can share on network, but can’t browse

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My home network consists of two Win98 plus one WinXP pro. From the WinXP machine, I can browse thru Network places to one of the win98 machines. Works just fine. However, the second machine (name: felix) appears on the list of computers, but does not respond if I try to browse to it. Windows issues a message that it is inaccessible.

Moving to Felix, likewise I cannot browse the network. Windows issue a message that the network is unavailable. However, I have several shortcuts on the desktop that open directly to various folders on both the other machines, and they work properly. I can manipulate files just fine.

All three machines are connected via a router/switch, and they are all able to browse onto the Internet. They are all in the same workgroup. All the IP addresses are unique.

Any ideas how to fix it so I can browse the network on the Win98 machine. Not being able to browse puts a real kink in trying to save files onto a network share from ay application program.

Thanks.

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It would seem that Felix has a problem. Did this start in conjunction with any recent changes? Can you ping Felix, and ping the other workstations from it?

Check this article from the Knowledge Base to see if it applies.

Some other things to check:

• Check to make sure that file and printer sharing is installed and enabled on Felix. If File and Print Sharing is not listed in Network Configuration on other peers/workstations then you will not be able to view that machine in Network Neighborhood.
• Check the workgroup names to make sure they are all the same.
• You must have at least one of the NetBIOS protocols installed. The NetBIOS protocols are: NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP. If TCP/IP does not work by itself, go to Start, Setting, Control Panel, Network, select the instance of TCP/IP bound to the network adapter for your local network (Properties – Bindings) and be sure the Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing check boxes are checked. They should not be checked for any network adapters used to connect to the Internet.
• All of the computers must be running a common protocol.
• You must login to Windows or the Microsoft Client for Windows.
• A unique computer name must be specified in Network configuration
• If the above requirements have been met, disable or enable Browse Masters. A computer that is infrequently used should not be a Browse Master. There must be at least one Browse Master.[/list]HTH,

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Thanks for the info. I checked all of the items on the list, and everything seems to be correct, but still no joy. Found some online information about the Browse Master, and that *seems* to be the source of the problem. Recent changes? I used to have a Linux machine on the network. It shared a drive via the Samba software, and I recently configured Samba to be a Master Browser. Things fell apart, and I took the Linux box off the network. Maybe it caused something to change in felix? Could felix be looking for a domain controller? (the other win98 machine was not connected to the network when I was messing with the Samba settings).

I have been using nbtstat as a diagnostic to to return the names of the resources on the computer. I get the expected results when I run the program locally on all three machines. The winXP machine is the Browse Master according to nbtstat

But I get different results when I try to access “other” machines on the network. For example, I go to oscar (win98) and type “nbtstat -a unger” on its console, and get the list of resources on unger (winXP). Works the same in the other direction between these two machines. But when I go to Felix, it returns “host not found” for nbtstat for either of the two other two machines. Likewise, going to unger and typing “nbtstat -a felix” returns “host not found”

I can go to oscar and type PING unger Or PING 192.168.1.100, and get a response. However, PING felix or PING 192.168.1.101 both return “timeout” responses. All three machines can PING the router (192.168.1.1)

Through all of this, I can open direct shortcuts to shared resources on the other two computers. Likewise, the Start > Find Computer facility works properly (I can find resources on both oscar and unger from felix). It’s just the browsing that doesn’t work.

I have removed and re-installed the TCP/IP protocol as well as the file and print sharing. When felix boots, it pauses at the Windows login screen for me to choose a login name. I login as “jack”, which is the name of an account on winXP. All three computers are in a workgroup named “workgroup”. All three machines have only TCP/IP protocol.

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the info. I checked all of the items on the list, and everything seems to be correct, but still no joy. Found some online information about the Browse Master, and that *seems* to be the source of the problem. Recent changes? I used to have a Linux machine on the network. It shared a drive via the Samba software, and I recently configured Samba to be a Master Browser. Things fell apart, and I took the Linux box off the network. Maybe it caused something to change in felix? Could felix be looking for a domain controller? (the other win98 machine was not connected to the network when I was messing with the Samba settings).

I have been using nbtstat as a diagnostic to to return the names of the resources on the computer. I get the expected results when I run the program locally on all three machines. The winXP machine is the Browse Master according to nbtstat

But I get different results when I try to access “other” machines on the network. For example, I go to oscar (win98) and type “nbtstat -a unger” on its console, and get the list of resources on unger (winXP). Works the same in the other direction between these two machines. But when I go to Felix, it returns “host not found” for nbtstat for either of the two other two machines. Likewise, going to unger and typing “nbtstat -a felix” returns “host not found”

I can go to oscar and type PING unger Or PING 192.168.1.100, and get a response. However, PING felix or PING 192.168.1.101 both return “timeout” responses. All three machines can PING the router (192.168.1.1)

Through all of this, I can open direct shortcuts to shared resources on the other two computers. Likewise, the Start > Find Computer facility works properly (I can find resources on both oscar and unger from felix). It’s just the browsing that doesn’t work.

I have removed and re-installed the TCP/IP protocol as well as the file and print sharing. When felix boots, it pauses at the Windows login screen for me to choose a login name. I login as “jack”, which is the name of an account on winXP. All three computers are in a workgroup named “workgroup”. All three machines have only TCP/IP protocol.

Reply | Quote

It would seem that Felix has a problem. Did this start in conjunction with any recent changes? Can you ping Felix, and ping the other workstations from it?

Check this article from the Knowledge Base to see if it applies.

Some other things to check:

• Check to make sure that file and printer sharing is installed and enabled on Felix. If File and Print Sharing is not listed in Network Configuration on other peers/workstations then you will not be able to view that machine in Network Neighborhood.
• Check the workgroup names to make sure they are all the same.
• You must have at least one of the NetBIOS protocols installed. The NetBIOS protocols are: NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP. If TCP/IP does not work by itself, go to Start, Setting, Control Panel, Network, select the instance of TCP/IP bound to the network adapter for your local network (Properties – Bindings) and be sure the Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing check boxes are checked. They should not be checked for any network adapters used to connect to the Internet.
• All of the computers must be running a common protocol.
• You must login to Windows or the Microsoft Client for Windows.
• A unique computer name must be specified in Network configuration
• If the above requirements have been met, disable or enable Browse Masters. A computer that is infrequently used should not be a Browse Master. There must be at least one Browse Master.[/list]HTH,

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