Can't browse entire network

I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My Network
Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network' and then
choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the servers on the
network. I have no problem connecting to any of the machines I don't see
listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll be using software and need
to browse for the machine I need to connect to. I've looked over my policy
settings, and I can't find an answer. I don't see anything in the event
logs that could be the cause of this either. I have a server with the same
issue, but I can only see the same seven machines (including itself) that I
see from my workstation. Anyone have an idea of what to look for?

On 2004-12-02 09:18:23 -0500, "Hank Eisenstein"
<(E-Mail Removed)> said:

> I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
> Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My
> Network Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network'
> and then choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the
> servers on the network. I have no problem connecting to any of the
> machines I don't see listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll
> be using software and need to browse for the machine I need to connect
> to. I've looked over my policy settings, and I can't find an answer.
> I don't see anything in the event logs that could be the cause of this
> either. I have a server with the same issue, but I can only see the
> same seven machines (including itself) that I see from my workstation.
> Anyone have an idea of what to look for?

Hank,

Check your WINS settings (all clients and all servers should register
with the same WINS server, or WINS servers that replicate with each
other). You might also find it helpful (I have) to disable the
Computer Browser service on all the workstations; this ensures that
they won't participate in browser elections (thus forcing your servers
to assume the roles of backup browsers and master browser). You can
disable the Computer Browser service using a Group Policy Object.

HTH.

--
Scott Lowe

"Scott Lowe" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 2004-12-02 09:18:23 -0500, "Hank Eisenstein" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> said:
>
>> I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
>> Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My
>> Network Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network' and
>> then choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the servers on
>> the network. I have no problem connecting to any of the machines I don't
>> see listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll be using software
>> and need to browse for the machine I need to connect to. I've looked
>> over my policy settings, and I can't find an answer. I don't see
>> anything in the event logs that could be the cause of this either. I
>> have a server with the same issue, but I can only see the same seven
>> machines (including itself) that I see from my workstation. Anyone have
>> an idea of what to look for?
>
> Hank,
>
> Check your WINS settings (all clients and all servers should register with
> the same WINS server, or WINS servers that replicate with each other).
> You might also find it helpful (I have) to disable the Computer Browser
> service on all the workstations; this ensures that they won't participate
> in browser elections (thus forcing your servers to assume the roles of
> backup browsers and master browser). You can disable the Computer Browser
> service using a Group Policy Object.
>
> HTH.

I'll look into the computer browser service. We don't have any WINS servers
on our network.

Are any of the servers multihomed or remote access servers? Do you see
lots of browser election messages in the event log?

"Hank Eisenstein" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Scott Lowe" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On 2004-12-02 09:18:23 -0500, "Hank Eisenstein"
>> <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>>
>>> I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
>>> Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My
>>> Network Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network'
>>> and then choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the servers
>>> on the network. I have no problem connecting to any of the machines I
>>> don't see listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll be using
>>> software and need to browse for the machine I need to connect to. I've
>>> looked over my policy settings, and I can't find an answer. I don't see
>>> anything in the event logs that could be the cause of this either. I
>>> have a server with the same issue, but I can only see the same seven
>>> machines (including itself) that I see from my workstation. Anyone have
>>> an idea of what to look for?
>>
>> Hank,
>>
>> Check your WINS settings (all clients and all servers should register
>> with the same WINS server, or WINS servers that replicate with each
>> other). You might also find it helpful (I have) to disable the Computer
>> Browser service on all the workstations; this ensures that they won't
>> participate in browser elections (thus forcing your servers to assume the
>> roles of backup browsers and master browser). You can disable the
>> Computer Browser service using a Group Policy Object.
>>
>> HTH.
>
> I'll look into the computer browser service. We don't have any WINS
> servers on our network.
>

Yes, I have 10 servers on a class B network as well as class C network.
None of the class B addresses are registered in DNS. On my desktop machine,
I do not see any browser election messages.

"Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Are any of the servers multihomed or remote access servers? Do you see
> lots of browser election messages in the event log?
>
> "Hank Eisenstein" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Scott Lowe" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> On 2004-12-02 09:18:23 -0500, "Hank Eisenstein"
>>> <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>>>
>>>> I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
>>>> Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My
>>>> Network Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network'
>>>> and then choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the
>>>> servers on the network. I have no problem connecting to any of the
>>>> machines I don't see listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll
>>>> be using software and need to browse for the machine I need to connect
>>>> to. I've looked over my policy settings, and I can't find an answer.
>>>> I don't see anything in the event logs that could be the cause of this
>>>> either. I have a server with the same issue, but I can only see the
>>>> same seven machines (including itself) that I see from my workstation.
>>>> Anyone have an idea of what to look for?
>>>
>>> Hank,
>>>
>>> Check your WINS settings (all clients and all servers should register
>>> with the same WINS server, or WINS servers that replicate with each
>>> other). You might also find it helpful (I have) to disable the Computer
>>> Browser service on all the workstations; this ensures that they won't
>>> participate in browser elections (thus forcing your servers to assume
>>> the roles of backup browsers and master browser). You can disable the
>>> Computer Browser service using a Group Policy Object.
>>>
>>> HTH.
>>
>> I'll look into the computer browser service. We don't have any WINS
>> servers on our network.
>>
>
>

Whether your extra addresses register in DNS or not isn't relevant to
browsing. Computer browsing is an NT legacy system and uses Netbios names.
Multihomed servers are an old problem with browsing. See KB articles
188001, 188305 and 191611 . The browser service is still essentially the
same as in NT4 .

"Hank Eisenstein" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OMMqT$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Yes, I have 10 servers on a class B network as well as class C network.
> None of the class B addresses are registered in DNS. On my desktop
> machine, I do not see any browser election messages.
>
> "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Are any of the servers multihomed or remote access servers? Do you see
>> lots of browser election messages in the event log?
>>
>> "Hank Eisenstein" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>> "Scott Lowe" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> On 2004-12-02 09:18:23 -0500, "Hank Eisenstein"
>>>> <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>>>>
>>>>> I keep running into this problem on XP workstations and 2003 servers.
>>>>> Sometimes, I can see every computer on the network when I open 'My
>>>>> Network Places' and choose 'Entire Network-Microsoft Windows Network'
>>>>> and then choose my domain. Other times, I only see seven of the
>>>>> servers on the network. I have no problem connecting to any of the
>>>>> machines I don't see listed, but it's a hassle sometimes because I'll
>>>>> be using software and need to browse for the machine I need to connect
>>>>> to. I've looked over my policy settings, and I can't find an answer.
>>>>> I don't see anything in the event logs that could be the cause of this
>>>>> either. I have a server with the same issue, but I can only see the
>>>>> same seven machines (including itself) that I see from my workstation.
>>>>> Anyone have an idea of what to look for?
>>>>
>>>> Hank,
>>>>
>>>> Check your WINS settings (all clients and all servers should register
>>>> with the same WINS server, or WINS servers that replicate with each
>>>> other). You might also find it helpful (I have) to disable the Computer
>>>> Browser service on all the workstations; this ensures that they won't
>>>> participate in browser elections (thus forcing your servers to assume
>>>> the roles of backup browsers and master browser). You can disable the
>>>> Computer Browser service using a Group Policy Object.
>>>>
>>>> HTH.
>>>
>>> I'll look into the computer browser service. We don't have any WINS
>>> servers on our network.
>>>
>>
>>
>
>