Network browsing: lost+found

Hello,

I have a W98se pc connected to a home wireless network.

It used to work. But last week I lost the "network browsing" capability.

However, the machine could ping and be pinged. Also, the Internet access
kept working.

I tried to
- play with the "browse master" setting
- uninstall and reinstall file sharing (several times)
- change from 'windows logon' to 'client for MS networks' -- no luck.

Tried again 5 min. ago (not changed anything): network browsing is back...

I wonder, what is the right set of settings that would keep networking
functional.

TIA,

--
Daniel CLEMENT

Network browsing is a fairly complex and somewhat "fragile" means of
navigating a network due to the fact that any PC can become the browse
master and maintain the list of PCs on the network. Shutting down, starting
up or restarting any PC on the network can cause a complete loss of browsing
capabilities for up to 15 minutes as a new browse master is elected. The
easy way to handle the problem is wait for that length of time when starting
or restarting PCs on the network. You can also designate one PC as the
master browser and disable the browse master function on all other PCs but
then you run the risk of further disruptions if the designated browse master
is not available.e

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Daniel CLEMENT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello,
>
> I have a W98se pc connected to a home wireless network.
>
> It used to work. But last week I lost the "network browsing" capability.
>
> However, the machine could ping and be pinged. Also, the Internet access
> kept working.
>
> I tried to
> - play with the "browse master" setting
> - uninstall and reinstall file sharing (several times)
> - change from 'windows logon' to 'client for MS networks' -- no luck.
>
> Tried again 5 min. ago (not changed anything): network browsing is back...
>
> I wonder, what is the right set of settings that would keep networking
> functional.
>
> TIA,
>
> --
> Daniel CLEMENT
>
>

Thanks a lot for this detailed reply. I needed not change my settings in
haste...

I just would like to understand completely what could have happened:

The other PCs are win2k / XP home. When they start, AFAIK, the w98 one
_cannot_ be the browse master. (I think I recall that the other w2k/XP OS
have precedence).

Then, if my "browse master" setting ended up on "disabled", I guess the w98
PC could only browse if the win2k or winXP machine has started?

Of course, to browse a network with a single (w98) PC started, does not make
much sense. But should'nt it see at list _itself_ in the network
neighbourhood?

I'd bet that the "automatic" setting is best in my case. However, 15 minutes
is a long time...

Thanks again,

--
Daniel CLEMENT

"Richard G. Harper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news message
(E-Mail Removed)...
> Network browsing is a fairly complex and somewhat "fragile" means of
> navigating a network due to the fact that any PC can become the browse
> master and maintain the list of PCs on the network. Shutting down,
starting
> up or restarting any PC on the network can cause a complete loss of
browsing
> capabilities for up to 15 minutes as a new browse master is elected. The
> easy way to handle the problem is wait for that length of time when
starting
> or restarting PCs on the network. You can also designate one PC as the
> master browser and disable the browse master function on all other PCs but
> then you run the risk of further disruptions if the designated browse
master
> is not available.e
>
> --
> Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
> * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
> * for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
> * My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
> * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
>
> "Daniel CLEMENT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have a W98se pc connected to a home wireless network.
> >
> > It used to work. But last week I lost the "network browsing" capability.
> >
> > However, the machine could ping and be pinged. Also, the Internet access
> > kept working.
> >
> > I tried to
> > - play with the "browse master" setting
> > - uninstall and reinstall file sharing (several times)
> > - change from 'windows logon' to 'client for MS networks' -- no luck.
> >
> > Tried again 5 min. ago (not changed anything): network browsing is
back...
> >
> > I wonder, what is the right set of settings that would keep networking
> > functional.
> >
> > TIA,
> >
> > --
> > Daniel CLEMENT
> >
> >
>
>

The problem with browsing is that when a computer is started or re-started
that computer can force a new browse master election. Even if it can't win
the election (and yes, Windows XP and Windows 2000 take precedence in such
an election) the started/re-started computer can still force an election and
thus the temporary delay in browsing capabilities.

If you have one XP or 2000 computer that is always on (or almost always on
first, anyway) that computer would be a good one to manually configure as
the browse master.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Daniel CLEMENT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks a lot for this detailed reply. I needed not change my settings in
> haste...
>
> I just would like to understand completely what could have happened:
>
> The other PCs are win2k / XP home. When they start, AFAIK, the w98 one
> _cannot_ be the browse master. (I think I recall that the other w2k/XP OS
> have precedence).
>
> Then, if my "browse master" setting ended up on "disabled", I guess the
> w98
> PC could only browse if the win2k or winXP machine has started?
>
> Of course, to browse a network with a single (w98) PC started, does not
> make
> much sense. But should'nt it see at list _itself_ in the network
> neighbourhood?
>
> I'd bet that the "automatic" setting is best in my case. However, 15
> minutes
> is a long time...
>
> Thanks again,
>
> --
> Daniel CLEMENT
>
> "Richard G. Harper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news message
> (E-Mail Removed)...
>> Network browsing is a fairly complex and somewhat "fragile" means of
>> navigating a network due to the fact that any PC can become the browse
>> master and maintain the list of PCs on the network. Shutting down,
> starting
>> up or restarting any PC on the network can cause a complete loss of
> browsing
>> capabilities for up to 15 minutes as a new browse master is elected. The
>> easy way to handle the problem is wait for that length of time when
> starting
>> or restarting PCs on the network. You can also designate one PC as the
>> master browser and disable the browse master function on all other PCs
>> but
>> then you run the risk of further disruptions if the designated browse
> master
>> is not available.e
>>
>> --
>> Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
>> * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
>> * for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
>> * My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
>> * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>
>>
>> "Daniel CLEMENT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > I have a W98se pc connected to a home wireless network.
>> >
>> > It used to work. But last week I lost the "network browsing"
>> > capability.
>> >
>> > However, the machine could ping and be pinged. Also, the Internet
>> > access
>> > kept working.
>> >
>> > I tried to
>> > - play with the "browse master" setting
>> > - uninstall and reinstall file sharing (several times)
>> > - change from 'windows logon' to 'client for MS networks' -- no luck.
>> >
>> > Tried again 5 min. ago (not changed anything): network browsing is
> back...
>> >
>> > I wonder, what is the right set of settings that would keep networking
>> > functional.
>> >
>> > TIA,
>> >
>> > --
>> > Daniel CLEMENT
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>