WINS issue 1

[shipmate]

In the WINS manager, I see a machine that is on a different subnet (across a WAN). The machine name and ip address are correct.

But on every workstation at the office, it doesn't show up in Network Neigborhood; I can ping the machine by IP and by netbios name;

Why isn't the WAN-located machine showing up in my network neigborhood? (or any other local machine's network neigborhood) The WINS server has the machine registered as active;

Does WINS only display machines on it's own subnet? Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks for any help!

 

[leinad]

Is the machine that can see it set up as WINS server for the others?

Daniel

 

[shipmate]

Yes; every single machine (even the WAN machine) is set to use the single WINS server (set in TCP/IP properties);

The WINS server ip is 192.168.1.1
Every other desktop is 192.168.1.X
The WAN machine is 192.168.2.200

The WINS server manager correctly show the WAN machine.....but why isn't it it network neigborhood???

Thanks!

 

[leinad]

What are the subnet masks set to?

Daniel

 

[shipmate]

The masks are all set to 255.255.255.0

I'm assuming the routers and networking are in order, because the WINS server is showing the WAN machine as actively registered; it appears that the broadcasts are making it to the server....

 

[koquito]

the wan computer is on a different nework, you can either change all the network masks to 255.255.252.0 or change the ip of the wan computer to 192.168.1.200 (if it doesnt conflict with any other). A+, MCP, CCNA
marbinpr@hotmail.com

Keep fighting for your knowledge!

 

[leinad]

bingo mate,

if all the subnets are 255, then all the addresses need to be identical. where it says 0 (or any value less than 255, that's where you can (must) have variation.

every place there is a 255 there needs to be an identical address across the entire network or they won't talk

e.g.: 255.255.255.0
[192.168.0.whatever]

Daniel

 

[shipmate]

????? So the WINS server will only show addresses on the same network?

Could you please explain more? I think I understand the solution (just change the IP of the wan system), but I still don't understand why........

Thanks!

Shipmate

 

[leinad]

There is confusion regarding the differences between WINS and DNS.

One thing for sure - WINS is Microsoft specific
DNS is for everyone

Kinda like the difference between NetBEUI and TCP/IP

It is a name resolution method. In your case, it lets systems communicate and pass traffic according to machine name rather than having to supply the fully qualified domain name.

 

[JMcAllister]

Is the machine a member of the same domain/workgroup as the machines you are trying to view it from?

It doesn't matter if the machine is on a different IP subnet, that is the purpose of WINS... to get around the limitations of NetBIOS broadcasts traveling across routers.

 

[shipmate]

What I don't understand is how WINS is not working as I expected it. :-(

Machines broadcast their netbios name.
They are registering their names with WINS.
The list in network neigborhood is from the WINS server.

The WAN machine is broadcasting it's address to the WINS server.
WINS manager is showing the machine as registered and active.
But network neighborhood won't show the machine?

Having the WAN machine on the same network (on 192.168.1.X instead on 192.168.2.X) will cause the machine to show up in network neigborhhod browse lists? Why? And what's this with the subnet mask?

Leinad, thank you for your time, it is greatly appreciated.

Shipmate

 

[koquito]

It doesn't matter if it is WINS or DNS, if two computers are in different networks (subnets)they won't see each other unless there is a router in the middle or anything doing the job of the router. Broadcasts either from DNS or WINS, stay withing the network they were originated , that is one of the reasons you use subnetting and routers, to avoid network traffic due to those broadcasts.
DNS is used to resolve domain names, and Wins to resolve host names.DNS is integrated in windows 2000 when AD is used, everything is located using DNS. A+, MCP, CCNA
marbinpr@hotmail.com

Keep fighting for your knowledge!

 

[shipmate]

The WAN machine is in the same domain as everything else; no AD yet.......

But the broadcasts are getting thru, because the WINS server manager shows the WAN machine active with the correct information.

If the routers are not allowing broadcasts thru (I set ip directed broadcast + helper addresses) the WAN machine would never show up in the WINS database, right?

 

[JMcAllister]

WINS does NOT provide the names listed in Network Neighborhood. WINS only provides the IP address of these machines when queried.

The names come from the Master Browser. There is a Master Browser for each subnet and a Domain Master Browser for the entire domain (typically the PDC). The Master Browsers collect names from their respective subnets then synchronize this data with the Domain Master Browser, receiving the data that the Domain Master Browser has received from other Master Browsers, as well.

I believe this would indicate a communication problem between the Domain Master Browser (PDC) and one or more of the Master Browsers. You can use BROWMON or BROWSTAT from the resource kit to diagnose who is able to see who. Run these from the local subnet and from the remote subnet to determine the Master Browser for each and ensure the PDC is able to reach each Master Browser and the Master Browser is able to reach the PDC.

 

[koquito]

THe request to the WIN server will pass through the router, but not as a broadcast, and broadcast is not the only way WINS can work.
DOmain is one thing and Subnet is another. A+, MCP, CCNA
marbinpr@hotmail.com

Keep fighting for your knowledge!

 

[shipmate]

Fixed!

Turns out my PDC was not communicating to the WAN machine; the default route for my PDC was a PIX firewall;

The PIX firewall is not routing to the WAN router; (don't know why, the route is there, I'll work on that next!)

I added a persistant route to the PDC (traffic from the PDC to the WAN machine should go directly to the WAN router, not the default route to the firewall), and everything works!

I would like to thank everyone for not only helping find a solution, but to explain the problem.

Shipmate