Inconsistent Access to an external domain connected to my domain w

Hello. My company (Company A) recently merged with another company (Company
B). Domain A is connected to Domain B using a Sonicwall VPN tunnel with T1
Internet connections at either end. Most user computers on Domain A can
navigate to Domain B using "Explore" from the Start menu, go to My Network
Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network, find Domain B, find a
fileserver on Domain B, and drill down to a shared drive on it. Upon double
clicking the shared drive, a login box appears and a Domain A user can type
in a valid Domain B login ID (i.e. (E-Mail Removed)) and password, and thereby
access the shared drive contents or map a drive letter to the shared drive.

For most Domain A users, this process works fine. However, I have three
users who can explore as described above, see Domain B, and see the filesever
on Domain B, but not drill down to the shared drive. When these three users
click on the fileserver on Domain B, they do not get a login box but instead
get a message as follows: "DomainBFileserver is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use this network resource... The network path was not
found".

It may be helpful to note that the same three problem PCs on Domain A move
very slowly through the explore process described above before ultimately
receiving the "not accessible message" referred to above. In fact, they move
slowly exploring in the same manner even to servers on their own domain (i.e.
Domain A) but in the end are able to access shared drives on Domain A.

All servers are Windows Server 2003 and all user PCs are Windows XP. All
updates are installed on the servers and PCs.

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide.

Sincerely, J

Sounds like name resolution issue. Do you have WINS server? also check the DNS settings.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:E8189EFD-E7AE-4907-B8C6-(E-Mail Removed)...
Hello. My company (Company A) recently merged with another company (Company
B). Domain A is connected to Domain B using a Sonicwall VPN tunnel with T1
Internet connections at either end. Most user computers on Domain A can
navigate to Domain B using "Explore" from the Start menu, go to My Network
Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network, find Domain B, find a
fileserver on Domain B, and drill down to a shared drive on it. Upon double
clicking the shared drive, a login box appears and a Domain A user can type
in a valid Domain B login ID (i.e. (E-Mail Removed)) and password, and thereby
access the shared drive contents or map a drive letter to the shared drive.

For most Domain A users, this process works fine. However, I have three
users who can explore as described above, see Domain B, and see the filesever
on Domain B, but not drill down to the shared drive. When these three users
click on the fileserver on Domain B, they do not get a login box but instead
get a message as follows: "DomainBFileserver is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use this network resource... The network path was not
found".

It may be helpful to note that the same three problem PCs on Domain A move
very slowly through the explore process described above before ultimately
receiving the "not accessible message" referred to above. In fact, they move
slowly exploring in the same manner even to servers on their own domain (i.e.
Domain A) but in the end are able to access shared drives on Domain A.

All servers are Windows Server 2003 and all user PCs are Windows XP. All
updates are installed on the servers and PCs.

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide.

Sincerely, J

Hi Robert. Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did check the DNS settings and
confirmed that all three problem PCs settings are consistent with PCs that
are working fine.

Using "ipconfig /all" I did find that a problem PC listed "domainA.com"
three times under "DNS Suffix Search List"; whereas a functioning PC listed
"domainA.com" twice. I don't know if that is useful information.

Also, per your recommendation, I checked and verified that all PCs are
indicating the same IP address for the WINS server.

Thanks again for your help. J


"Robert L [MS-MVP]" wrote:

> Sounds like name resolution issue. Do you have WINS server? also check the DNS settings.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:E8189EFD-E7AE-4907-B8C6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello. My company (Company A) recently merged with another company (Company
> B). Domain A is connected to Domain B using a Sonicwall VPN tunnel with T1
> Internet connections at either end. Most user computers on Domain A can
> navigate to Domain B using "Explore" from the Start menu, go to My Network
> Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network, find Domain B, find a
> fileserver on Domain B, and drill down to a shared drive on it. Upon double
> clicking the shared drive, a login box appears and a Domain A user can type
> in a valid Domain B login ID (i.e. (E-Mail Removed)) and password, and thereby
> access the shared drive contents or map a drive letter to the shared drive.
>
> For most Domain A users, this process works fine. However, I have three
> users who can explore as described above, see Domain B, and see the filesever
> on Domain B, but not drill down to the shared drive. When these three users
> click on the fileserver on Domain B, they do not get a login box but instead
> get a message as follows: "DomainBFileserver is not accessible. You might
> not have permission to use this network resource... The network path was not
> found".
>
> It may be helpful to note that the same three problem PCs on Domain A move
> very slowly through the explore process described above before ultimately
> receiving the "not accessible message" referred to above. In fact, they move
> slowly exploring in the same manner even to servers on their own domain (i.e.
> Domain A) but in the end are able to access shared drives on Domain A.
>
> All servers are Windows Server 2003 and all user PCs are Windows XP. All
> updates are installed on the servers and PCs.
>
> Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide.
>
> Sincerely, J

what do you receive is using net view \\server? post back with the result.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:BAFBAB23-B518-4FD5-A4E3-(E-Mail Removed)...
Hi Robert. Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did check the DNS settings and
confirmed that all three problem PCs settings are consistent with PCs that
are working fine.

Using "ipconfig /all" I did find that a problem PC listed "domainA.com"
three times under "DNS Suffix Search List"; whereas a functioning PC listed
"domainA.com" twice. I don't know if that is useful information.

Also, per your recommendation, I checked and verified that all PCs are
indicating the same IP address for the WINS server.

Thanks again for your help. J


"Robert L [MS-MVP]" wrote:

> Sounds like name resolution issue. Do you have WINS server? also check the DNS settings.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:E8189EFD-E7AE-4907-B8C6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello. My company (Company A) recently merged with another company (Company
> B). Domain A is connected to Domain B using a Sonicwall VPN tunnel with T1
> Internet connections at either end. Most user computers on Domain A can
> navigate to Domain B using "Explore" from the Start menu, go to My Network
> Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network, find Domain B, find a
> fileserver on Domain B, and drill down to a shared drive on it. Upon double
> clicking the shared drive, a login box appears and a Domain A user can type
> in a valid Domain B login ID (i.e. (E-Mail Removed)) and password, and thereby
> access the shared drive contents or map a drive letter to the shared drive.
>
> For most Domain A users, this process works fine. However, I have three
> users who can explore as described above, see Domain B, and see the filesever
> on Domain B, but not drill down to the shared drive. When these three users
> click on the fileserver on Domain B, they do not get a login box but instead
> get a message as follows: "DomainBFileserver is not accessible. You might
> not have permission to use this network resource... The network path was not
> found".
>
> It may be helpful to note that the same three problem PCs on Domain A move
> very slowly through the explore process described above before ultimately
> receiving the "not accessible message" referred to above. In fact, they move
> slowly exploring in the same manner even to servers on their own domain (i.e.
> Domain A) but in the end are able to access shared drives on Domain A.
>
> All servers are Windows Server 2003 and all user PCs are Windows XP. All
> updates are installed on the servers and PCs.
>
> Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide.
>
> Sincerely, J

Hello Robert.

When I use "net view \\fileservername" I get "error 53... network path
cannot be found" from the Domain A problem PC.

When I do that from one of the Domain A PCs that are working fine, I get a
list of the various Share drives on the Domain B file server.

Thank You, J

"Robert L [MS-MVP]" wrote:

> what do you receive is using net view \\server? post back with the result.
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE

> "J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:BAFBAB23-B518-4FD5-A4E3-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi Robert. Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did check the DNS settings and
> confirmed that all three problem PCs settings are consistent with PCs that
> are working fine.
>
> Using "ipconfig /all" I did find that a problem PC listed "domainA.com"
> three times under "DNS Suffix Search List"; whereas a functioning PC listed
> "domainA.com" twice. I don't know if that is useful information.
>
> Also, per your recommendation, I checked and verified that all PCs are
> indicating the same IP address for the WINS server.
>
> Thanks again for your help. J
>
>
> "Robert L [MS-MVP]" wrote:
>
> > Sounds like name resolution issue. Do you have WINS server? also check the DNS settings.
> >
> > Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> > Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> > How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > "J" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:E8189EFD-E7AE-4907-B8C6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hello. My company (Company A) recently merged with another company (Company
> > B). Domain A is connected to Domain B using a Sonicwall VPN tunnel with T1
> > Internet connections at either end. Most user computers on Domain A can
> > navigate to Domain B using "Explore" from the Start menu, go to My Network
> > Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network, find Domain B, find a
> > fileserver on Domain B, and drill down to a shared drive on it. Upon double
> > clicking the shared drive, a login box appears and a Domain A user can type
> > in a valid Domain B login ID (i.e. (E-Mail Removed)) and password, and thereby
> > access the shared drive contents or map a drive letter to the shared drive.
> >
> > For most Domain A users, this process works fine. However, I have three
> > users who can explore as described above, see Domain B, and see the filesever
> > on Domain B, but not drill down to the shared drive. When these three users
> > click on the fileserver on Domain B, they do not get a login box but instead
> > get a message as follows: "DomainBFileserver is not accessible. You might
> > not have permission to use this network resource... The network path was not
> > found".
> >
> > It may be helpful to note that the same three problem PCs on Domain A move
> > very slowly through the explore process described above before ultimately
> > receiving the "not accessible message" referred to above. In fact, they move
> > slowly exploring in the same manner even to servers on their own domain (i.e.
> > Domain A) but in the end are able to access shared drives on Domain A.
> >
> > All servers are Windows Server 2003 and all user PCs are Windows XP. All
> > updates are installed on the servers and PCs.
> >
> > Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide.
> >
> > Sincerely, J