Name resolution on W2K Server Network

[attrofy]

Our main server runs W2K Server with active directory. Most of the clients (about 50) use w98 or XP Pro. All of the Win98 machines have no problem exploring the network (aside from the standard W98 issues), but the XP machines will intermittently loose the names of the PC's on the network. This becomes a real hassle when trying to install/run/save applications that can only sort by name resolution.

In most every instance \\"computer name" resolves to the appropriate PC and associate shares, but when viewing the entire Network, the PC's are not there. In really rare instances, we will get one PC that shows up that uses RAS to authenticate to the Domain. The rest of the domain is empty. Pings by IP and name work properly 100% of the time.

Any suggestions? Is this a known issue?

DC, WINS, and DNS servers all on the same W2K Server. NETBios Settings for all XP Pro machines is "default" (NeTBIOS from DHCP or NETBIOS over TCP/IP if static). LMHOSTS enabled on some XP machines.

TIA for the suggestions. Is this enough info, or is more required?

 

[NetIntruder]

Check your DNS event logs. Win9x uses WINS for name resolution, XP uses DNS first by default.

As far as names disappearing out of Net Neighborhood, it kind of sounds like a master browser issue to me. Use the Res. Kit utility Browstat (or Browmon) to see if the master is changing frequently.

Also, is RRAS running on the DNS Server?


~Intruder~

"The Less You Do, The Less Can Go Wrong"

 

[attrofy]

RRAS not running as far as I know. Browstat is not available without purchasing the resource kit - as far as I can tell. Any other thoughts or utilities? Not that purchasing it is out of the question, just not a "now" fix or tool.

What would cause the Master Browser Service to change? Any thing to keep it from changing?

 

[Jpoandl]

First thing to check is that your clients are using the LOCAL DNS servers.

Check the TCP/IP configuration and verify that DNS1 and DNS2 are pointing to internal DNS servers.

Many times people try to point thier internal clients to the ISP DNS servers. This is not a good idea at all. Windows 2K and higher systems rely on DNS to talk to the Windows 200x domain.

All internal clients should point to internal DNS servers. The internal DNS servers should then point to ISP DNS servers in the DNS server forwarders tab.

You should be able to perform NSLOOKUP at the command prompt on the client and resolve to ServerDC, serverDNS, and externally to

http://www.yahoo.com

(for example) with no problems.

-I would start here....this is a very common mistake...

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out

http://www.NJCOMPUTERNETWORKS.com

(Sales@njcomputernetworks.com)

 

[attrofy]

That is all verified. That has been checked several times. As our internal DNS server is performing all DNS functions, this is a known conflict with one of our applications, so we have verified this repeatedly. However, we only have one DNS1 - DNS2 is blank - just for added assurance. We have been debating promoting a Secondary DC, and at that point, would use that for DNS2.

What would you suggest next?

THanks for all of the info this far.

 

[attrofy]

Quick Revision, we ARE running RRAS, if that makes a difference. Coincidentally, in talking with another admin here about this this morning, there has been an error log being produced in our File Server - not our DC Server, only the File server - that refers to a browser error. It specifically states "The browser service has failed to retrieve the backup list too many times on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip-{3d9765f9...(appended}. The backup browser is stopping." This does seem to coincide with about the time the RAS PC came online. Coincidentally, as stated above, occasionally if the Network is showing any PC's, it is occasionally only the PC that is RASing in.

Also, we did manage to find a downloadable source for Browstat, and it had been run on numerous occasions. This verified that the Master Browser was (and still is) staying pointed to the main DC.

In doing some troubleshooting and net surfing regarding these errors over the months, we keep coming into troubleshooting tips that link to the File and Printer sharing services being disabled. These in fact are turned on on all servers and clients.

Lastly in running NSLOOKUP this morning on several clients, the names are able to resolve, but they all throw some sort of error. Usually if we are trying to NSLOOKUP a PC name, the PC name along with the IP address is found. But it will start the listing by stating:
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.xxx.xxx: Non-existent domain
*** Default servers are not available

But then it does resolve the Server IP address properly, even though the Server name is unknown, and it does resolve the name properly as PC_Name.DOMAIN_Name.local

Yahoo, among others all resolve properly, and return more familiar NSLOOKUP results, even with the preceeding error messages.

 

[NetIntruder]

Multi-Homed Master Browsers are a known issue, but from what I gather, your DC and RAS servers are different hardware, correct? What is the Master Browser on the subnet when the XP machines only see the computer dialed in?

~Intruder~

"The Less You Do, The Less Can Go Wrong"

 

[Jpoandl]

To get rid of these errors:

But it will start the listing by stating:
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.xxx.xxx: Non-existent domain
*** Default servers are not available

you just need to create a reverse lookup zone for your subnet. Then create a pointer record for your DNS server. After these steps are performed, these errors will go away.



Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out

http://www.NJCOMPUTERNETWORKS.com

(Sales@njcomputernetworks.com)