Connecting WFWG3.11 Client to Server 2000 (not domain)

Got customer who has 6 WFWG 3.11 machines that run specialist hardware (hence
no possibility for OS upgrade!) that now need to connect to a Windows based
server. They purchased a W2K3 server, before asking and found that the 3.11
machines would not connect to its shared drives / folders. Would this be the
same for 3.11 connecting to W2K Server or should it work? They will not be
using the W2K Server as a DC, just as a Workgroup file server machine. Thanks
for any help.

Gary,

I have been using Windows Server 2003 r2 as a Domain controller without any
difficulty whatsoever with MSDOS 6.22, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows
NT 3.51, all the way up to Vista Ultimate (and everything in between). There
are really only a handful of things to look for. First is that they must all
be running compatible network protocols. Some years ago I dropped running
NetBeui, but that is still an option. All of the PCs use TCP/IP, which works
flawlessly. Some years back, Microsoft made available a TCP/IP stack for use
with MSDOS (and the Windows versions which sit on top of it) and that is
what I am using. The version I am using was distributed on the January 1996
TechNet CD, but it was also distributed elsewhere, such as the Windows NT
Server 3.51 CD. Yes, those are long out of print, but perhaps the stack can
be found elsewhere. Compatible network protocols is the starting point.
Microsoft also distributes the NetBeui protocol for Windows XP (and the
server) on the CD under "VALUEADD\MSFT\NET\NETBEUI", and this has worked
well for me when it has been required.

After that, then security comes into play. I am running in a Domain
environment, not a Workgroup, but the issues should be similar. Essentially,
under:

Default Domain Policy
Computer Configuration
Windows Settings
Security Settings
Local Policies
Security Options

There are several settings which may be causing difficulty. You may want to
look at Microsoft Network Client (and Server) and disable Digitally Sign
Always. The biggest issue is probably Network Security. For LAN Mgr
Authentication Level, you probably want to use LM & NTLM, since that is what
WFW and DOS are capable of.

Beyond that, a little looking is perhaps required, but I can say from
personal experience that Windows Server 2003 works flawlessly with the
oldest operating systems, provided that the configuration is correct.

John Baker

Could also be file system. WFWG won't see a network share if it is
formatted with NTFS to the best of my knowledge. Has to be formatted
with FAT file system.

On Mon, 4 Jun 2007 08:19:42 -0400, "JRB Associates"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Gary,
>
>I have been using Windows Server 2003 r2 as a Domain controller without any
>difficulty whatsoever with MSDOS 6.22, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows
>NT 3.51, all the way up to Vista Ultimate (and everything in between). There
>are really only a handful of things to look for. First is that they must all
>be running compatible network protocols. Some years ago I dropped running
>NetBeui, but that is still an option. All of the PCs use TCP/IP, which works
>flawlessly. Some years back, Microsoft made available a TCP/IP stack for use
>with MSDOS (and the Windows versions which sit on top of it) and that is
>what I am using. The version I am using was distributed on the January 1996
>TechNet CD, but it was also distributed elsewhere, such as the Windows NT
>Server 3.51 CD. Yes, those are long out of print, but perhaps the stack can
>be found elsewhere. Compatible network protocols is the starting point.
>Microsoft also distributes the NetBeui protocol for Windows XP (and the
>server) on the CD under "VALUEADD\MSFT\NET\NETBEUI", and this has worked
>well for me when it has been required.
>
>After that, then security comes into play. I am running in a Domain
>environment, not a Workgroup, but the issues should be similar. Essentially,
>under:
>
>Default Domain Policy
> Computer Configuration
> Windows Settings
> Security Settings
> Local Policies
> Security Options
>
>There are several settings which may be causing difficulty. You may want to
>look at Microsoft Network Client (and Server) and disable Digitally Sign
>Always. The biggest issue is probably Network Security. For LAN Mgr
>Authentication Level, you probably want to use LM & NTLM, since that is what
>WFW and DOS are capable of.
>
>Beyond that, a little looking is perhaps required, but I can say from
>personal experience that Windows Server 2003 works flawlessly with the
>oldest operating systems, provided that the configuration is correct.
>
>John Baker
>

That's not really an issue. There were some issues with earlier NT
versions and file manager, problems with long filenames and special
characters and the likes. Those were mostly fixed with NT4 or later or
with Service Packs. The file system on the server isn't really an
issue, it never was, DOS machines can access data on NTFS servers.

John

Brian Allen wrote:

> Could also be file system. WFWG won't see a network share if it is
> formatted with NTFS to the best of my knowledge. Has to be formatted
> with FAT file system.
>
> On Mon, 4 Jun 2007 08:19:42 -0400, "JRB Associates"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>Gary,
>>
>>I have been using Windows Server 2003 r2 as a Domain controller without any
>>difficulty whatsoever with MSDOS 6.22, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows
>>NT 3.51, all the way up to Vista Ultimate (and everything in between). There
>>are really only a handful of things to look for. First is that they must all
>>be running compatible network protocols. Some years ago I dropped running
>>NetBeui, but that is still an option. All of the PCs use TCP/IP, which works
>>flawlessly. Some years back, Microsoft made available a TCP/IP stack for use
>>with MSDOS (and the Windows versions which sit on top of it) and that is
>>what I am using. The version I am using was distributed on the January 1996
>>TechNet CD, but it was also distributed elsewhere, such as the Windows NT
>>Server 3.51 CD. Yes, those are long out of print, but perhaps the stack can
>>be found elsewhere. Compatible network protocols is the starting point.
>>Microsoft also distributes the NetBeui protocol for Windows XP (and the
>>server) on the CD under "VALUEADD\MSFT\NET\NETBEUI", and this has worked
>>well for me when it has been required.
>>
>>After that, then security comes into play. I am running in a Domain
>>environment, not a Workgroup, but the issues should be similar. Essentially,
>>under:
>>
>>Default Domain Policy
>> Computer Configuration
>> Windows Settings
>> Security Settings
>> Local Policies
>> Security Options
>>
>>There are several settings which may be causing difficulty. You may want to
>>look at Microsoft Network Client (and Server) and disable Digitally Sign
>>Always. The biggest issue is probably Network Security. For LAN Mgr
>>Authentication Level, you probably want to use LM & NTLM, since that is what
>>WFW and DOS are capable of.
>>
>>Beyond that, a little looking is perhaps required, but I can say from
>>personal experience that Windows Server 2003 works flawlessly with the
>>oldest operating systems, provided that the configuration is correct.
>>
>>John Baker
>>