Tried delayed pinging - didn't work
7. Tried pinging outside domain (like yahoo) using yahoo's IP address - didn't work (Request timed out)
What does work:
1. Cayman DSL router works - server and workstations can all access the Internet
2. Linksys hub works - concluded because of #1
3. Workstations can see, access, & ping each other
4. Can't ping DSL router in Command Prompt, but when entered IP in Internet Explorer, was able to access router console just fine
5. Server can ping & tracert itself.
6. Server pings 127.0.0.1 just fine.
7. Checked Cayman DSL router settings - gateway is set correctly
I'm just confused as to why it just suddently stopped working. After looking at the above lists, it looks like to me as long as the server can hit the Internet, there shouldn't be a problem. I don't understand why in command prompt I get Request Timed Out to all the ping commands I do, but when the IP is typed in Internet Explorer, there's no problems.
Another thanks for everyone's help so far.
ASKER
Problem is fixed. Come to find out, they had ZoneAlarm firewall installed. Even though they had turned it "off", it was not fully uninstalled. After it was 100% removed, everything worked like a charm.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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