Network Troubleshooting and Check Lists
If one networking computer has
a difficulty to communicate with other computers running win9x, ME, NT and
w2k/xp in a peer-to-peer workgroup, make sure that you have setup
the common workgroup, protocol, logon IDs, enabled the file and printer sharing,
and setup necessary permission for the user accessing.
One of the common problems in workgroup network is permission. If you have
the above mentioned setup correctly, and even used the same ID and password of
the accessed computer to logon, and you are still unable to access the
win2000/XP computer, try to enable the guest account in the win2000/XP (enable
guest account is risky) or even enable simple file sharing on XP.
Another common problem in mixed (win9x, NT, ME, Win2K and XP) workgroup
network is name resolution. If you can ping IP but not computer name, this may
be a NetBIOS issue. You may try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on win2K/XP if you
don't have WINS server. For some reasons, you just can't ping the computer name
even you enable the NetBIOS over TCP/IP, you may try to install NetBEUI on
win2K/XP. If you can't see other computers but you can map the other computers'
shared folder using UNC (\\computername\sharedfolder), this may be master
browser issue. You may want to disable master browser on W2K/XP in a small mixed
OS workgroup network.
Finally, we also find that running the network wizard on the XP and using the
setup-disks created by WinXP for win98
computers may create some potential networking problems.
Still need
help,
contact consultant
The following are some of the symptoms and resolutions or check lists (also
referee to
Network Analysis
- Resolution for IPC$,
Incorrect password or unknown username problem).
Can browse the Internet but not
LAN
Can't
enable Client for MS Networks and File and Printer Sharing
Can't see one of the shared
folders
Can
ping but can't see other computers
Can't net view computername - error
52
Can't ping or net view
computername -
error 53
Can't net
view computer - error 5
I have enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP but ipconfig /all shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP
disable.
Loading NetBEUI
works but not NetBIOS over TCP/IP
Logon ID works on win9x but
not W2K/XP
One
computer cannot access the Internet
Problems with workstation service
Problems with
Server service
Why can't I see a computer
even I can ping it
What does "No more connections can be made to this remote computer" mean
Win9x
can't see Win2000/XP
Zone Alarm may disable file sharing
Can
browse the Internet but not LAN
SYMPTOMS: 1) in a mixed OS network including Win9x,
ME, NT, W2K and XP, the computers can still obtain IP addresses that are
assigned by a DHCP server, but they cannot see each other in Network
Neighborhood or in My Network Places.
2) You can browse the Internet, but you cannot browse your local area
connection.
3) You are able to ping your loopback address (127.0.0.1), but you cannot ping
another computer on the same network.
Resolutions: The problem may occur if your
hardware router has a built-in firewall or software firewall like ICF that has
closed ports. Open the ports or for the test, disable firewall.
Can't
enable Client for MS Networks and File and Printer Sharing
Symptoms: When trying to enable Client for MS
Networks and File and Printer Sharing, you may get warning that Client for MS
Network and File and Printer Sharing will be disabled.
Resolution: Go to Network
Connection>Advanced>Advanced Settings, make sure Client for MS Networks and File
and Printer Sharing are checked.
Can't
see one of the shared folders
Symptom: your peer network with one Win
98SE and some Win 2000 Pro systems on the LAN operates fines except the W98SE
machine
sees all W2kPro machines but not one of shared folders on one w2k computer.
Other W2kPro machines can sees the folder. You have set necessary permissions,
users, passwords.
Resolution: make sure the folder's name is shorter then 15
characters.
Can
ping but can't see other computers
Symptom: If W2k machine is
multihomed, you may be able to ping other computers but can't see them on My
Network Places.
Resolutions: change the Connection
order. To do this, open Network Connection>Advanced (Menu)>Advanced
Settings>Adapters & Bindings, reorder the Connections.
Can't net view computername -
error 52
Symptoms: you can
ping a host but not net view it. When using net view
\\hostname, you get system error 52 - a duplicate name exists on the
network.
Resolutions: there
are two host names or alias name (cname) are
pointed to the same IP. 1) check the WINS records. 2) check DNS records. 3) Go
to System in the Control Panel to change the computer name and try again.
Can't ping or net view
computername -
error 53
Symptom: if you can ping IP but not
computername, or if you can net view \\IP but not
\\computername (error 53). You have name
resolution problem. Resolutions: 1) if it is
domain environment, check your WINS. 2) if it is peer-to-peer workgroup, enable
NetBIOS over TCP/IP. 3) or add NetBEUI on all your workstations.
Can't net
view computer - error 5
If you can see the win2000/XP computer listed in workgroup but when using net
view \\computername,
you get "Error 5. Access is denied", this is a permission issue. Make sue all
computers are in the same group or logon the same username.
Or
need to cache credential: logon the same username and password on both computers
or use net net use \\computername
/user:username command.
How can I
restore IPC$
IPC$ is a resource that shares the named pipes that are essential for
communication between programs. You use IPC$ during remote administration of a
computer and when you view a computer's shared resources. You should not delete
this resource. If IPC$ share is missing, restore it by using command net
share ipc$.
I have enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP but ipconfig /all shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP
disable.
For some reasons, you have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on W2K/XP but using
ipconfig /all still shows NetBIOS over TCP/IP disable. The alternative solution
will be installing NetBEUI to all computers.
I
can't see a computer even I can ping \\computername
Sometimes, you may be able to ping or net view
\\computer, but can't see it in My Network Places. If this is a case, you
may want to check the workgroup or domain, make sure they are in the same group
or domain. Also check the computer browser issue. In the most cases, you may be
able to use the computer resources if it enable file and printer sharing and
logon the same logon.
Still need
help,
contact consultant
Your
feedback and contributions to this web site
Loading NetBEUI
works but not NetBIOS over TCP/IP
In general, computer browser
performance improves with fewer protocols or network cards on a computer. This
is one of reasons why NetBEUI is not loaded WinXP by default. If
loading NetBEUI make the workgroup to see each but not enabling NetBIOS over
TCP/IP, this is not name resolution issue. This is because of some reasons such
as a firewall running.
Logon ID works on win9x but not W2K/XP
Symptoms: You can logon all workstations with
different OS such as win9x, w2k and xp. If logon win9x, you can access any
network resources; but if you logon w2k/xp, you will get access denied fro
accessing any network resources.
Resolution: have your administrator to re-set
your password.
One computer cannot access the Internet
Symptoms: you have a network with a router connecting to the Internet. All
computers except one can't access the Internet. That computer can ping most
other computers' IPs except the router's LAN IP.
Resolution: check the router settings and make sure MAC Address Control
doesn't deny that computer.
Problems
with workstation service
If you get the following symptoms, you may need to check workstation service
and make sure it is running on the computer.
1. "Unable to browse the network". The network is not present or not stated when
click MS Windows Network under Entire Network.
2. "The service has not been started" when using net view or net send.
3. You may not be able to logon.
Problems with
Server service
If you get the following symptoms, you may need to check server service and
make sure it is running.
1. You may receive "System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not
found" when using net view \\computername from
a remote computer.
2. The service has not been started when using net share.
3. You may receive "\\computername
is not accessible. Then network path was not found" when trying to browse
the computer from My Network Places.
4. You may receive "System error 51 has occurred. The remote computer is not
available" when using net use to map the computer drive.
What are maximum number of workgroup network connections?
A: When attempting to connect to another computer in peer-to-peer workgroup
network, you may receive "No more connections can be made to this remote
computer" message. This behavior occurs if the
computer reaches the maximum number of inbound connections that the computer can
host. For Win2000/XP Pro, the maximum number of other computers that are
permitted to simultaneously connect over the network is ten. For WinXP HE, the
maximum number of other computers that are permitted to simultaneously connect
over the network is five. Note: that this
limitation applies only to inbound connections to Win2000/XP. When you use
Win2000/XP, unlimited outbound connections can be established to other systems.
Win9x can't see
Win2000/XP
By default, Win2000/XP disables NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) for selected
clients. In a peer-to-peer network without WINS, Win9x will be unable to
browse, locate, or create file and print share connections to a Windows 2000
computer with NetBIOS disabled. So, you must setup the Win2000/XP to uses
NetBIOS over TCP/IP to communicate with prior versions of Windows NT and other
clients, such as Microsoft Windows 95. Alternatively, you may want to add
NetBEUI on all workstations in the peer-to-peer network.
You setup a peer-to-peer network correctly but no one can see one of the
networking computers and the computer can't see others. Later you find that
Installing ZA prevents file sharing because Zone Alarm will consider all other
machines on the network as untrusted and will not allow them to communicate with
the machine ZA is installed on. Resolution: 1) Disabling Zone Alarm. 2)
To fix this, in the firewall section "ZONE" tab use the ADD button to specify
which Ip's or range of ip's are local, it would also be a good idea to specify
which NIC is local on a multi-homed machine.
To do that, go to Security >> Advance button and select the "local zone
contents" tab then click Add and specify which ip or range of ip are local also
specify local interface on multi-homed machine. |