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NETWORK NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT SHOW ALL COMPUTERS 2
- Thread starter jguillory
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To connect using NetBeui all PCs would have to be running that protocol. I can see all PCs at this location, it is in other domains or sites I have a problem with. We have also had a new Windows 2000 member server installed recently. I guess that may have something to do with it also.
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- Jan 1, 1970
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How long has this been going on? Usually when network neighborhood is started up it takes awhile for some computers to show up. That appears to be a limitation of network neighborhood. Probably going to be something that is goes on for awhile until it starts registering properly
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Folks,
I have had the luxury of working on NT at a fortune 500 company. Here is the info I have learned and base my consulting on:
1. The network neighborhood display is actually a display of the "browse" list that is being held by a machine on that subnet that is currently designated as the "master" browser. It is NOT MEANT to be a complete representation of what windows machines are currently ACTIVE on your network.
Machines can opt out of being seen on the browse list by setting a registry key value.
Every subnet has a master browser and a backup master browser, generally determined by which machine has the newest revision of Windows, or which machine is a server vs. a workstation or 9x machine.
Every NT domain has a domain master browser, which is usually the PDC.
Every subnet master browser shares its information with the domain master browser every so often (I have literally heard dozens of versions as to how long this interval is. I usually say 15-30 minutes).
At that same time, the DMB shares its current "full" list with the subnet master browser, for publishing back to those machines that make a request (like when you look in network neighborhood).
This matter is further complicated by the number of domains and workgroups on a network, as well as whether the domains have trusts with one another and what machines on each subnet are members of which workgroup or domain.
2. My recommendation is this:
If you can see a machine by:
a. pinging it by its netbios name
OR
b. using the FIND COMPUTER functionality.
then everything is fine, it means you have a sound name resolution system in place, or everything is on the same subnet and is using subnet broadcasts to talk to one another.
3. I strongly advise against the use of NETBEUI. NETBEUI has two severe faults:
a. It is not a routable protocol. (It lacks the network/transport layer funtionality)
b. It causes extreme excess network traffic because it uses broadcasts to find target machines.
I hope this information helps.
Tony Testa
MCSE, A+, Net+, INet+
I have had the luxury of working on NT at a fortune 500 company. Here is the info I have learned and base my consulting on:
1. The network neighborhood display is actually a display of the "browse" list that is being held by a machine on that subnet that is currently designated as the "master" browser. It is NOT MEANT to be a complete representation of what windows machines are currently ACTIVE on your network.
Machines can opt out of being seen on the browse list by setting a registry key value.
Every subnet has a master browser and a backup master browser, generally determined by which machine has the newest revision of Windows, or which machine is a server vs. a workstation or 9x machine.
Every NT domain has a domain master browser, which is usually the PDC.
Every subnet master browser shares its information with the domain master browser every so often (I have literally heard dozens of versions as to how long this interval is. I usually say 15-30 minutes).
At that same time, the DMB shares its current "full" list with the subnet master browser, for publishing back to those machines that make a request (like when you look in network neighborhood).
This matter is further complicated by the number of domains and workgroups on a network, as well as whether the domains have trusts with one another and what machines on each subnet are members of which workgroup or domain.
2. My recommendation is this:
If you can see a machine by:
a. pinging it by its netbios name
OR
b. using the FIND COMPUTER functionality.
then everything is fine, it means you have a sound name resolution system in place, or everything is on the same subnet and is using subnet broadcasts to talk to one another.
3. I strongly advise against the use of NETBEUI. NETBEUI has two severe faults:
a. It is not a routable protocol. (It lacks the network/transport layer funtionality)
b. It causes extreme excess network traffic because it uses broadcasts to find target machines.
I hope this information helps.
Tony Testa
MCSE, A+, Net+, INet+
If these computers do not have "file and print sharing" installed they would not be visible in network neighborhood either. This would allow you to search and have netbeui find the computer name but when you browse the network these computers would not be visible. Its worth a look anyways 
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