Master Browser Issues

[IPKONFIG]

We have a network that is having master browser issues. Here is what we have:

Users have been converted to AD about 6 months ago. Out of the 60 users, only 7 are on Win2k boxes, the rest are running Win95. Our primary domain, cannot be browsed because 2 Win2k boxes were in contention over who was the master browser and no election process was done for a back-up because the masters were fighting. What we've done is turned off the two Win2k boxes that were having issues and we still couldn't get an election process going.

We then waited till after hours and turned off all the PC's except for one Win2k box, we monitored it and when it elected itself as the master browser when then turned on one other Win2k machine, within 12 minutes the 2nd machine became the back-up. After that, we were able to power up all the machines including the Win95 boxes and everything is working well.

We still have an election problem when the master is powered off and the back-up is powered off as well. When we leave the back-up on, it will promote itself to the master (as it should).

Does anyone know why if all the machines are off and there are no master browsers on the segment, and when more than one machine is powered on do my machines have election problems as to who the master broswer is?

 

[GiaBetiu]

Well,... maybe I;m too tired now, but difficult to understand what you did there. But, heard you that you hav 60 users... in this case install a WINS server. Also if youa re having multiple network segments, routers, etc, that's the best method. ANother reason is that you have just 7 from 60 users with w2k, so is highly advisable to have a WINS server.

Gia Betiu
giabetiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K

 

[IPKONFIG]

I've got a WINS server at my campus location, which is connected like this:

Cisco 4507 switch -----> Cisco 4507 switch-----> Cisco 3660 router------> Cisco 7513 Router------>Cisco 6509 Switch w/MSFC------>WINS server

This is only happening on this one VLAN....WINS server is not an option. Why do the WIN2k boxes not have a election process that they can all agree on?

 

[brontosaurus]

Hey IP,

Honestly, I think MS browsing is horrible and I never rely on it. That said, i would do one of 2 things:

1) edit the registries on all the machines (except for a few) so they won't participate in browser elections...you can do this via script if you want.

2) build a Linux box with Samba and make it the master browser.

Oh, and by the way, thanks for some great info in the Cisco forums...

bronto

 

[IPKONFIG]

Bronto- Thanks, I appreciate hearing positive feedback about some of the forums. I like your idea with the Linux box, but here's my issue. My company will not allow a Linux box to be inserted anywhere in our network. We've tried the changing the registry on a newly ghosted machine that we put on the floor. (Reg setting to force this PC to be the master) Well, to make a long story short, the PC we built won't even partake of the broswer election with the registry changed. We put the registry back to default and then it fights along with everyone else. This issue is driving me nuts! I was kinda hoping for a "white unicorn" and someone would tell me that there is a known issue with this and that Microsoft would have a fix. But no such luck. I've been using a sniffer since yesterday, and the garbage flying around this network is amazing. I've even beat on my switches thinking they might be having some issues that would attribute my master browser problem. No luck. When I fix this issue, I'll write up a real nice post and maybe even a FAQ to help anyone else having this problem.

Thanks again.

 

[IPKONFIG]

Here is what the resolution was to our problem. After much debate we decided to put a WinXP box on the network in our server room. Trunked the VLAN up to the server room so as this box would appear on the same LAN as the users having the issues. This box (within seconds) declared itself as the master brower of that LAN segment. Win2k pro boxes would all ask the Domain Master Browser, and the Domain Master would respond, but for some reason the Win2k boxes won't populate their list. Anyway, with the WinXP box in the server room and the users on another floor altogether, I don't have to worry any longer about which machine is the master. I know which machine is. I'll just treat it like a server for that LAN segment.

I want to say thanks to Bronto for the idea. Even though we didn't use a Linux box, we still used the idea. Thanks.