Re: Got TCP/IP connection, but no file sharing!?

Chuck,

Wow....! Ask for a little light and I got a beam you could spot stars
with....;-)

Your explanations certainly are *enlightening* and your response is a good
summary of the referenced material which I've been reading through. Your
post clarified some points that were not so clear before, such as the
delineation between enterprise and small network components which puts
things more in perspective from a services standpoint. For those that don't
have experience in medium to large networks (me...) your explanations have
helped in clarifying some of the MS papers which mainly cover enterprise
networks.

So..... I guess the answer for whether the Computer Browser service should
be enabled or not is..... "Turn it off if you're having a problem and see if
it clears the problem..." Which logically leads to - (in a small
peer-to-peer network), the Computer Browser service should be enabled on all
systems.

So many options....so little time....

Appreciate your time and effort in helping to clarify this, not only for me
but to others that may be reading this from the archives later.

Thank you,

Bob S.




> Bob,
>
> In an enterprise (office) environment, you have dozens if not hundreds of
> computers. You don't have to constantly turn the browser service on or
off
> here. How does that work, and why doesn't a workgroup environment work
the same
> way?
>
> This is a subject that I have personally been thinking about for a while,
and
> wondering where all of these recommendations came from (not all of which I
> originated BTW). I have been doing a bit of reading during the past week,
> mainly of old posts here and in other forums. I think all of the facts
can be
> found in the Microsoft document that to which I again provide the link:
>
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbro
wse.mspx>
>
> I'll probably allude to facts in the document, without re quoting
anything, as I
> am writing this ad-hoc.
>
> In this discussion, a client is any computer accessing shared data on
another
> computer, and a server is any computer providing shared data to another
> computer.
>
> Please don't see my definitions of enterprise domain environment, and
domestic
> workgroup environment, as anything more than two examples. There are an
> infinite number of possibilities that combine the many functions of the
two,
> which provide other considerations. Your 8 computer workgroup may well
fall
> between the two.
>
> The browser provides a peer-peer directory of servers in a domain
(workgroup).
> In an actual enterprise domain, the domain controller (master
authentication
> server) generally acts as the master browser. The domain controller is
always
> online, and always accessible. There are major problems in a domain
> environment, if the domain controller isn't available.
>
> The domain controller functionality, and the browser functionality, both
include
> failover mechanisms, so there will always be a domain controller, and a
master
> browser, available if the server providing that functionality becomes
> unavailable for any reason.
>
> There are many differences between an enterprise domain environment, and a
> domestic workgroup environment.
>
> In an enterprise domain network, for instance:
> 1) The role of any computer, as a client or server, is very formal.
> 2) Servers are traditionally fixed in location, and stay connected.
> 3) Servers generally run a server operating system.
> 4) Servers typically don't need to know (see) the presence of their
clients in
> the domain (workgroup), in Network Neighborhood.
> 5) Servers typically don't need to know (see) the presence of other
servers.
> 6) Clients typically don't need to know (see) the presence of other
clients.
> 7) Clients typically only need to know (see) the presence of servers.
> 8) Clients typically don't become browsers, because there are usually at
least
> 2 servers present on the domain, acting as browsers.
>
> The master browser role, and the browser role, are generally chosen for a
> computer running as the domain controller, and for a computer running a
server
> operating system.
>
> Contrast all that with your typical home workgroup, where you have 2 or
more
> computers, all sharing data with each other in a web of shares.
> 1) The role of any computer, as a client or a server, is casual and
mixed.
> 2) Some computers, wirelessly connected, may move around.
> 3) Most computers run a client operating system, though acting as
servers.
> 4) All computers need to know (see) the presence of other computers in
Network
> Neighborhood.
> 5) All computers become browsers, unless otherwise configured.
> 6) Many computers are casually disconnected from the network, or turned
off, at
> the whim of the owner.
> 7) Many servers have software or settings changes made at the whim of the
> owner, which may hamper performance as a client or as a server.
>
> The master browser will be one of the workgroup computers, and be subject
to the
> treatment of a workgroup computer.
>
> Regardless of all of the above considerations, there is expected to always
be a
> master browser in any workgroup (domain). Always being a relative term,
subject
> to the browsers checking for a master browser periodically, not every
second.
>
> Short of there being a domain controller in your workgroup (there won't
be), or
> a computer running a server operating system (there won't necessarily be),
the
> server chosen to be the master browser will probably be the server that's
been
> up the longest (not necessarily online the longest).
>
> Anytime that a browser server realises that there is no master browser
present
> on the domain, the browser is authorised to hold an election to determine
a new
> master browser.
>
> What happens if any server loses contact with another? If a browser
server
> loses contact with the master browser, it may elect itself a master
browser.
> This gives you a workgroup (domain) with 2 master browsers, neither able t
o see
> the other. This is where many browser problems start, though there are an
> almost infinite number of variations on this theme.
>
> I'll post at least this much additional material next time, based upon
your
> questions (please ask questions, I didn't write this purely for myself),
and
> based upon what's still in my head.
>
> I hope that this is of interest to you, and that it's readable.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Chuck
> Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
> My email is AT DOT
> actual address pchuck sonic net.


.

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