ping -a

[MiltonBliss]

I have a flat NT4.0 domain with Win98SE, Win2k, and XP workstations and Win2k standalone servers. The only router is to get to the Internet. I can reverse resolve any address on the network with ping -a x.x.x.x except the Wins Server. The ping works but not the name resolution. I'm not sure if Wins should resolve, I'm not sure Wins is working at all, I'm not sure how to test. I'm not sure I need Wins. When I take all the servers off line I can still ping by name, I'm not sure what is resolving names, I can even ping -a without servers online. We do not use a DNS server on our network, we point to our ISPs DNS servers, therefore I believe it is not DNS related. I cleared the Wins database, that didn't help. Perhaps it has to do with browsing, but I do not know how to affect it.

All thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Alshrim]

Ping -a resolves the host names, not the NetBios names. So you will either need a dns server or a Host file configured with all your computer in it. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[MiltonBliss]

What are host names? How are they set? How are they different than NetBios names? As far as I can tell my computer has just one name. Currently there is not host file yet I can still ping -a, what is resolving the names?

 

[JensP]

Hi,
your names are resolved over a broadcast. To check if your Wins is running check if your clients register in the Wins-database, then you can pretty sure that the wins-server is working.
If you want resolve your IP to NetBios names than you can use "nbtstat -A 192.68.99.66" (the "A" must be uppercase), for Netbios name to IP use "nbtstat -a MyHost". Your OS will now try to resolve the name in the local cache then with the Wins and if it fails with an broadcast. If you only have one subnet then the broadcast will always work.
So what can you do to test your Wins - you can change your node type form Hybrid to Peer-Peer. With Peer-Peer your OS will only look at the local cache and the ask the Wins. To change the node type - add an DWORD with the Name "NodeType" under HKEY_LOCAL_MASCHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters. The values are "1" for Broadcast only, "2" for Peer-Peer, "8" for Hybrid (default value when OS is configured with an Wins-Server), "4" for mixed (first broadcast then wins).

And the last one (from me): YES you need a Wins, it speeds up the nameresolution and reduces network traffic (fewer broadcasts).

Hope you understand my bad english, if not i will try to explain it again with other words.

 

[Alshrim]

if you look in your TCP/IP settings, under the DNS tab -- you'll see a host name specified.

DSN is a service that resolves FQDN's. IN TCP/IP settings, your domain-name and host name are specified. If you do not have a dns server to resolve this name, ping -a can not resolve the hostname.

Netbios names are resolved by WINS.

So, if you do a ping <computername> and it resolves to an address, than you are running WINS and the NETBIOS name is resolved.


Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[MiltonBliss]

It is interesting to note the machine that fails to resolve is the WINS server. When I look at the WINS database it is not listed.

 

[Alshrim]

Does it have itself as its WINS server specified in its TCP/IP settings? If not ... you may wish to add it.

Another way of specifying NetBIOS name resolution is in an LMHOST file. It acts like the HOST file for DNS.
Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet