Windows Server 2003 / XP Pro: Workgroup Woes

Thanks in advance for your help here; this group has been great reading
for me in the last few weeks.

I'm new to the Windows Server world. I'm the unofficial "IT" guy at our
small company, and the boss wasn't interested in buying a Linux server.
So right now I'm simply trying to get our 2003 server to act as a file
server via the office workgroup.

After originally adding the file server role, and changing the
workgroup information on the server, I was able to access the server as
expected from all machines on the workgroup. I installed the VPN role
afterward - and I think this is the point where the workgroup/sharing
issues began. It could be coincidental, but I believe there may be a
connection between my installation (and subsequent uninstallation) of
VPN and my workgroup struggles.

As it stands now, the server says it's a part of the correct workgroup
("LJEI"), but it's not visible to any of the other machines (they
cannot be browse to the server, nor does a manual \\LJESERVER\Files
navigation work), and it doesn't see any machines other than itself in
the workgroup; I am able to ping the server's IP address successfully
from elsewhere, and the server is able to ping other machines (inside
and outside of the network).

Here's where I'm at:

- The File Server role is the only one installed.
- Active Directory (domain) is NOT installed
- VPN is uninstalled (was installed, as mentioned above, but removed
immediately afterward)
- Running Windows Server 2003 SP1
- All machines in the workgroup are on XP Pro
- All XP Pro machines are successfully operating on the workgroup
- All machines are on DHCP at the router; the server is independent of
that process

Any thoughts? I'd be ecstatic if we could use the massive drives in
this server...

Thanks, again.


Tim Glinatsis

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Sounds like name resolution issue. can you share it using IP? Do you =
have an internal DNS?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on =
http://www.ChicagoTech.net=20
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on =
http://www.HowToNetworking.com=20
"Tim Glinatsis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message =
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
Thanks in advance for your help here; this group has been great =
reading
for me in the last few weeks.

I'm new to the Windows Server world. I'm the unofficial "IT" guy at =
our
small company, and the boss wasn't interested in buying a Linux =
server.
So right now I'm simply trying to get our 2003 server to act as a file
server via the office workgroup.

After originally adding the file server role, and changing the
workgroup information on the server, I was able to access the server =
as
expected from all machines on the workgroup. I installed the VPN role
afterward - and I think this is the point where the workgroup/sharing
issues began. It could be coincidental, but I believe there may be a
connection between my installation (and subsequent uninstallation) of
VPN and my workgroup struggles.

As it stands now, the server says it's a part of the correct workgroup
("LJEI"), but it's not visible to any of the other machines (they
cannot be browse to the server, nor does a manual \\LJESERVER\Files
navigation work), and it doesn't see any machines other than itself in
the workgroup; I am able to ping the server's IP address successfully
from elsewhere, and the server is able to ping other machines (inside
and outside of the network).

Here's where I'm at:

- The File Server role is the only one installed.
- Active Directory (domain) is NOT installed
- VPN is uninstalled (was installed, as mentioned above, but removed
immediately afterward)
- Running Windows Server 2003 SP1
- All machines in the workgroup are on XP Pro
- All XP Pro machines are successfully operating on the workgroup
- All machines are on DHCP at the router; the server is independent of
that process

Any thoughts? I'd be ecstatic if we could use the massive drives in
this server...

Thanks, again.


Tim Glinatsis

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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Sounds like name resolution issue. can you share it =
using IP?=20
Do you have an internal DNS?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE &amp; CNE<BR>Networking, Internet, =
Routing, VPN=20
Troubleshooting on <A=20
href=3D"http://www.ChicagoTech.net">http://www.ChicagoTech.net</A> =
<BR>How to=20
Setup Windows, Network, VPN &amp; Remote Access on <A=20
href=3D"http://www.HowToNetworking.com">http://www.HowToNetworking.com</A=
> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"Tim Glinatsis" &lt;<A=20
href=3D"private.php?do=newpm&u=">tglinatsis@gm ail.com</A>&gt; =
wrote in=20
message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:1134573979.462218.269440@g43g2000cwa. googlegroups.com">news:=
(E-Mail Removed). com</A>...</DIV>Thanks =

in advance for your help here; this group has been great =
reading<BR>for me in=20
the last few weeks.<BR><BR>I'm new to the Windows Server world. I'm =
the=20
unofficial "IT" guy at our<BR>small company, and the boss wasn't =
interested in=20
buying a Linux server.<BR>So right now I'm simply trying to get our =
2003=20
server to act as a file<BR>server via the office =
workgroup.<BR><BR>After=20
originally adding the file server role, and changing the<BR>workgroup=20
information on the server, I was able to access the server =
as<BR>expected from=20
all machines on the workgroup. I installed the VPN role<BR>afterward - =
and I=20
think this is the point where the workgroup/sharing<BR>issues began. =
It could=20
be coincidental, but I believe there may be a<BR>connection between my =

installation (and subsequent uninstallation) of<BR>VPN and my =
workgroup=20
struggles.<BR><BR>As it stands now, the server says it's a part of the =
correct=20
workgroup<BR>("LJEI"), but it's not visible to any of the other =
machines=20
(they<BR>cannot be browse to the server, nor does a manual <A=20
href=3D"file://\\LJESERVER\Files">\\LJESERVER\Files</A><BR>navigation =
work), and=20
it doesn't see any machines other than itself in<BR>the workgroup; I =
am able=20
to ping the server's IP address successfully<BR>from elsewhere, and =
the server=20
is able to ping other machines (inside<BR>and outside of the=20
network).<BR><BR>Here's where I'm at:<BR><BR>- The File Server role is =
the=20
only one installed.<BR>- Active Directory (domain) is NOT =
installed<BR>- VPN=20
is uninstalled (was installed, as mentioned above, but =
removed<BR>immediately=20
afterward)<BR>- Running Windows Server 2003 SP1<BR>- All machines in =
the=20
workgroup are on XP Pro<BR>- All XP Pro machines are successfully =
operating on=20
the workgroup<BR>- All machines are on DHCP at the router; the server =
is=20
independent of<BR>that process<BR><BR>Any thoughts? I'd be ecstatic if =
we=20
could use the massive drives in<BR>this server...<BR><BR>Thanks,=20
again.<BR><BR><BR>Tim Glinatsis<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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To answer your first question:

Can I share it via IP?
The answer appears to be yes. If I explore to \\192.168.1.13\Files I'm
prompted for a username/password (which is far too much work for the
other users in the office); but after entering the info, I'm able to
navigate to the folder.

As far as having an internal DNS, there isn't anything configured other
than the router. We have the classic DHCP service from the local DSL
company; all machines are assigned an IP dynamically by the router.

So there's some progress...any thoughts on how I might fix the naming
issue?

Here's a snapshot of the info on the server; all of the information
that's repeated on the XP Pro machines is identical.

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LJESERV
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast
Ethernet
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-EF-22-81
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.13
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, December 14, 2005
7:04:07 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, December 17, 2005
7:04:07 AM

Thanks again for your help here...

This is your issue. Browsing requires NetBIOS over Tcp/ip.

"Tim Glinatsis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

I believe this might not resolve your issues. We are running into the same
problem here & we have tried this. Did not work..

"Michael Giorgio - MS MVP" wrote:

> This is your issue. Browsing requires NetBIOS over Tcp/ip.
>
> "Tim Glinatsis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
> > NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
>
>
>

Michael didn't say that was his only problem. What he did say (and he is
correct) is that it will definitely not work if Netbios over TCP/IP is
disabled. Browsing requires it.

If enabling it doesn't solve the problem, the OP can repost.

kalidasan wrote:
> I believe this might not resolve your issues. We are running into
> the same problem here & we have tried this. Did not work..
>
> "Michael Giorgio - MS MVP" wrote:
>
>> This is your issue. Browsing requires NetBIOS over Tcp/ip.
>>
>> "Tim Glinatsis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:
>>> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

This actually DID solve the problem; all of the machines can now see
one another.

BUT, exploring to the server still requires a username/password. The
shared folders are configured to allow "Everyone" read/write access.

Is there a way to allow users on the workgroup to connect to the
server, without prompting them for login credentials?

In a domain sense, "everyone" means every domain user. It doesn't mean
every user in the world.

To access domain resources you need a credentials which are valid in the
domain. You can try the old W9x trick (W9x machines cannot join a domain).
That was to give the workgroup the same name as the domain. Then set up
accounts on the domain for each workgroup user. When a user who is logged
in as domainname/fred/passwd at his workstation wants to access domain
resources, the DC checks his credentials and sees that they exactly match a
domain account. Bingo!

Tim Glinatsis wrote:
> This actually DID solve the problem; all of the machines can now see
> one another.
>
> BUT, exploring to the server still requires a username/password. The
> shared folders are configured to allow "Everyone" read/write access.
>
> Is there a way to allow users on the workgroup to connect to the
> server, without prompting them for login credentials?

I have a similar problem, my XP workstations can only see themselves under
their domain (the only one, controlled by 2003 server) on "Entire Network" .

But my ipconfig /all response doesn't mention Netbios over Tcpip, on
workstation or server.
I have manually configured it on my workstation, but when I try to access
Network Connections under Control Panel on the server, Explorer locks up and
has to be killed and restarted. Obviously I have other server problems :-(

Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance,
--
Newell White


"Tim Glinatsis" wrote:

> Thanks in advance for your help here; this group has been great reading
> for me in the last few weeks.
>
> I'm new to the Windows Server world. I'm the unofficial "IT" guy at our
> small company, and the boss wasn't interested in buying a Linux server.
> So right now I'm simply trying to get our 2003 server to act as a file
> server via the office workgroup.
>
> After originally adding the file server role, and changing the
> workgroup information on the server, I was able to access the server as
> expected from all machines on the workgroup. I installed the VPN role
> afterward - and I think this is the point where the workgroup/sharing
> issues began. It could be coincidental, but I believe there may be a
> connection between my installation (and subsequent uninstallation) of
> VPN and my workgroup struggles.
>
> As it stands now, the server says it's a part of the correct workgroup
> ("LJEI"), but it's not visible to any of the other machines (they
> cannot be browse to the server, nor does a manual \\LJESERVER\Files
> navigation work), and it doesn't see any machines other than itself in
> the workgroup; I am able to ping the server's IP address successfully
> from elsewhere, and the server is able to ping other machines (inside
> and outside of the network).
>
> Here's where I'm at:
>
> - The File Server role is the only one installed.
> - Active Directory (domain) is NOT installed
> - VPN is uninstalled (was installed, as mentioned above, but removed
> immediately afterward)
> - Running Windows Server 2003 SP1
> - All machines in the workgroup are on XP Pro
> - All XP Pro machines are successfully operating on the workgroup
> - All machines are on DHCP at the router; the server is independent of
> that process
>
> Any thoughts? I'd be ecstatic if we could use the massive drives in
> this server...
>
> Thanks, again.
>
>
> Tim Glinatsis
>
>

It's probably because a workstation somewhere doesn't have a password
stored... Usually on the workstation that is being prompted for a
username and password is the one that needs a password set. Otherwise,
it is being forced to authenticate after each reboot.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just had a problem like that recently, and
setting a password fixed it.

Red_Foreman