My Network Places "Empty"

[PzP1R8]

I have a Local Workgroup of 25 PCs, but when I browse Network Places, I cannot see any of the PCs on any machine in our Workgroup?

If I map a drive, it finds the PC!

It looks like the Browser service isn't working or something is not set right on all the PCs. This use to work ok, when they were running Windows 98, but since they were all upgraded to Windows 2000, the Browser Service no longer seems to "browse" the local workgroup?

I have been told to activate a "Master Browser" but this is a Workgroup and Not a Domain, I have no Windows 2000 Server?
Is there a way to start a Master Browser in a Workgroup on a Workstation (It is not under services).

The Windows 2000 Professional Training Manual makes no reference to any of this?

Additionally I have been told about "Helper Addresses" on Switches/Routers which can cause this issue with Windows Networks?

Anybody got any ideas, I don't think all the workstations default settings can be all wrong?

Additionally when you click on "My Network Places", "Entire Network" it states that there is "One Object" in there, but when you view the screen it is empty?

 

[wolluf]

Can you ping machines - by IP address and by name? When you map a drive - how do you reference the machine with share (by name or IP address?). If you use the search facility to look for a machine, does it find it?

Is TCP over netbios enabled on all machines?

(your network will automatically 'elect' a Master Browser).

Are you using manual IP addresses? Or have you got a router (presume not using ICS with 25 machines in a workgroup).

 

[PzP1R8]

Yes, I can ping machines by both IP addresses and by Name.
Yes, I can Map Drives by both IP Addresses and Name.
Yes, TCP/IP over Netbios Enabled on all Machines (by Default).
Yes, we are using Manually assigned IP Addresses.

Thanks for the Questions, worth a try?

 

[wolluf]

I suppose you could create an LMHOSTS file with all machine IP addresses and names and put it on each machine (C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\lmhosts).

 

[bcastner]

Look at Robert Lin's site:

http://www.chicagotech.net/

See the Networking | Workgroup section, and the Troubleshooting | Browser Issues section.

You a have several choices:

1. Carefully manage pure Netbios services. This includes making registry edits to assign Master Browser status to certain workstations, and disabling the Computer Browsing service from most clients; but, be certain you have now under TCP/IP Properties, Advanced, DNS tab "Netbios over TCP/IP enabled", as it sure sounds like you did not make this manual edit to the clients.

2. You could use Netbui. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Netbui in this setting. You would not need Netbios over TCP/IP at all. This is a perfectly reasonable approach for you. This article discusses XP in particular but ignore that small matter:

http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/40.htm#tipadaweek

3. You could use IPX/SPX instead of Netbui.

4. You could use LMHOSTS as Wolluf suggested. Here is a good explanation of how it would be used even in a Domain setting:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314108

Best,
Bill Castner