Re: Master Browser not working on server

From: Michael Giorgio - MS MVP (Michael.Giorgio_at_NoSpam.mayerson.com)
Date: 03/10/05 

Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 09:07:41 -0500

"Perry Diels" <perry.diels@optivoks.com> wrote in message news:
> > Answers linline:
> >
> > Attempt to map a share from the PDC to the workstation and vice
> > versa first by name then by tcp/ip address. If any fails post the exact
> > error.
>
> This works perfectly in both directions. No errors at all.

Now if you have multiple domains make sure each PDC can
communicate with each PDC.

>
> >
> > If you only have 1 machine on this paticular subnet acting
> > as the master browser I would recommend you have at
> > least two more machines maintaining the list as backup
> > master browsers.
>
> Even though the other machines are not all the time on line? Remember that
> the only machine that is 'always' on is the W2K3 server.
> Is this not contradictory to the fact that we have disabled on all
> workstations the 'computer browser' service?

Then I would make sure all machines have the IsDomainMaster
as false and enable the computer browser service. By default
with no changes the PDC is always the DMB and the SMB for
it's given endpoint. The other machines will share the backup
master browser role.

>
> > Next I would set the IsDomainMaster
> > setting to false on all machines on that paticular subnet.
> > Basically this gives the machine a better chance of becoming
> > an SMB (subnet master browser) but doesn't guarentee this
> > will happen. Its best to let the machine criteria determine the
> > SMB.
>
> That's exactly how it is.
>

This is contradictary to what you've posted earlier. You said
each have the IsDomainMaster setting as true. Maintain list
should also be true.

> >> Why is the diagnostic result of Browcon different of Browstat?
> >
> > It's possible browstat is finding the SMB but not the DMB.
> > The PDC is always the DMB or PDC emulator that's set
> > in stone.
>
> That's new for me, I was not aware of the existance of a DMB (Domain
Master
> Browser right?)
> Can this be configured apart from the SMB in w2k3 server, and how to do
so?
>

The machine holding the PDC emulator role is the DMB. The DMB is
responsible for gathering the local lists from all SMBs and passing back
to those SMBs It will also query WINS for other 1b names to get their
domain wide lists. The SMB gathers the local list for it's endpoint. Each
machine will send a host name announcement packet to the SMB
during the boot process at increasing intervals finally leveling out at
every
12 minutes.

> >
> > Depends on which subnet the machine is on which is running
> > the application. That will be the local host. You need to put
> > the subnet the problem machine is on and the subnet which
> > cannot see the problem subnet.
>
> I only know a little bit of subnetting, I understand that the second
portion
> of an IP address determines the subnet, but I don't know what name is
> assigend to a subnet. Where can I find that? Note that our network is
Class
> B and, correct me if I'm wrong, each machine is on another subnet because
> the third octet of the IP address, assigned by DHCP from the w2k3 Server,
is
> a different number. I don't know what name would be used in Browcon to
> differentiate those subnets.

Depends on your subnet mask e.g., a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 puts
your machines on the same subnet. Now if the mask is 255.255.255.0
then they are indeed on different subnets.

>
> I hope my questions make sense, sorry but I'm not an expert in subnets and
> this level of TCPIP.
>

No problem at all.

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